Author: PaulS

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • ISO Standards Development

    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…

  • The future of remote auditing

    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…

  • How important is Brand? Three phases in dealing with product recall.

    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…

  • HSE ‘Blue tape’​ initiative – Part 2

    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.…

  • HSE ‘Blue tape’​ initiative – Part 1

    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…

  • HSE ‘Blue tape’​ initiative – Part 3

    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…

  • Feedback mechanisms around the use of ISO 9001

    This article was originally published on LinkedIn in August 2021. This post has been updated to reflect changes to some of the linked pages and documents. These changes may appear on the LinkedIn article in the future. There has been a range of different posts here on LinkedIn about issues to do with subjects including…

  • Unsung quality heroes – Sarasohn and Protzman

    Unsung quality heroes – Sarasohn and Protzman Photo of Sarasohn (Left) and Protzman (Centre) with an unknown man – Courtesy of the Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University. Overview • Prior to Japan • Sarasohn – Wireless Homer Sarasohn arrived in Japan in 1946. He had been a soldier in WW2. He had a background…