Helmut Jilling
Auditor / Consultant
In an earlier thread here, many people opined that consultants can represent a company in internal audits. e.g. "you can outsource the whole quality system"
I agree with this position.
Unfortunately, I now need some support and references.
First, pointers to registrars that do not exclude consultants from registration audits. Please name names, as I will be contacting them.
Second, official statements that support this position. These could be pronouncements from ISO, ANAB, courts in the USA (I hate to go this far, but this is an important issue and IIRC it has actually been litigated).
Ironically, the auditor that wants to ban me from the audit has been consulting like crazy during the audit.
Thanks ever so...
Cliff Kachinske
Most good registrars do not "ban" consultants, including the two I work for - Smithers and DQS USA. The only thing we usually ask is the consultants allow the clients to answer the questions.