ISO Certification Basics – Part 2

Previously I discussed the basics of ISO certification and what it meant. Here are some additional certifications that are specific to specialty industries.

AS 9100 is the Aerospace Quality Management System. Its foundation is ISO 9000:2000, with additional requirements specific to aerospace manufacturers. This is for companies that supply and work with the aerospace industry.

ISO 13485 is the Medical Quality Management System. Again, the foundation is ISO 9000:2000 with additional requirements that are specific to medical device manufacturers. Organizations currently manufacturing private label medical devices must have ISO 13485 registration if they sell their product in the European Union. Organizations that manufacture in vitro diagnostic medical devices, and want to be prepared for future regulatory requirements, would want to be registered to this standard also.

TS 16949 is the Automotive standard that is being promoted by Europe and the United States. It is a must for certain automotive tier one companies. It’s an in-depth, complicated, and expensive standard to attain. TS 16949 is regulated by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF). The IATF is an "ad hoc" group of automotive manufacturers and their respective trade associations formed to provide improved quality products to automotive customers worldwide. Members include the following manufacturers: BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford Motor Company, General Motors (including Opel Vauxhall), PSA Peugeot-Citroen, Renault SA, Volkswagen, and their respective trade associations - AIAG (U.S.), ANFIA (Italy), FIEV (France), SMMT (U.K.), and VDA (Germany).

As of December 14, 2006, TS 16949 replaced the QS-9000 standard. QS-9000 was the original global automotive standard promoted by the big three in the United States and overseas. There was a lot of time invested by many companies to become QS-9000 certified. Due to this, some companies that are not tier one still want to maintain their QS-9000 systems and are asking to have compliance audits so they can continue to maintain that system.

ISO 18000 is an Occupational Health and Safety standard. It is not the same as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the United States, but it is similar. Many companies are requesting this registration as a preventative. They use it to find and eliminate problems before OSHA needs to come in. It costs time and money if a company gets into trouble with OSHA. Preventive measures help reduce that exposure to fines and penalties.

There are many other standards as well, such as for telecommunications and food. Many of those are founded upon the ISO 9001 standard.

No matter what size your company is, the systems are very similar. It just depends on whether your company is in the service industry or a manufacturer. Earning one of these certifications can improve your company’s product or service, reputation, and bottom line. Now, all you need to do is get out there and get started!