| Mr.
A: |
Recently I saw an ISO
web-site which said that documents needed by the organization
to ensure the effective planning, operation and control of its
processes, can be absorbed in a single manual with paper forms,
especially for small companies.
In Japan you have made single manuals first. Is it really possible
for you to absorb all quality documents of an organization into
a single manual?
|
| I : |
No, generally it is impossible. Generally
speaking, documents such as drawings, job standards, inspection
procedures etc. are so many even in a small company that it is
impossible to absorb them into a single manual. Even
if absorbed, too much and complicated revision control of documents
will occur.
|
| Mr. A: |
Then what is the precise description
of a single manual?
|
| I : |
A single manual means that
it has no independent quality management procedures referred in
the quality manual. You can understand quality management
system of an organization by its single manual referring to 136
“shalls” including exclusions. Some consultant firm has suggested
quality manual with four pages. But I do not agree with such a
quality manual, because it cannot cover 136 “shalls” in a quality
manual.
In my case I mention 136 “shalls”. So the quality manual
generally will be about fifty pages. A single manual
can be applied not only small companies, but also to medium companies
with about three hundreds people.
|
| Mr. A: |
So there is the concept that documents
should be classified clearly by two classes; management
procedures and technical documents,
in backgrounds of a single manual. And a single manual means that
it contains all management procedures, not technical ones.
More over the classification corresponds to distinguishing
between quality management system and product realization system
(technical core system).
|
| I : |
That’s right. Documents on quality
management procedures are naturally subject to ISO9001 revisions,
but technical documents are irrelevant. So during the transition
of 2000 version my clients were necessary to revise only their
single quality manuals and no change for technical documents.
Very easy transition!
|