Audit of Management Representative Activities

[maxnomi]

during our recent re-certification audit of our company for ISO 9K & 14K.

question was raised that when was audit of management activities done.

kindly share your valuable input.

which activities should be covered in auditing management representative activities.

 

[AndyN]

during our recent re-certification audit of our company for ISO 9K & 14K.

question was raised that when was audit of management activities done.

kindly share your valuable input.

which activities should be covered in auditing management representative activities.

Hi - welcome to the Cove. Was this question raised as an NC or an OFI? Can you help us by phrasing what the auditor was interested in seeing you do?

"Management activities" isn't an ISO 9001/14001 requirement, so it MAY be the auditor was asking for something which you shouldn't have to do - they may not KNOW how to audit certain requirements of each standard, so default to asking for such things...

 

[Jen Kirley]

Welcome to the Cove!

What are the management activities? They could be audited as a part of Management Review, also process development and provision of resources in all QMS processes.

What are the Management Representative's responsibilities and authorities? They could be reviewed and examined for disconnects (responsibility issued without authority) as a part of Management Review, and sampled as a type of internal communication throughout the process audits.

I can not suggest more without more detail.

 

[maxnomi]

auditor asked me about audit plan.
we have an annual audit plan based on 4 quarters.

question was when was MR activities audited.

i showed him business systems managers reports. which is quarter based, then he said management representative activities should be audited just like normal internal audit.

 

[AndyN]

auditor asked me about audit plan.
we have an annual audit plan based on 4 quarters.

question was when was MR activities audited.

i showed him business systems managers reports. which is quarter based, then he said management representative activities should be audited just like normal internal audit.

Have you any evidence this has been audited before? Any NCR? Did the MR or responsibilities change? If not, based on "Status and importance", you may not NEED to audit again! The auditor is asking you for something which MAY NOT be necessary, if you/they simply stick to a calendar (which isn't actually required)

 

[Big Jim]

I have noticed in some cultures, "management representative activities" is often treated as one of the core processes. This seems to be similar to how many US companies lump all management activities into a core process called "management" or "management related". For example this is very prevalent in India.

Perhaps this is what your auditor is after.

I would ask your auditor what they mean. If they specifically mean to audit what the management representative does, that seems to be reaching somewhere that the standard doesn't go.

 

[Project Man]

What specific section of the standard did he cite? This is very important to be able to determine if the auditor is reading requirements into the standard that aren't there or if he is actually pointing out something that you missed.

 

[maxnomi]

question was raised during section 8.2.2 internal audit.

audit plan for internal audit was given to him.

he asked when the management representative 5.5.2 activiteis were audited. just like other requirements are audited.

my reply was that quarterly report is being made for these activities. he said it should have an audit report like other internal audits.

 

[AMIT BALLAL]

You can include following elements while auditing MR (QMS as a process):

1. Internal audits, its NC closure, effectiveness verification of last NCs (8.2.2, 8.2.2.4, etc.)
2. Management Review process (5.6)
3. Control Of documents (4.2.3)
4. Control of Records (4.2.4)
5. Analysis of data (8.4),
6. Customer requirements
7. Customer satisfaction
etc.

You should use process approach to audit the QMS process (auditing Input, output, resources required , skills required, effectiveness , efficiency of the process).

This is what we do....I hope this helps..

Thanks,
Amit

 

[AndyN]

question was raised during section 8.2.2 internal audit.

audit plan for internal audit was given to him.

he asked when the management representative 5.5.2 activiteis were audited. just like other requirements are audited.

my reply was that quarterly report is being made for these activities. he said it should have an audit report like other internal audits.

If the auditor asked for it to be on the schedule, then they are asking the wrong thing - but it's a reasonable question to ask if it's phrased as "how do you ensure you audit these activities, perhaps in other audits?" To expect to see it on the schedule may be ONE way of doing it, it can be done - as is suggested above, in a process - so is it done somehow?