ISO 9001 Certification - Successful First Registration Audit? (Poll)

[bpritts]

I haven't been in a new registration audit for about 3 years, but will
confess that several of my clients needed a follow-up visit to close
nonconformances. These were all (a) QS-9000 audits and (b) done by
Entela. Entela has a practice of issuing a major n/c if you have 3 or more
minors in the same ISO/QS element number (e.g. 4.5, 4.2, etc.) even if
these are not closely related. When you get a major their procedure calls
for them to re-visit. The revisit is typically 1/2 - 1 day, not a full re-audit.

I argued (excuse me, debated) this procedure with them but they were
quite firm about it; apparently it is part of their SOP.

Regards,
Brad

 

[Alienyst]

I remember preparing for the first audit for 9001 seven years ago in this facility. I posted here then under a different name which I could not remember the login for. Anyway, it was a lot to do then but in 8 months, 1 audit (4 days) we passed with no deviations.

In March 2003 we had the reassessment to the 2000 version. 1 audit - 3 days, 1 deviation - Customer Satisfaction. Preparation was not so much this time around. A month spent re-writing and formatting the upper level documentation, adding flow charts and the new elements along the way...streamlining as well to make it a much cleaner manual with 1/3 the pages. A few new applications developed as well.

All in all it seemed more of an exercise for me and the systems I handle/maintain. Kind of like a spring cleaning at the office. A few new ways of thinking about things, new data sources found and new ways to use the data and a whole new outlook. Today there is more focus and directed attention as opposed to trying to always look at everything. I don't attribute this to the new standard itself. For the most part I am disappointed with it after all the attention its release seemed to get. But the process of reevaluating everything it stimulated was a positive outcome.

 

[Ingeniero1]

Now that we have been audited, and recommended for certification after this very first audit (I believe number 42 in the poll), I feel qualified to voice my opinion.

(Disclaimer: Several months ago I read all the posts in this thread, but I can't say that I remember them now, so if I repeat someone's already stated remarks, I apologize.)

1. Not everyone who has attempted registration, successfully or otherwise, contributes to this forum, so the sample is limited.

2. Those who contribute to this forum have at least three clear advantages:
a. They are interested enough to have found (the forum) and interact with people who are "in the same shoes", many of which are very knowledgeable, and those who aren’t will be so, with time.
b. They learn a lot by just reading the posts, and may even seek assistance from the forum that is specific to their application.
c. Obviously, they not only know that “a wise man learns from his mistake”, but also that “a wiser man learns from the mistakes of others”. (No offense intended to the vast number of valuable lady contributors; I simply don’t believe in changing original words just to be PC.)

3. I personally know of more companies who did not achieve registration after the first audit than of companies that were successful on the first try. For example, the company where my wife works, an industrial manufacturer with well over 1000 of employees and about a dozen locations, has yet to achieve registration for their headquarters. All the other locations are registered to ISO 900x, but the main plant, which also is the headquarters, has tried several times without success.

4. I sincerely do not believe that there was any way that the ‘very experienced’ BSI auditors who assessed our company last week would have let us get by unless we deserved it. I also do not believe that they could have been ‘snowed’, but I don’t know if this is possible in any case.

5. If instead of two auditors for two days, as was required in our case, we would have had 10 auditors for 10 days, I am confident that we would still have been recommended. They probably would have found a few minors (none were found in the actual audit), but I do not believe that they would have found any majors - - because there aren’t any!

6. One of the reasons that we did so well is because I found this forum, have read a lot, and have ‘enlisted’ the help of all of you, wonderful people, here; which brings me back to my second point, all three items!

Just my 2¢

Alex

 

[fireonce]

Re: ISO 9001 Certification - Registration First Audit Successful? (Poll)

if only you would do according to the standard's requirements,I feel it's easy to obtain certification of ISO9001.The most important is to understand completely the meanings of every clause and to do as they require.

 

[potdar]

Re: ISO 9001 Certification - Registration First Audit Successful? (Poll)

I see that this thread has been discussed mostly in the 2003 - 04 period. Nowadays it is not customery for the CBs to fail anyone very easily in the certification audit. Results of the poll if conducted today would tend to 100% first attempt.

 

[Sidney Vianna]

Re: ISO 9001 Certification - Registration First Audit Successful? (Poll)

Results of the poll if conducted today would tend to 100% first attempt.

And did you bother to see the poll results at present?

 

[CoKoOPERATOR]

Re: ISO 9001 Certification - Registration First Audit Successful? (Poll)

Tomorrow our first attempt will take place .
If we pass ,I will vote in the poll.
Cheers !

 

[Ted Schmitt]

Re: ISO 9001 Certification - Registration First Audit Successful? (Poll)

Tomorrow our first attempt will take place .
If we pass ,I will vote in the poll.
Cheers !

Good Luck !!! Hope all goes well !!

 

[CoKoOPERATOR]

Re: ISO 9001 Certification - Registration First Audit Successful? (Poll)

Successful first audit.
As I see from the poll results up to now, most organisations succeeded the first time.
Probably because they take QMS for serious .

 

[Sidney Vianna]

Re: ISO 9001 Certification - Registration First Audit Successful? (Poll)

As I see from the poll results up to now, most organisations succeeded the first time.

Not most. ALL. :mg: Better than 6 sigma. Much better.

Probably because they take QMS for serious

That is one possible but unlikely explanation. Another potential reason is that the CB's......well, let's not go there.....