April 23, 2021

Phil Brown | ISO 9001 QMS Features, Benefits, & Implementation Tips

26 minutes

In This Episode...

Adrian from the Sofeast team is joined by special guest Phil Brown, owner of Phil Brown Consultancy, who is an ISO 9001 and 14001 consultant in the UK.

Phil talks us through the ISO 9001 QMS, the requirements that make up this standard, benefits, the difference between good and bad implementations, and some tips from him to follow if you're implementing the QMS sometime soon.

Show Notes

00:51 - Introducing the episode and introducing Phil and his business

01:16 - Explaining the ISO 9001 QMS and its requirements - ISO 9001 is a standard designed to assure that companies deliver their customers' expectations and requirements. Phil goes through the different requirements for the standard:

01:45 - Leadership

02:09 - The way inquiries, quotations, and orders are handled

02:29 - Using approved suppliers

03:19 - Noncomformances

05:05 - Records of employee competencies

06:30 - Setting targets for improvement

08:04 - Regular review of the business systems

08:22 - Management review

08:57 - Production planning and scheduling

09:40 - Control of design and development

10:18 - Documented information (and analysis of it)

11:28 - Identification and traceability

12:43 - Control and measuring equipment

13:53 - Continual improvement

14:25 - Drawbacks of implementing a QMS - ISO 9001 accreditation can sometimes be used as a 'badge' by management rather than a means for real improvement of the business.

16:17 - The importance of everyone being involved in ISO 9001 QMS implementation - this is from top management down to the individual operator. Renaud recently wrote about the mistake some management make by relying solely on a quality manager to implement the QMS and otherwise not getting involved.

17:19 - Communication's role in staff retention - a dialogue between workforce and management is far better for the company than if workers are kept in a vacuum and unaware of how the business is doing.

18:37 - What's the difference between 'good' and 'bad' ISO 9001 implementations? - a good implementation is where (in the case of a 3rd party consultant) the person/s implementing the QMS becomes like a part of the company, gets involved in the ISO systems, but also helps encourage operators to do what the system requires. Whereas, bad implementations are often where there's no real personal involvement in it, such as when software is used.

20:13 - Some real examples of QMS implementations that Phil has been involved in

24:30 - Some tips from Phil for manufacturing companies who are planning to implement ISO 9001

25:33 - Wrapping up