ISO 9001 Lead Auditor Training

MODULE 9 - Auditor Competence Requirements

ISO 9001 Lead Auditor - Competence

9.4    Education, Work, Training and Audit Experience

Education - Auditors should have:
• Sufficient education to acquire generic and QMS/EMS specific knowledge and skills
• Completed generic and specific auditor training (QMS or EMS), internally or externally

Work experience – Auditors should have work experience that:
• Contributes to developing knowledge and skills as described above
• Relates to technical, managerial or professional positions involving judgement, problem-solving and communication with various parties
• Allows part of the work experience to be in position that contributes to knowledge and skills in:
o The quality management field for QMS auditors
o The environmental field for EMS auditors

Audit experience
• Auditors should have audit experience in audit life-cycle activities (see Module 5 of these Course Notes) gained under a audit team leader
• Audit Team leaders should have additional knowledge, skills and experience gained under a competent team leader

Note: The extent of direction and guidance needed during an audit is at the discretion of the audit team leader or person responsible for managing the audit program.

ISO 9001 Lead Auditors Who Audit Both QMS and EMS
• QMS or EMS auditors who wish to become qualified in the second discipline should:
• Acquire knowledge, skills, training and experience in that discipline
• Conduct audits in that discipline under direction of a competent team leader in that discipline
• The team leader in one discipline must acquire the credentials for being the team leader in the second discipline

9.5  Maintenance and Improvement Of Competence
• Undergo continual professional development (CPD)
• Maintain and improve knowledge, skills and personal attributes
• Achieve through work experience, training, private study, coaching, attending meetings, seminars, conferences or other relevant activities
• Participate regularly in QMS and/or EMS audits
CPD should take into account changes in individual and organizational needs, auditing practices and standards and other requirements

"Understanding ISO 9001" provides a detailed explanation of each ISO 9001 clause (requirements).

ISO 9001 FAQ provides answers to commonly asked questions about the ISO 9000 family of quality management standards.