Author: PaulS
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PDCA in a standards context
My latest post on the Bywater site covers the use of the PDCA model or Deming cycle within ISO 9001. PDCA is such a simple concept. Why then do so many struggle with using it effectively? As the linked article shows, the original Plan – Do – Check – Act cycle was developed almost 100…
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Audit checklists
My latest post for Bywater is on the topic of audit checklists. Now checklists are a bit Marmite. They can be useful and the article provides some tips on how to make them more useful. Please have a look and let me know what you think.
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Risk-based audit planning in practice
This post was originally published on Bywater’s website in my role as an Associate. In my earlier blog post, I wrote about the need for an internal audit programme to consider the importance of the organisation’s processes and for the audit programme to be suitable for the organisation’s needs. What, then does that mean for an…
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Audit programme management, a risky business?
This blog post was originally published on the Bywater website in my role as an Associate. All of the management systems standards (MSS) produced by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) are required to follow the harmonised structure (HS) that is described in Annex SL. The HS describes common elements and text required to be included in all ISO…
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ISO Standards Development
Developing ISO standards ISO is the International Organization for Standardization. Linked off its home page is an ‘About Us’ page that provides much of the information used to put this article together. If you want it from the horse’s mouth follow the links and explore for yourself. In the middle of the ISO About Us…
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The future of remote auditing
Remote auditing – an activity whose time has come? This post formed the basis for an article I prepared for the Chartered Quality Insitute in March 2020, just as we were going into the lockdown at the height of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. The final version was published on the quality.org website…
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How important is Brand? Three phases in dealing with product recall.
The concepts of brand value and equity are well established. We all relate to brands to a greater or lesser degree. Marketing colleagues are seen as the ‘owners’ of the brand and regularly discuss brand health based on customers’ perceptions of their satisfaction with products and services. The marketing team will always take the lead…
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HSE ‘Blue tape’ initiative – Part 2
Having published Part 3 on my blog yesterday, I thought it only fair to reproduce the Part 1 and Part 2 that appeared on LinkedIn. I have not updated the text from that published in August 2019 and January 2020 respectively. I’ve recently returned from a fascinating HSE roundtable discussing their report on ‘Blue tape’ that I reported on here.…
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HSE ‘Blue tape’ initiative – Part 1
Having published Part 3 on my blog yesterday, I thought it only fair to reproduce the Part 1 and Part 2 that appeared on LinkedIn. I have not updated the text from that published in August 2019 and January 2020 respectively. In the latest edition of Health and Safety at Work magazine, there is an article with…
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HSE ‘Blue tape’ initiative – Part 3
In two earlier posts, Part 1 and Part 2, I discussed the work that the HSE initiated on the business burdens introduced by consultants et al to UK PLC, particularly small businesses. Businesses have had the small matters of Covid lockdowns, a war in Europe and financial chaos to deal with since the meetings began…