5 Facts about ISO 9001 Internal Audits

ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard has set up guidelines for developing and implementing a Quality Management System or QMS. Though the standard never enforces any steps, to gain certification they must be followed. One of these steps is to perform the ISO 9001 internal audits, which plays a vital role in gaining certification.

In this article, we will explore five aspects of ISO 9001internal audits.

1. Definition of Internal audits’

Internal auditing is the method of comparing the current QMS against the planned one. This method determines whether the system is working as per the planned arrangement, and conducted inside the organization by internal auditors.

2. Purpose of Internal Audits

The main purpose of internal audits is to assess the effectiveness of the QMS and the overall performance of the business. If nonconformities are found during the process, there will be an opportunity to resolve the issue before the external audit. Internal audits also help organizations improve existing structure and align the current functions with the planned ones.

When it comes to obtaining ISO certification, do not skip the important internal audit step. Just like ISO 9001 internal audits and certification, businesses need ISO 14001 internal audits to gain ISO 14001 certification. Skipping this audit may result in failure to identify gaps between the existing QMS procedures and the planned one. These gaps will be detected by external auditors during the certification audit, and the certification could be canceled. Therefore, before the certification audit, conduct the internal audit.

3. Requirements of Internal Audits

To perform an effective internal audit, learn about the listed key requirements of ISO 9001 internal audits:

• A team of experienced internal auditors

Your internal auditors should be totally unbiased. Some businesses prefer utilizing in-house resources for internal audits, however, hiring a team of experienced internal auditors is advised, as the process will go by much smoother.

• Audit plan

Once the team is finalized, make an audit plan with the help of the auditors.

• Audit checklist

Prepare an audit checklist and include all the possible questions the auditors should focus on.

Audit schedule

Prepare a schedule for the audit program and make sure your employees are aware of the schedule.

4. Steps to Conduct Internal Audits

To conduct a quality management internal audit, follow these steps :

• Arrange an opening meeting with the auditors,
• Announce the time and the subject of the audits,
• Arrange a second meeting with auditors and managers to finalize the audit plan,
• Execute the audit plan,
• Record the observations ,
• Prepare the internal audit report,
• Follow up the audit report.

5. Importance of Internal Audits

Once the audit report is created, it should be submitted to top management. This audit report will play a vital role in ensuring certification because it will show what aspects of a business need work.

These are five aspects of ISO quality management internal audits.