ISO (International Standard Organization) consists of a family of rigorous international benchmarks and requirements that are designed to help a company to control and improve its quality. Although many businesses aim to be ISO 9001-certified, there are other ISO standards that have requirements that target specific industries, such as the automotive or petroleum sectors. Some standards require that companies develop a QMS (Quality Management System). Below are some ISO standards and their requirements.
ISO 9001
In order to be ISO 9001-certified, a company must produce a QMS (Quality Management System). A QMS is a series of processes, procedures, and policies that the company must have in order to set up and carry out its core business activities. In addition, the company must have solid documentation that identifies all of its processes. These processes will come from each department of the company. The documentation must show how these departments interrelate with other. Flow charts or diagrams will help the auditor to visually see how these departments work together. The management must have regular meetings to go over the QMS. This will help the company to prepare for the audit, which a third party will conduct. The auditor interviews the company's employees, ensuring that they know what their roles are in complying with these standards. The auditor also analyzes the company's documentation, confirming that it adheres to the requirements. If there are areas where the company does not comply, the auditor will note them in a report. The company has a limited time to fix these errors. After the company has corrected these errors, the auditor will re-checks them. If all the errors have been corrected, the auditor will then certify the company.
ISO 14000
ISO 14000 focuses on the EMS (Environmental Management Systems), which is a management tool. ISO 14000 consists of two sub-standards: ISO 14004:2004 and ISO 14001:2004. ISO 14004:2004 provides a general framework of the EMS, including implementing, maintaining, and improving it. The ISO 14001:2004 provides the requirements of the EMS. It explains how the company should create and implement policies regarding the system. The company should create an EMS that will help it to define and monitor the environmental impact of its services, products, or activities. It should also enable the organization to continuously improve its environmental performance. Finally, the EMS should help the company to employ a methodical approach in order to establish environmental objectives. After the company has met and implemented these requirements, a third party organization will audit it. The auditor will provide the company a detailed report of the requirements that have not been met. The company has a limited time to repair these problems before it can be certified.
ISO/TS 16949
ISO/TS 16949 identifies the QMS's requirements for designing, developing, and producing automotive-related products. This also includes installing and servicing these products. Based on ISO 9001, the company's QMS must supply continuous improvement. ISO/TS 16949 applies to all of the company's sites that are involved in manufacturing automotive parts for customers. These sites include the company's headquarters and design and distributions centers. Although the auditor will audit each site, none will not receive a stand-alone ISO/TS 16949 certification. Instead, the whole company will be ISO/TS 16949-certified if it passes the exam.
ISO/TS 29001
ISO/TS 29001 identifies the QMS's requirements for designing, developing, producing, installing, and servicing products for petroleum, petrochemical, and natural gas sectors. The company's QMS must prevent defects and cut down on waste from service providers. After the company has implemented the QMS, a third party auditor will review it. The assessor will look for requirements that the company has not met. The company has a limited time to correct these problems. The auditor will issue the company an ISO/TS 29001 certificate after the problems have been fixed.
