The following application article is part of a larger set of articles
published under the title ISO 9000 in Scientific
Computing as a special supplement to Scientific Computing & Automation
magazine.
1. Quality System. Particular attention is paid to the quality policy.
It can't just be a piece of paper on the wall; your employees need to be
able to state what it is and what it means to them. Don't make it so complicated
they can't explain it to the auditor.
2. Management Review. Make sure that the agenda for management reviews
is defined in the procedures, and conduct at least one review before your
audit.
3. Document Control. Document control is scrutinized more than any
other area, particularly whether the documents being used on the floor are
the latest revision.
4. Purchasing. Implement a formal supplier assessment and monitoring
procedure. Develop supplier histories and why you bought from that supplier.
5. Calibration. Dispose of all equipment requiring calibration that
you no longer use. Don't take a chance on having anything out of calibration.
Create a master maintenance schedule and calibrate everything to industry
standards.
6. Internal Quality Audits. Put an internal audit program together
and implement it. Cross-train staff to perform audits and hold at least
one internal audit before your external auditor arrives.
7. Corrective Action. Ensure that corrective actions are conducted
in a timely manner, documented, and signed off. It's a good idea to have
them reviewed for trends and process improvements during quality meetings
and management reviews.
8. Training. Ensure that all your training records are current, up-to-date,
and easy to locate. Make sure that employees have completed necessary training,
and that the trainers are qualified to teach.