How to identify the Management Representative

[Gman2]

Auditor showed up, I indtroduced myself as head of quality, he said great, audit went fine.

Its not documented anywhere, dont believe it has to be.

 

[phxsun2001]

Re: How to identify Management Representative?

The MR can be appointed in any way good for the internal communication of the company. It could even be in the management review record, A letter issued, An e-mail to the person.
If all the other personnel identify the same gentleman as the MR then it is communicated well.

If the company did not identified who the MR is in the Quality Manual, org. chart, or other ways, is the company meeting the intent of this requirement-
"Top management shall appoint a member of the organization’s management....."?

TY

 

[phxsun2001]

Re: How to identify Management Representative?

There is no requirement in ISO 9001:2008 to document or record the name of the QMR.
Is it a good idea? It certainly is.
Is it a NC for not doing it? You would be hard-pressed to prove that based on the requirements of the standard. The company's own internal requirements are another matter, though.

Where do you believe the Non-Conformance to be?

The standard does not always spell out the specific requirements. You have to look for the intent of the requirement. An example is 5.6.1 (Top management shall review the organization's quality management system, at planned intervals). If a company conducts MR every 2 years, it is probably a N/C, although the standard does not establish the frequency.

It is a N/C IMO because it did not meet the intent of the standard:
"Top management shall appoint a member of the organization?s management who ...."

I don't even know who is the official MR of the company.

TY

 

[Jim Wynne]

Re: How to identify Management Representative?

The standard does not always spell out the specific requirements. You have to look for the intent of the requirement. An example is 5.6.1 (Top management shall review the organization's quality management system, at planned intervals). If a company conducts MR every 2 years, it is probably a N/C, although the standard does not establish the frequency.

It is a N/C IMO because it did not meet the intent of the standard:
"Top management shall appoint a member of the organization?s management who ...."

I don't even know who is the official MR of the company.

TY

Whom did you ask? Did you ask top management?

You need to be careful about forming your own opinions as to "intent of the standard." You can't replace explicit requirements with your personal interpretations. If a company does management review every two years and the QMS is working and effective, who is an auditor to say that the interval is too short?

 

[normzone]

Re: How to identify Management Representative?

The Quality Management Representative is the guy who runs the cellblock where all the other department heads are locked down .

 

[qusys]

Re: How to identify Management Representative?

The standard does not always spell out the specific requirements. You have to look for the intent of the requirement. An example is 5.6.1 (Top management shall review the organization's quality management system, at planned intervals). If a company conducts MR every 2 years, it is probably a N/C, although the standard does not establish the frequency.

It is a N/C IMO because it did not meet the intent of the standard:
"Top management shall appoint a member of the organization’s management who ...."

I don't even know who is the official MR of the company.

TY

You did not answer to a question of mine: did you speak with MR during the audit time? Did you check during mgmt. review audit this item by interviewing top mgmt.? Did you review they communicate responsibility and authorities across the whole organization?
Consider that to have a record for appointing MR is not a requirement. Organization shall only demonstrate to meet 5.5.2 clause of ISO 9001.
Consider that one of the responsibilities of MR is to report to the top mgmt. on the performance of the QMS and any need improvement. Who did it? Did you check some documents concerning with those topics where someone ( MR) did a presentation/report or something else?
Please, clear this aspect.

 

[SmallBizDave]

Re: How to identify Management Representative?

There is no requirement to document who the Management Rep is, though I agree that it is a good practice.

If there is a nonconformance it is because of a lack of communication on the quality system - the MR identity is not widely known. If it is reasonable within the company that people who didn't know who the MR is should know who it is then this would be an NC.

I would also argue that the standard does, indeed, spell out every specific requirement. To make requirements more specific than what is stated is to impose your own interpretations on the auditees quality system. Over time this is what leads systems to become filled with stuff that is useless to the company but satisfies the auditors requests for proof beyond what is called for in the standard.