Latest News & Opinion on the ISO Certification Scheme
Florida Pulls Requirement for ISO 9001 from DOT Contracts
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has dropped contract language that would have required potential bidders to be ISO 9001 certified.
How to Audit “Risk-Based Thinking”
The future of how certification bodies (CBs) will audit the new ISO 9001:2015 "risk based thinking" language is already setting, like a wet clay in the oven. In short, they are going to default to traditional risk management techniques and impose FMEA on their...
LIVE: Two Contradictory LinkedIn Discussions on Risk-Based Thinking
Catch these LinkedIn discussions quick, before they get shut down since they are likely to turn into a flame war soon enough. In the first (here), Dan Nelson argues that risk-based thinking is as easy as driving a car, which is a step up from his last work which said...
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IAF: Training on ISO 9001:2015 Will Not Be Required for Registrars
The International Accreditation Forum will not require accredited certification bodies (CBs) to train their auditors on the new requirements of ISO 9001:2015 before allowing them to audit companies against the new standard. This comes despite some areas of the new standard which the IAF has deemed “significant.”
Walking to Congress – The First Tentative Steps
Chris Paris begins the journey towards testifying before the US Congress on the flaws in the ISO 9001 certification scheme, and ANSI’s role in allowing these problems to grow.
Quality Digest’s Reporting of Alka Jarvis’ “Election” in 2005
A look back at Quality Digest’s reporting on Alka Jarvis’ 2005 election to Chair of the US TAG to TC 176.
Complaint Against UKAS Now With European Co-Operation for Accreditation
A complaint filed with the IAF against ISO 9001 registrar UKAS is now in the hands of the European Co-operation for Accreditation.
Sources: AS9100 to Decouple From ISO 9001 by 2020
Sources within the IAQG and AAQG have confirmed to Oxebridge that the groups intend to “decouple” AS9100 from ISO 9001 in about five years. The result will be that the IAQG creates a standalone accreditation scheme that does not rely on ANAB or other IAF accredited registrars, and the AS9100 standard itself will no longer align with ISO 9001.
The Meme is Set: Risk-Based Thinking = Risk Management No Matter What TC 176 Says
The so-called professionals are declaring that the upcoming ISO 9001 revision’s New Age, beaded-curtain fabrication called “risk based thinking” is actually full-blown risk management, even as TC 176 scrambles to get them to stop saying this.
Link: It’s All in the Fine Print – Registrar Contracts
Here's a quick hit from Larry Carraciolo's blog on parsing the details of your CB contract, preferably before you sign it: It's All in the Fine Print - Registrar Contracts
![[UPDATED] US TAG Leader Says Same Thing They Made Someone Else Apologize For](https://www.oxebridge.com/emma/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/206e735.jpg)
[UPDATED] US TAG Leader Says Same Thing They Made Someone Else Apologize For
Paul Palmes of the US TAG to TC 176 made a claim that, just a week ago, the TAG leadership reprimanded a member for saying. Will they force Palmes to apologize?
Try Not to Spit-Take…. ISO is, Itself, ISO 9001 Certified
Yes, it’s true. ISO’s Central Secretariat is, itself, ISO 9001 certified.
8 Months Later, TC 176 Rules on Quality Policy Question
TC 176 was asked whether an ISO 9001 certified organization needed to literally include words addressing continual improvement, or whether wording that implied continual improvement would be acceptable. Eight months later, they finally made a ruling, although haven’t published it.
IAF CASCO Presentation to US Tag 176
Quick hit. Here’s a copy of a presentation given to the US TAG to TC 176 this month by Baskar Kotte, which acts as a primer of sorts on the relationship between the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the ISO Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO.)
The US TAG Misfire May Have Backfired
I like to pride myself on thinking I am two steps ahead of the bureaucrats, and not because I am particularly smart, but because being two steps ahead of bureaucrats isn’t particularly difficult. But this time I may have screwed up.
Who Will Replace Alka Jarvis at US TAG to TC 176?
Alka Jarvis was elected the Chair of the US TAG to TC 176 in 2005. TAG 176 rules limited the position to three 3-year terms, meaning Ms. Jarvis cannot run for re-election. So who might take the position when Jarvis steps down? Let’s look at the top candidates.
US TAG Rep: Companies, Auditors “Required” to Have ISO 9000 Copy
[Updated 20 March 10:00 PM EST, see below.] George Hummel of the US Technical Advisory Group to TC 176 claimed on LinkedIn today that the US TAG expects ISO 9001 certified companies to have a copy of ISO 9000 -- the vocabulary document -- on hand, and that third party...
Exploding the Myths of ISO 9001:2015
The FDIS of ISO 9001:2015 is fast upon us, but already some myths and memes are forming, much to the frustration of anyone who’s actually read the thing. So let’s fire up the debunkerizer, and see if we can cut through this mess.
Industry Rep Who Pushed to Allow Registrar Consulting Helped Draft Latest ISO 17021 Rules
In 2005, Roger Bennett of the registrar trade group Independent International Organization for Certification (IIOC) pushed for a relaxation of the rules prohibiting ISO 9001 registrars from consulting, on the argument that such rules were illegal and restricted free...
The Importance of ISO 9001 End User Advocacy
ISO 9001 need vocal, active advocates… but where are they?
Misleading? BSI Contract Didn’t Indicate ISO 9001 Preassessment Is Optional
Oxebridge has obtained a contract provided by BSI for ISO 9001 certification services that placed its preassessment services in the section normally reserved for mandatory aspects, and out of the section designated for optional services. Under ISO 17021, preassessments are optional, and not a mandatory audit step towards certification.
Core Solutions “ISO Under $5,000” Claim Begs Scrutiny
The Core Solutions page makes some pretty wild claims about their ability to deliver ISO 9001 consulting services. They’re also grossly inconsistent, and appear to differ from the facts. Let’s examine.
ISO’s “Official Interpretation” Process is Broken, May Violate WTO
ISO’s TC 176 has effectively abandoned a much-publicized process by which the public can request official interpretations on ISO 9001 requirements. Is this a violation of WTO trade regulations?
New Bureau Veritas Site Sells Services While Insisting It’s Not Selling Services
ISO 9001 registrar Bureau Veritas has launched a new website at www.revision2015.com that promises it’s not there to sell BV services, even as it does just that.
Bransky Out at IATF
The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) has confirmed to Oxebridge that former GM executive Joe Bransky is no longer with the group. Bransky had represented the IATF in various capacities since since 1999.
British Assessment Bureau CEO Wants You to Report Him for Violations
Yet another entry from the “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up” department. Now the CEO of the UKAS-accredited registrar British Assessment Bureau (BAB) is challenging critics of the ISO 9001 certification scheme to “stop talking” and start filing complaints against registrars.
Now Booking: Chris Paris on “The Path Forward: The Amazing Future of ISO 9001”
Chris Paris has launched his next international speaking tour entitled The Path Forward: The Amazing Future of ISO 9001. The result of 15 years of work to improve ISO 9001, the “Path Forward” presents the final 10-year plan to dramatically alter the ISO 9001 certification scheme, and standards development process, to benefit standards end users.
IAAR Presentation Leaks Insider View of New Accreditation Rules
In a presentation to the Independent Association of Accredited Registrars (IAAR), the VP of ANAB and President of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) Randy Dougherty revealed a telling look at some critical details of the new ISO 17021-1 standard, as well as the sources of those proposed changes. The accreditation rules governing certification bodies (CBs) are undergoing significant revision by ISO/CASCO, and will replace the current rules under ISO 17021:2011.
Did BSI Certify BP’s DeepWater Horizon?
It’s early days yet, but it seems the venerable ISO 9001 registrar BSI may have issued a certification to the BP company that operated the doomed Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Worse yet, the audit is reported to have included physical auditing by at least one BSI auditor of the Deepwater Horizon rig itself, and the auditor raised concerns of the operation of the rig prior to the disaster.
Bransky, IATF Need to Address Takata Airbag Scandal
Every day the IATF doesn’t address the Takata airbag issue, name the registrar involved, and give a valid explanation as to how this happened on their watch, is another day that the ISO certification schemes descend further into disrepute. If Joe Bransky is willing to take credit for when things go right, he should step up and reveal — with honest clarity — what happened when things go horribly, horribly wrong.
Oxebridge Files Complaint Against Bureau Veritas Alleging Consultant Conflict of Interest
Oxebridge has filed a 14-page complaint against accredited certification body Bureau Veritas alleging that it failed to properly police marketing claims made by GreenBizCheck, an ISO 14001 consulting firm. Oxebridge alleges that BV was impacted by a financial conflict of interest, due to an exclusive relationship whereby BV provides special certification services for GBC’s “Gold – Silver – Bronze” environmental certification.
Move by CASCO Will Kill ISO 9001 “Registration”
The ISO Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO) is wiping out a decades-old requirement that certification bodies (CBs) of ISO 9001 and other management system certifications must maintain registries of their certified clients. Upon publication of the new ISO 17021-1 standard, the term “ISO 9001 registered” will effectively be moot, since there will no longer be any registries of certified clients.
Quality Digest Columnist Slips, US TAG Isn’t Interested in Consensus
Over at Quality Digest, US TAG go-to toady and editorial favorite Denise Robitaille accidentally let the truth slip out, broadcasting the TAG's position on ISO 9001 end user feedback: All the wringing of hands and ongoing debate will not hurry the process or change...
Why ISO 9001’s “Risk Based Thinking” is Bad for Risk Managers
ISO’s Technical Committee 176 has created a concept called “risk based thinking” and is planning to introduce it later this year, when the next edition of ISO 9001 — ISO’s flagship standard — is released. The fallout for risk managers is that now we have the quality profession claiming sudden mastery over risk management, and retroactively claiming they’ve been experts all along. They are like children driving their dad’s new car. Blind children.
