As ISO 9001 2008 comes to a close and into retirement, we felt it would be only prudent to review its time in the world of ISO.
Published in 2008, the version of the standard made some significant changes that have pioneered the way through ISO 9001 and into the new 2015 requirements. It has been bought more in line with its brothers and sisters (such as ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001) and the use of Annex SL has meant a re-alignment with other key management standards.
ISO 9001: 2008 was introduced as a generic standard and was intended to apply to any organisation, industry, regardless of size and type. It introduced mandatory requirements for documentation with a large emphasis on a Quality Manual and the documented procedures as required. In Summary; if you had a Quality Manual that met the requirements and the mandatory procedures you were 60% of the way there.
Legislation was also considered, with a requirement for a Company to be aware of their obligations and to comply with them and this was all administered by the old fashioned term of a Quality Representative.
ISO 9001:2008 also saw the introduction of a control of outsourced processes requirements ensuring that any sub-contracted activity was clearly identified and effectively controlled.
What are the key changes in 2015?
As per Wikipedia, there are 5 core changes in ISO 9001 2015;
- Greater emphasis on building a management system suited to each organization’s particular needs instead of a standard approach.
- A requirement that those at the top of an organization be involved and accountable, aligning quality with wider business strategy
- Risk-based thinking throughout the standard makes the whole management system a preventive tool and encourages continuous improvement.
- Less prescriptive requirements for documentation: the organization can now decide what documented information it needs and what format it should be in.
- Alignment with other key management system standards through the use of a common structure and core text.
Where are we with upgrades?
At JR Consultants 99% of our Clients have now transitioned and upgraded to the new 2015 versions. With the expiration date looming, the 15th September isn’t that far away and we know that there are still a few people out there that haven’t even approached the new requirements.
What shall I do if haven’t upgraded?
If you haven’t upgraded by the 15th September and gone through a transition process then you will have to start again. If you need any help or advice contact us and we can offer some assistance on the best thing to do.
You wont be the only one in the situation! We are still squeezing in people now as best we can in order to ensure D-Day is met.
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