EQMS is a very flexible solution which can be configured to meet your business processes. But how could you use it to make the most of your audit and inspection processes?
At the EQMS Spring User Group 2017, Chris Owen shared 12 ways EQMS Audit and Inspection Manager is being used by Qualsys and our customers to deliver control, business efficiency, and a single source of truth.
Here are some of the examples:
1. Employee Onboarding / Offboarding
When new employees start, it is a critical time to ensure all the information they need and that all boxes are checked.
- Do you have their certificates?
- Has all necessary paperwork been completed?
- Has their induction process been completed?
- Do they have access to all the systems they need?
- When is their probation review due?
EQMS Audit and Inspection Manager controls employee onboarding and offboarding processes. When a new employee starts at the company, a new record is created and the employee onboarding process begins.
2. Appraisals
For employee retention and performance monitoring, EQMS Audit and Inspection Manager can be used to plan, manage, and record employee appraisals.
EQMS Audit and Inspection Manager can be used to check all appropriate appraisals actions have been completed by the line manager and the employee.
The module also integrates with EQMS Training Records Manager so that any associated training records can be attached to the appraisal.
3. Housekeeping Reviews
When we get busy, it can be difficult to remember everything that needs to be done. The smallest step forgotten could have serious implications later. EQMS Audit and Inspection Manager can be used for housekeeping checklists to ensure all important small steps have been taken, and no stone left unturned.
4. Internal Quality Audits
Probably one of the most common uses for EQMS is internal quality audits. Lee Clack, W. E. Rawson Ltd, said "Since implementing EQMS, we've been able to do more audits in the past few months than in the past 3 - 4 years." So EQMS software can make it a lot quicker to conduct a large volume of audits and gain greater visibility of the performance of the organisation.
5. Process Audits
As well as quality audits, it is also important to audit processes. You need to make sure processes are working throughout the organisation, rather than just one procedure.
In 'Next Generation Auditing', Colin Partington, Quality Management Consultant and ISO 9001 expert says:
“Process based auditing is more about following through a trail by taking a job from start to finish and reporting what is seen as it passes through the various departments. By taking this approach, a number of clauses can be covered in one audit.”
These audits involve looking at the processes, even those for the audit itself, and asking whether it is actually working.
6. Safety Inspections
Safety Inspection audits check that your policies, procedures, and practices of employees and visitors remain relevant to your operation and are known to all staff. EQMS Audit and Inspection Manager makes it easy to take photos of issues, make voice recordings, attach documentation, and record video clips so you can keep a full record of safety performance across your organisation. The advantage to iEQMS Audit App is that this information can immediately be recorded in-situ, without the need for vague notes trying to explain a safety hazard or non-conformity.
7. Checklists for Your External Provisions
EQMS Audit and Inspection Manager can be used to onboard and manage performance of your external providers.
Find more information about the new ISO 9001:2015 requirements and customer case studies:
- Step by step guide to managing external provisions
- How Carillion uses EQMS Audit and Inspection Manager to Manage Supplier Performance
- Supplier Performance Management resources
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8. Cleaning / Catering Reviews
In heavily regulated environments, such as laboratories and medical device manufacturing facilities, it is essential that the correct cleaning and maintenance checks have been completed and that there is a record that can be easily accessed without risk of the data being tampered with during an investigation.
Many of Qualsys' customers use EQMS to plan, schedule, and conduct cleaning and catering reviews.
Find out how Sodexo uses EQMS for cleaning and catering reviews here
9. Risk Controls
The incorporation of Annex SL into the ISO 9001:2015 revision is a key driver towards the ‘risk based approach’. Incorporating what was previously titled ‘Preventive Action’, the risk based approach requires an organisation to determine the risks and opportunities, plan actions to address these risk and opportunities, implement the actions into its quality management system processes, and evaluate the effectiveness of these actions.
EQMS Audit and Inspection Manager integrates with EQMS Risk Manager, so actions can be determined, planned and addressed in the system.
Read more on Risk Based thinking
10. Claim Call Monitoring
Customer service employees can use EQMS Audit and Inspection Manager for claim call monitoring. This can ensure the correct process has been followed each time, without having to wait a long time for a response.
11. Internal Compliance Audits
Probably one of the most common uses for EQMS is compliance audits. As you can associate the requirements for the standard with each audit, it makes it easier to gain an insight into the performance of the organisation.
Thomas Miller also use EQMS for external compliance audits. They give external auditors access to EQMS a few days before an audit so they can see all the information is there. Read more about how Thomas Miller use EQMS here.
12. VDA 6.3
VDA 6.3 defines a process based audit standard for evaluating and improving controls in a manufacturing organisation’s processes. Qualsys has some templates which can be used for your own VDA 6.3 audit. Ask one of our team for more information or download the IATF 16949 toolkit.
What you should do now:
Got a process which needs to be audited, but not sure how EQMS could manage it? Talk to one of our experts.
Alternatively, if you would like more information about EQMS Audit and Inspection Manager, request a demonstration here.
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