Continual improvement process management review

These reviews shall include all requirements of the quality management system and its performance trends as an essential part of the continual improvement process. 

Procedures should be established to periodically monitor all operations that may have an environmental impact, and similar scheduled periodic checks should be made to ensure that procedures and operations are still in line with regulatory and other requirements. If equipment is involved in the monitoring process then procedures should also be in place to ensure correct calibration. Procedures are also needed to record any preventative or corrective actions identified and to ensure that they are completed to schedule. The whole EMS should be audited periodically to check that it is consistent with the planned policy and has been properly implemented. The details of audits should be discussed and reviewed by management at the highest level with a view to continuous improvement through the modification of both policy and procedures. 

A QMS is an organizational approach consisting of people, interrelated processes, process inputs and outputs, and structured review programs that lead to ongoing continuous improvement. This complexity of processes requires a programmatic organization and management to effectively interrelate its components. A... 

All quality system procedures and instructions are implemented to ensure effectiveness of the quality management system. To ensure continual improvement, facilities, equipment, and documents are reviewed and approved for implementation. The compatibility of the process with the production facilities and infrastructure is ensured to achieve product realization in compliance with the customer requirements. The implementation is achieved through ... 

The management reviews are conducted with a planned agenda to provide direction for the company s quality operations. Input from outside and inside sources are welcome to ensure continuous improvement. The audit findings and areas of quality concern are discussed. It is ensured that corrective and preventive measures are taken on time. The review input includes statistical evaluation of process performance and product conformity. 

Records generated by the asset management process are used to bring about continuous improvement in order to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the EAM strategy. All changes arising from the review must be controlled and documented. 

Clear definition of responsibilities Documented systems Training, both initial and ongoing Records management and document control Control of critical processes Internal audits Corrective action Management reviews Continual improvement. 

KAIZEN, which refers to the philosophy or practices that focus upon continuous improvement of processes in manufacturing, engineering, supporting business processes, and RCA are the formal processes for continuous improvement and failure analysis. A formal team is in place to manage this process. All events are documented and available for review (minimum of 25% of the plant population has participated in a KAIZEN event). 

Audits or some equivalent means of operational reviews are an important segment of any quality assurance program. They provide feedback to management and are the means of ensuring a continuous improvement of the system and overall facility. In the context of audits for process safety there is a close linkage with quality assurance. Quality assurance encompasses the spectrum of not only ensuring that the requirements are met, and it also provides a system to achieve continuous improvement, in addition to compliance. 

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