ISO 9001 Clause 7.2 Competence

clause 7.2 of the ISO 9001 standard is focused on the competence of personnel. This clause requires organizations to ensure that all personnel who perform work affecting product or service quality are competent on the basis of appropriate education, training, skills, and experience.

The purpose of this clause is to ensure that an organization has the necessary resources in terms of personnel competence to meet customer requirements and continually improve the effectiveness of the Quality Management System.

Some key requirements of this clause include:

• Identifying the necessary competence for personnel performing work affecting product or service quality.
• Providing training or taking other actions to achieve the necessary competence of personnel.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of the actions taken to ensure personnel competence.
• Maintaining appropriate records of personnel competence.
• Ensuring that personnel are aware of the relevance and importance of their activities and how they contribute to the achievement of quality objectives.

Overall, Clause 7.2 emphasizes the importance of having competent personnel to ensure the effectiveness and success of an organization's Quality Management System.

How do I retain appropriate documented information to evidence competence?

Clause 7.2 of ISO 9001 requires organizations to maintain appropriate documented information to demonstrate the competence of personnel. Here are some steps that you can take to retain appropriate documented information to evidence competence:

• Identify the competence requirements for each job role or position within your organization. This includes the knowledge, skills, experience, and qualifications that are necessary for personnel to perform their duties effectively.
• Establish a system for documenting the competence of personnel. This system should include records of training, education, experience, and performance evaluations.
• Document the training and development activities that have been undertaken by personnel to demonstrate their competence. This can include training certificates, course completion records, and on-the-job training logs.
• Keep records of personnel performance evaluations and assessments, such as peer reviews or supervisor evaluations. These records can be used to identify areas where personnel may require additional training or development.
• Ensure that all documented information related to personnel competence is accurate, up-to-date, and easily accessible to authorized personnel.
• Regularly review and update the documented information related to personnel competence to ensure that it remains relevant and accurate.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your organization retains appropriate documented information to evidence the competence of personnel, as required by Clause 7.2 of ISO 9001.

How do I determine competency deficiencies?

To determine competency deficiencies as required by Clause 7.2 of ISO 9001, you can take the following steps:

• Identify the necessary competency requirements for each job role or position within your organization, based on the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to perform each job effectively.
• Evaluate the performance of personnel in relation to their job roles and the competency requirements for their positions. This evaluation can include assessments of their work quality, productivity, and adherence to established procedures and policies.
• Identify areas where personnel are not meeting the necessary competency requirements. This can be done by comparing their performance to established performance standards, job requirements, and the results of their performance evaluations.
• Analyze the causes of the competency deficiencies. This may involve conducting root cause analyses, reviewing training records, or consulting with supervisors or other experts.
• Develop and implement appropriate corrective actions to address the competency deficiencies. This may involve providing additional training, coaching, or mentoring to personnel, adjusting job responsibilities or performance expectations, or making changes to organizational processes or procedures.
• Monitor the effectiveness of the corrective actions and evaluate the results to ensure that the competency deficiencies have been adequately addressed.

By taking these steps, you can identify competency deficiencies and take appropriate corrective actions to address them, as required by Clause 7.2 of ISO 9001. This will help ensure that your organization has the necessary personnel competence to meet customer requirements and continually improve the effectiveness of your Quality Management System.