ISO 9001 Quality Systems Manual (QSM) advice - Please review

Hello all.

I am in the process of developing a 9001 system for a small environmental consultancy I work for. I have only ever played around the fringes of 9001 but have been doing a bit of homework and reading.

I have developed the included Quality Systems Manual and some supporting flowcharts and procedures, but having never developed this sort of thing before, I thought I'd put it out to this forum to see

1. what you think of what I done so far (don't blow wind up my skirt give it to me straight!!)
2. what you think I should do to complete this project.

I am happy for any and all comments and look forward to hearing from you. Equally I am happy for anyone to take what I have done and use it for their own purposes.

cheers,

Jon

1st, Welcome to the Cove You will find the place interesting and full of diverse folks with great knowledge and experience.

1. what you think of what I done so far (don't blow wind up my skirt give it to me straight!!)

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Are you serious? I normally get into trouble when I tell the truth because I don't believe in pumping sunshine up anyones bottom.

You have a possible issue right off the bat with your 1st page...You have titled the document "Quality Management Plan" but use the term "Quality System Manual" inside the document so therefore as a 3rd party auditor I'm confused from the git-go and you're inconsistent.

In section 5.5.1 "Management Review", I'm sorry but that duck ain't quackin'....You state that "Company Staff" will do the review and that is contrary to 9001....You define Top Management as "Leadership" not "Company Staff" and it is "Leadership" that must do the review.

Also, throughout the document you just regurgitate the words from 9001 but don't say "how" you are going to do anything, just that you are going to do whatever. You need to add some substance and back off of just re-writing the standard.

Bottom line, it's not a page turner and on a scale of 1-5 it's about a 2-3 at best. I finished at 7.2.1

We'll let the politically correct folks take it from here

outdoor said:

Hello all.

I am in the process of developing a 9001 system for a small environmental consultancy I work for. I have only ever played around the fringes of 9001 but have been doing a bit of homework and reading.

I have developed the included Quality Systems Manual and some supporting flowcharts and procedures, but having never developed this sort of thing before, I thought I'd put it out to this forum to see

1. what you think of what I done so far (don't blow wind up my skirt give it to me straight!!)
2. what you think I should do to complete this project.

I am happy for any and all comments and look forward to hearing from you. Equally I am happy for anyone to take what I have done and use it for their own purposes.

cheers,

Jon

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I got a feeling I was reading the standard itself. I would have described my document structure a bit more. I would have identified all my processes and dipicted how they interact with one another. I would have had a table with the ISO clauses and the appropriate procedure numbers that address them. I would have an organization chart in and spell out the responsibility and authority of key personnel. The flow charts are good.

I'd go along with Randy, on the regurgitation part. If he'd stayed awake he would have found a contradiction in that you state - up front - that the manual doesn't contain the detailed procedures, documentation, then you go and add two process maps in the back!

Also, you write of "integrated systems", but I see no evidence of this! Integrated usually means the documentation takes care of all aspects; quality, environmental and safety........I don't see anywhere this has been accomplished.

It is a start, but it doesn't really tell the story of your system.

Would it suffice? With a couple minor edits, yes.

This is great guys thanks!!

Now that you've raised them, i can see where there is a bit of regurgitation of the standard - I'm going to have to have a better look at it for certain!!

Randy & Andy thanks for the straight forwardness!! I hate people being all PC and taking forever to say what could have been said straight up.

1. This will form part of our Integrated MP, but I've only done the quality side so far, I'll add health and envi, as you mentioned, as i go.

2. inconsistency - yep my bad I have been calling this the Quality Systems Manual but the boss wanted to call it the Quality Management Plan, and I haven't changed the wording except in a couple of places. What would you guys suggest the difference between a systems plan and management plan would be? any?

3. Use of tables to better describe the standards linkages to process and associated procedures or plans - thanks I like this!

4. org chart roles and responsibilities - apart from the principle consultant the rest of us are all equal in terms of responsibility (yes we may be tasked to jobs that differ in complexity, but as a company we have a flat hierarchy) which I have struggled to come to grips with when writing this.

5. Randy - thanks for the comments re: 5.5.1. you're right, I need to ensure that company leadership (boss hates the word management in this context) do the annual review not all the staff. In this case this would be the boss and other senior consultant as I wrote the docs.

6. I don't want suffice I want the words robust, good, capable so I am going to go back to work and improve this based on your feedback to date!!

Would you guys mind if I notified you when i'm ready for another review?

either way, thanks Randy, Andy and Somashekar! I appreciate the help!! oh and Randy - it may only be an aussie thing, but we'd say ass not bottom...

Cheers guys!!

Jon

outdoor said:

I appreciate the help!! oh and Randy - it may only be an aussie thing, but we'd say ass not bottom...

Cheers guys!!

Jon

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In Arkansas we say the same thing, in fact we elect them all the time

I think Randy has given excellent advice with his comments. Please check wherever you state that company is doing this or that, just state in a few words how it is being done, or give a reference to the document that gives the details. This applies to the entire Manual that you have posted. For example, one of the points that are stressed more in 2008 version than 2000 version of ISO 9001 is 'outsourcing'. You have to explain just how you excercise control on this, i.e. if you are outsourcing at all.

So please go ahead with improvements. Good luck!

outdoor said:

it may only be an aussie thing, but we'd say ass not bottom...

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Huh? Maybe they're weird in SA (Haven't been there for a while). Where I come from we say bottom but more commonly: bum.

'Ass' came from the USA.