ISO 9001:2000 - Requirements for Control of the QMS Quality Policy

[Gman2]

Do you CONTROL your Policy???

The last person that was here was control crazy, everything was controlled including every copy of our QP. I have never done this, I mean it's in the manual and THAT is controlled but the copies that we have hung up and displayed are just the policy (no control numbers or sign-off's) we even had them on pencil holders at my last place, and there were no numbers or signatures on those either. I am about to re-launch our policy I just wont to be sure there is not some obscure reason why I need to controll the copys I post up.


G.

 

[Aaron Lupo]

The last person that was here was control crazy, everything was controlled including every copy of our QP. I have never done this, I mean it's in the manual and THAT is controlled but the copies that we have hung up and displayed are just the policy (no control numbers or sign-off's) we even had them on pencil holders at my last place, and there were no numbers or signatures on those either. I am about to re-launch our policy I just wont to be sure there is not some obscure reason why I need to controll the copys I post up.


G.

What would you do if your QP changed how would you make sure you get all the old obsolete copies back???

 

[Gman2]

Well I guess either way you would have to gather up the old ones, if they were controlled or not. But still does that mean theat they HAVE to be controlled?

G.

 

[Teri - 2011]

I stated in our quality manual on the first page, that I maintained the only controlled copy of the manual and policy. I then made a list of everywhere that I framed and hung the policy, for reference only, so that when/if it changed I remembered where I placed them. We did this, because individual departments sometimes photocopied the policy and passed it out, during their meeting or put on the bulletein boards, this way, you are not responsible for that!

Our auditors had no problems with this.

 

[db]

Well I guess either way you would have to gather up the old ones, if they were controlled or not. But still does that mean theat they HAVE to be controlled?

4.2.3 begins with: "Documents required by the quality management system...". 4.2.1 requires a documented statements of a quality policy. So, does the Quality Policy Statement need to be controlled? Yes. But the real question is what level of control is required? Does each copy need a number, signature, and be placed on a master list? The answer is the word "need". If you "need" all of that, then you have to have it. If you don't "need" that level of control, then don't set it up.

One of the problems is that too many folks think that every document requires the same level of control, and the rules you set up for Document A needs to be applied to Document B, and that ain't so.

 

[Greg B]

Gman,

Our QP has an Issue number and date for revision purposes and there is a copy in the QM and the intranet. We print up multiple copies and they are spread around in various offices and buildings within our sites with no records kept. If we change the Policy it is the onus of the person with the old copy to change it. If they do not change it, it will be picked up during the next audit of their area. When we release a new document a Transmittal Notice is sent to all personnel via email alerting them to the fact that a new revision has been issued and they are to destroy the old copy.

Our documents do not carry any signatures or nominals dictating the authority for the document. All documents are approved via our 'Continuous Improvement System' (CIS). Before a document is issued it must be submitted on a CIS and it will carry the approvals of the Supervisor and Manager of that Document/Area. In this way, I do not have to chase up managers for original signatures or maintain additional paperwork and the documents are preapproved before QA gets them.

Greg B

 

[Claes Gefvenberg]

Our QP has an Issue number and date for revision purposes and there is a copy in the QM and the intranet...

We have more or less avoided the issue by stopping there. Our policys can be found in the manual and on the intranet... period. Nowhere else. We were able to do that due to the fact that all staff have easy access to the intranet.

/Claes

 

[sal881vw]

Further reading of 4.2.3 Control of documents,
c) to ensure that changes and the current status of documents are identified.

This specifies the "need".

 

[thetaxidad]

along the same lines but different-AS9100:2000 4.2.4-control of records

"The documented procedure shall define the method for controlling records that are created and/or retained by suppliers."

I just completed a registration audit for AS9100:2000. We have been recommended for certification. I have 12 CARs to complete by the end of this month. One of the issues that I was written up on was this one.

Currently, I do not control the records at all of our 200 suppliers.

Any help would be appreciated. I am not sure if the standard wants me to definitively control our suppliers records, or merely have a blurp in my QMS that states we do not control our supply base or the records they keep?

I may have an answer, just want to know what everyone else thinks...Thanks in advance

 

[Gman2]

Further reading of 4.2.3 Control of documents,
c) to ensure that changes and the current status of documents are identified.

This specifies the "need".

Well since it is the original policy it does not have a control number.
I guess if it ever does change then I just go and collect them up. We only have one facility so it's not like it will be a huge ordeal. That is what I am going to stick to, no numbers, if the need ever comes up it is my responsiblity to change them out. We'll see after next month because our QP is one of the things being hit.


G.