My company is on the cusp of obtaining work at 17 satellite locations across the Eastern Coast. Most of these locations are 1-5 personnel, some full time and some part.

What would be the easiest way of keeping them under our ISO certification?? I'm thinking of having them use our practices, but not fall under the certification itself. It isn't feasible for me to visit all 17 locations or have the folks at those locations trained properly due to finances. Any suggestions???

What would be the easiest way of keeping them under our ISO certification?? I'm thinking of having them use our practices, but not fall under the certification itself.The first sentence does not agree with the second one. Do you want the sites to be certified or not?

I want to have them to comply with ISO 9001 standards, but not actually be certified.

A few observations:

1)
Are your satellite locations an integral part of your processes? if so, then I don't think you can, or want to, get certified without having the system apply to them and, consequently, document their processes, train them, and audit them.

2)
The audit does not need to be of every single location. For example, during our certification process, the auditors visited one of our installation sites (of several), and that was sufficient to show that our system complied with the standard.

3)
There are inexpensive tools to share documents and train personnel through the internet. We use a wiki to document our system and share it with several locations. See the thread Using a Wiki to Implement a QMS (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=32513).

Good luck!
Pancho

It isn't feasible for me to visit all 17 locations or have the folks at those locations trained properly due to finances. Any suggestions???

Considering number of folks at these 17 locations, for training purpose, I feel you can develop training material and pass it on to each of them.

Later send a set of questions covering all about the subject.

Evaluation of those answers could be good record for training.

Just for your information, here in our organization our part of Engineering takes place in other country. CB Auditor visit that location once in 3 years. At the time of certification, this frequency was set.

Best of luck!!

Regards!!

I like your responses...What kind of training could I give to them though?? Should I train them on ISO requirements? How it affects them? Procedures?? I'm not sure I understand this concept 100%

I like your responses...What kind of training could I give to them though?? Should I train them on ISO requirements? How it affects them? Procedures?? I'm not sure I understand this concept 100%

There is no requirement that Employees need to be trained on "ISO requirements." Most important is that your Employees are competent to perform the job that's expected of them in a safe, effective and efficient manner. They need to understand (not remember) the company's quality policy and how their job performance affects the company's commitment to the Customers. My Fellow Covers have already pointed out ways to provide that training.

Hope this helps.

Stijloor.

I don't know exactly what operations takes place in those 17 locations. However, we have prepared different training modules for each function or process.

Each module is in two parts;
1. About ISO and Quality Management System (includes best practices described in Quality Manual with referenced to ISO 9001 Clause 4 / 5 / 6 / 8)
2. About their specific function (includes ISO 9001 Clause 7 specific sub clause, their procedures, forms, reference documents, Quality Objectives, etc.)

For example;

Training Module for our Engineering Department includes following sections;
1. About ISO 9001:2008
2. Vision, Mission and Quality Policy
3. Quality Management System
4. Design & development @ My Co.
5. Control of documents & records
6. Control of documents from external sources
7. Purchasing (including outsourcing)
8. Quality Objectives
9. Corrective / Preventive Actions
10. Process improvement initiatives.

See if this helps...!!