I've Been Asked to Produce an Idiots Guide to ISO9001

[Randy Stewart]

It has always been my opinion that the operators know the companys system. I don't care if they know it's ISO, TS, QS, 5S, etc. as long as they know the 'system'.
The standards are just guidlines, what operators and the rest should know is how your company BUSINESS ENTERPRISE SYSTEM operates not what ISO says.
IMO that is how all training should be focused. You confuse people with clauses and subclauses - they don't care. Point me in the right direction and I'll go, don't confuse me with facts.

 

[db]

You confuse people with clauses and subclauses - they don't care. Point me in the right direction and I'll go, don't confuse me with facts.

Excellent Stew! I think too many times we try to impress the folks on our knowledge of the standard, when what they need is nuts and bolts as related to them. Do you think folks really care how many "shalls" are in TS?

Also, apply this same reasoning to the Quality Policy. How much of the QP is written for the registrar, or to impress others, when it really should be nuts and bolts for the employees.

 

[David Hartman]

It has always been my opinion that the operators know the companys system. I don't care if they know it's ISO, TS, QS, 5S, etc. as long as they know the 'system'.
The standards are just guidlines, what operators and the rest should know is how your company BUSINESS ENTERPRISE SYSTEM operates not what ISO says.
IMO that is how all training should be focused. You confuse people with clauses and subclauses - they don't care. Point me in the right direction and I'll go, don't confuse me with facts.

To a degree I agree (Wow, is that poetic or what? )

I too believe that it is important that the operators understand the "system" and can be conversant about their portion of it, but I also feel that if you intend on going the certification route you must provide some training on ISO 9001 if for no other reason than to familiarize them with the terminology.

After all, the assessor will probably being using terminology that is ISO 9001 oriented, and although I ask my guides to be ready to "interpret" where necessary we still would like the operator to have at least some understanding as to what the questions may be (`cause no one is comfortable when they end up feeling like a dummy).

 

[Ingeniero1]

IMHO, only our internal auditors need to know or be very familiar with the standard. Management should be somewhat familiar with them, and particularly so with those that affect their individual areas.

Employees need to know what makes ‘their’ operation tick, and how they affect Quality. Everyone should be able to answer, in their own words, the following questions without hesitation:

• What is our Quality Policy?
• What constitutes a Quality product?
• How does your work impact the Quality of our products?
• What is ISO 9001:2000? *

* The answer to the last question should be as simple as, “A standard set of requirements and guidelines that companies all over the world use to help them achieve Quality products.”

Now I have a question for you all:

How many of your employees have read “the procedure(s)” that cover their area of operation? Managers, supervisors, lead operators, setup personnel, or everyone in the departments?
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AndyU - good enough!

Alex

 

[Puzzle]

Andy,

We have a 'Quality Handbook' and an 'Environmental Handbook', both in s similar layout which all new employees receive as part of their induction.

Send me your details and you are welcome to have them.

They are company specific at present but if I get the time I may 'generalise' them and put them in a post for all to comment/use.

Chris

 

[SteelWoman]

Now I have a question for you all:

How many of your employees have read “the procedure(s)” that cover their area of operation? Managers, supervisors, lead operators, setup personnel, or everyone in the department?

Alex

Good question. I'd say up until a couple years ago the answer was VERY FEW! We really struggled with this several years back, trying to figure out a way to MAKE people read/understand the procedures that directly impacted them. Not to shamelessly pitch something here, but we purchased a VERY cool, very inexpensive ($300) piece of software that lets us write tests for each procedure or control plan or whatever - we even wrote a "test" under TS that let us survey our employee's awareness of the quality system, their impact on quality, etc. Anyway, every year during our "slow time" we schedule plant-wide testing, and we sit down and figure out exactly what procedures/plans etc directly effect which employees, and each employee - from the BIG GUY to the LITTLE GUY - has to take his or her applicable tests until they achieve an "A". The software makes it a cinch to track and report. Sweet. Up until we implemented this system I think we had precious LITTLE understanding of procedures. Now, I'd say it is excellent. We purposely write the tests in such a way that you can NOT pass it if you just "wing it" without actually having the procedure open in front of you to read.

We're a fairly large company and this is still a remarkably easy process each year. Goes a long way in educating individuals on parts of the QMS system with which they must be familiar.

 

[Rob Nix]

I just bought the book "An Idiot's Guide For Dummies". It was all blank pages, but I understood it.

Anyway, We do our best to not use the terms ISO, QS, Quality System, or anything of that nature with anyone in the business. It is my job to make sure that the requirements of the standards (QS/TE and ISO9K2K) are met. To everyone else we simply have our own Business Management System. It is the way we operate. We maintain it. We improve it. Period. They are educated on how we run our business here.

When people sometimes make reference to "the ISO standard", I just tell them that OUR system conforms to it, but they are operating under OUR system - not ISO. FWIW.

 

[Ingeniero1]

SteelWoman -
The suspense is killing me. Are you going to let us know what the "...VERY cool, very inexpensive ($300) piece of software..." is? It sure sounds good to me too!

Rob -
Agree X2: With what you said, and with your book!

Anyone else in regards to how many employees have even read the procedures that affect their work?

Alex

 

[SteelWoman]

Ingy, I just didn't list it cause I didn't want it to seem like just a shameless plug for a piece of software. It's called Exam Manager, I believe their web site is simply ExamManager.com. We've rolled it out to several of our divisions with much success.

 

[RoxaneB]

How many of your employees have read “the procedure(s)” that cover their area of operation? Managers, supervisors, lead operators, setup personnel, or everyone in the departments?

100% - it's a part of our very structured training system and is verified through tools such as job observations, audits, complaints, assesments, etc.