An integrated management system (IMS) is a framework that combines multiple management systems into a single and cohesive system, such as quality, environment and occupational health and safety, into a single framework.

Auditing integrated management systems (IMS) is a thorough task that requires specific skills and knowledge; several competencies are required to enable the auditor to perform the audit accurately and effectively. As well as a unique set of skills to ensure that all aspects of the system are working effectively and in-depth understanding.

The following are some of the key competencies required to audit an IMS:

1. Knowledge of the management system: It is important to have a thorough knowledge of the IMS to be audited, including the relevant standards and requirements.

This includes knowledge of ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environment) and OHSAS 18001 or ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety) standards, among others.

 2. Communication skills: The auditor must be able to communicate clearly and effectively with the organization’s personnel, including managers and employees involved in the IMS. In addition, be able to document their findings objectively, clearly and accurately.

3. Analytical skills: The auditor should be able to analyze the information and data collected during the audit to identify possible findings, problems and improvement areas in the IMS.

4. Objective and impartial evaluation: The auditor must have a critical mind and be willing to question the organization’s processes and procedures. In addition, have the ability to analyze information and make informed decisions based on facts.

5. Problem-solving skills: When problems are identified during the execution of the IMS audit, the auditor must be able to propose practical and effective solutions to address them.

6. Technical knowledge: in addition to knowledge of the IMS, the auditor must also have relevant technical knowledge in specific areas, such as occupational health and safety or environmental management and the legal framework applicable to the sector to which the organization belongs.

 In summary, when it comes to auditing an IMS, it is crucial to have certain competencies and skills that allow for an effective audit.

Bibliography:

ISO 19011:2018- Guidelines for the audit of management systems

To have a correct execution of our 5-minute meetings we must plan them quarterly, monthly, or weekly, to have a correct preparation of the topics to be discussed daily; this guarantees not to exhaust the topics or to be very reiterative in some of them which could cause disinterest of the collaborators and even be taken as tedious, the correct planning helps to remain constant, to correctly delimit the time of its duration, to encourage the participation of the collaborators since they can also participate giving some of them.

A 5-minute meeting properly executed can demonstrate empathy, consideration, interest, and above all with the participation of the collaborators gives a sense of belonging and adherence to the occupational health and safety management system improving its performance with their participation.

These meetings should be transferred to all levels and functions of the organization, since in no area can we say that the personnel is exempt from any contact with hazards and risks since each activity has its inherent nature.

Remember that 5 minutes may be the right time to avoid an accident and preserve your integrity and that of your colleagues.

Juan Medina / Auditor

An Integrated Management System (IMS) is a comprehensive framework that combines multiple management systems into a single, cohesive system made up of sets of standards such as ISO 9001, ISO14001 or ISO 45000, as well as processes and procedures that enable an organization to effectively manage its environmental, quality, safety, and occupational health aspects, among others.

To verify the compliance and effectiveness of an Integrated Management System (IMS), it is necessary to carry out periodic internal and external audits to assess the degree of conformity with the established requirements.

Auditing an IMS is a process that ensures that the system is operating effectively and efficiently.

The following is a description of the steps involved in auditing an IMS:

• Understanding and defining the scope and objectives.
• Audit planning.
• Conducting the audit.
• Presentation of the report.
• Follow-up on audit findings.

Understanding, and defining the scope and objectives

Before conducting an audit, it is essential to understand the scope and objectives of the audit. This involves identifying how the organization is made up in terms of departments and functions to be audited, to establish the audit criteria and objectives.

Define the scope and objectives of the audit: it must be established which processes, areas, or functions are to be audited, as well as the criteria and reference standards to be applied.

The purpose and expected outcome of the audit should also be defined, as well as the resources and time available.

Audit criteria should include legal requirements and industry standards, as well as any specific requirements of the organization.

For example, in a manufacturing company that has implemented an IMS, the scope of the audit may include production processes, quality control, and environmental management.

Audit criteria may include ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management), and ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety management).

The audit objectives may include compliance with the requirements of the standards to be audited, legal norms applicable to the industry/sector, and IMS documentation.

Audit planning

Once the previous point has been established and understood, an audit plan should be drawn up, including:

• Agenda (days and times).
• Audit team.
• Processes to audit.
• As far as possible the persons to be interviewed.
• Methods and tools to use.
• Potential risks and opportunities to consider from the audit (before, during, and after).
• Evaluation and reporting criteria.

Conducting the audit

This involves preparing a checklist, conducting interviews with key personnel, reviewing documentation, and observing processes and activities to verify compliance with audit criteria.

For example, during an IMS audit, the auditor may interview the Quality Manager to understand how the organization ensures compliance with ISO 9001 requirements.

The auditor may also review documents such as quality manuals and procedures to verify compliance.

In addition, the auditor can observe the production process to ensure that the organization complies with the requirements of ISO 14001.

Presentation of the report

After completing the audit, the auditor should prepare an audit report that reflects the audit findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The report should be clear, concise, objective, and evidence-based. It should be communicated to relevant stakeholders and as far as possible, receive feedback.

For example, after conducting an audit, the auditor may recommend using quality tools for the organization to implement a corrective action plan to address nonconformities identified in the audit.

Follow-up of audit findings

Once the audit is concluded, the implementation and verification of the corrective actions derived from the audit should be followed up.

Audited personnel may submit a corrective action plan including specific actions, timelines, and responsibilities for addressing nonconformities, which should be communicated to relevant stakeholders and progress monitored to ensure that nonconformities are effectively addressed.

To do this, the lead auditor should evaluate the effectiveness and impact of corrective actions on the integrated management system and close the audit when all nonconformities have been satisfactorily resolved.

In conclusion, auditing an IMS is a thorough process that ensures that the system is operating effectively and efficiently.

The steps involved in auditing an IMS include understanding the scope, and the audit objectives, performing the audit, and reporting and following up on the audit findings.

By following these steps, organizations can ensure that their IMS complies with legal requirements and industry standards and identify areas for improvement to enhance their overall performance.

Bibliography:

ISO 19011:2018- Guidelines for the audit of management systems.

An “organization” can be initially defined as a person or a group of people with specific functions, responsibilities, authorities, and relationships working together to achieve their objectives. This can encompass independent workers, associations, corporations, companies, or firms (ISO 9000:2015 3.2.1).

On the other hand, a “process” is characterized as a set of interconnected activities that utilize inputs to produce intended results, which are known as outputs (ISO 9000:2015 3.4.1).

With these fundamental concepts in mind, we can identify three types of processes within an organization: operational, strategic, and support processes. Operational processes are involved in carrying out the core product or service offered by the organization. Strategic processes are responsible for devising the organization’s strategies and plans. Lastly, support processes are those that aid the execution of operational processes, as determined by the strategic processes.

It is essential to accurately identify these process types and not mistake individual activities as separate processes. A common mistake is to consider activities such as recruitment, personnel selection, training, competency control, payroll, and incidents as individual processes when they are part of a broader human resources process that exists to control and manage human resources.

The determination of processes also depends on factors like the organization’s product or service complexity, sector, and unique characteristics. Even organizations within the same sector producing similar products or services may have different processes due to their distinct structures and contexts.

To define the boundaries of a process, we must identify its triggers (inputs) and the outcomes resulting from executing its activities (outputs). For example, in a manufacturing process, the trigger may be a production order or a manufacturing request, leading to the creation of a finished product and its delivery to a customs office.

Several tools can be used to define and structure processes within an organization, including process diagrams, turtle diagrams, and SIPOC diagrams. The purpose of these tools is to identify each process, its inputs, outputs, and other vital factors, such as the required infrastructure, performance indicators, and the roles and responsibilities of those involved in the execution.

In addition to using these tools, the identification of processes can be supported by understanding the input sources, necessary resources, general steps for execution, the resultant outcomes, and the beneficiaries of those outcomes.

Ultimately, a crucial aspect of this process is involving a multidisciplinary group that possesses in-depth knowledge of the organization’s activities, products, and services, and how they are executed. Their participation will ensure a correct and comprehensive definition of the organization’s processes.

The scope of registration and certification will need to reflect precisely and clearly the activities covered by your organization’s management system; any exclusion to non-applicable requirements of the standards should be documented and justified in the manual. No single business-related activity should exist outside of the scope. You should discuss the scope of registration prior to, during the early stages of contact with the registrar, or during the selection process.

From a review of the nature of your business’s operations, products and services, the scope of the management system should be apparent by the extent of the processes and controls that your organization has already established.

Look for confirmation that your organization has determined the boundaries and applicability of the management system to establish its scope with reference to any external and internal issues, the requirements of relevant interested parties, and the nature of your organization’s products and services. Consideration of the boundaries and applicability of the management system can include:

1. The range of products and services;
2. Different sites and activities;
3. External provision of processes, products and services;
4. Common support provided by centralised functions;
5. Processes, procedures, instructions, or site-specific requirements.

The scope of your management system may include the whole of the organization, specific and identified functions within the organization, specific sections of the organization, or one or more functions across a group of organizations. Auditors will challenge your organization if any activities, products, and services that would likely have a significant impact on the environment or those that impact health and safety are omitted from the scope. Your organization’s scope determinations should be reasonable and consistently applied.

Ensure that your organization has considered its degree of control and influence over its activities, products, and services from a life cycle perspective. The degree of control needs to be determined for environmental aspects associated with such things as procured goods and services, outsourced processes, product performance requirements, end of life treatment (recycling, disposal, etc.).

The management system scope must be retained as documented information in accordance with, usually within the management system manual. The scope statement is normally shown on the certificate, for most registrars. You may not design your products because your customers supply product specifications and drawings. In which case you can exclude the product design processes and requirements.