Category Archives: Auditing

Certification – Who is the customer?

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Shaun

I am hoping the story that has broken relating to the PIP implants and TUV Rheinland will bring this debate into a sharper focus and, again hopefully, clarify the whole point of conformity assessment … The gist is that TUV Rheinland issued the safety certificates relating to the infamously faulty and dangerous PIP breast implants and a French court has held them liable for (at the time of writing) about £150 million in compensation for their dereliction of duty Continue reading →

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Auditing Procedure vs Auditing Process

Posted on October 6, 2013 by Shaun

People audit for lots of different reasons, so there are lots of different types of audit. They vary in size (sometimes the audit takes in virtually all the company’s activities, sometimes just a single procedure); they vary in complexity (sometimes there are lots of standards, specifications, customer requirements and legislation to check on, sometimes not so many); and they vary in focus Continue reading →

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Accept, Excuse, Deny, Ignore … (it’s cheaper)

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Shaun

Why do the certification bodies happily blame the auditee for weaknesses in the audit process? Because we let them Continue reading →

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Managing risk – trust versus transparency

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Shaun

At what point does a trust based system constitute a foolhardy and irrationally optimistic position? Continue reading →

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The Auditor From Hell!

Posted on June 23, 2013 by Shaun

The auditor from hell is alive and well, and this is what he has been getting up to lately Continue reading →

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