Dear all,
I work currently in a maritime shipmanagement company of deep sea vessels. As per relevant regulations we have a safety management system based to ISM code, and MLC and now the company want to implement and certificate for ISO 9001 standard. I am new in this business so I would like to ask for a help in providing any existing or template QM manual from similar companies or guide for how I should begin. Thanks in advance for any possible help.
Suki,
ISM Code is based on an 1987 version of ISO 9002 which is now obsolete. Conformity could be a achieved with a cookie-cutter set of documented procedures with the names changed for your ship and shore organizations.
IMO have not updated their Code since ISO 9001 superseded ISO 9002.
Now ISO 9001 specifies the development, use and improvement of your process-based management system. The cookie-cutter approach is no longer acceptable because it was less than fully effective.
Study clause 4.1 of ISO 9001:2008 to see what I mean. Now you are meant to analyze the system that is your business to
determine the processes that are essential to its success.
These processes and their interactions then are further analyzed with people who know how they actually work (process owners) to document these interactions and the parts of the processes that are essential for their effective planning, operation and control.
Google the Cove for "develop a process-based management system" and you'll see a methodology that has worked well.
SIPOC is another useful search term.
Buy a copy of the FDIS 9001 if you want to avoid working with the obsolescent 2008 version of the standard and you'll see what to include in the scope of your business management system to be assured of it delivering quality services and quality safety management.
Please revisit the Cove to share your experiences and to ask any questions as you go.
John
