Understanding The ISO/TS 16949:2002 Standard 

6.2 Human Resources (HR)  

6.2.1 General 

Personnel performing work affecting product quality shall be competent on basis of appropriate education, training, skills and experience 

6.2.2 Competence, Awareness and Training 

Your organization shall: 

a)    Determine the necessary competence for personnel performing work affecting product quality 

b)    Provide training (or take other actions) to satisfy these competency needs 

c)    Evaluate the effectiveness of the actions taken 

d)    Ensure employees are aware of the relevance & importance of their activities & how they contribute to achieving quality objectives  

e)    Maintain appropriate records of education, training, skills, and experience 

6.2.2.1 Product Design Skills 

Design and development personnel with product design responsibility shall be competent to achieve design requirements and are skilled in applicable tools & techniques.  

Your organization shall identify these tools and techniques.  

6.2.2.2 Training 

You shall establish and maintain documented procedures for identifying training needs and achieving competence of all personnel performing work affecting product quality.

Personnel performing specific assigned tasks shall be qualified and focused on satisfying customer requirements.   

Note 1     This applies to employees at all levels of the organization having an      effect on quality. 

Note 2    An example of customer specific requirements is the application of       digitized mathematically based data.

6.2.2.3 Training on the job 

You shall provide on the job training for personnel in any new or modified job.

You shall provide on the job training for contract or agency personnel. 

Inform personnel whose work can affect quality, the consequences to the customer of nonconformity to quality requirements 

6.2.2.4 Motivation & empowerment – your organization shall have processes that: 

Motivate employees to achieve quality objectives 

Make continual improvements  

Create an environment that promotes innovation 

Promote quality & technological awareness throughout the whole organization 

Measure the extent to which its personnel are aware of the relevance and importance of their work and their contribution to achieving quality objectives (see 6.2.2.d) 

Key Explanation Points and Tips: 

Þ      You will recall under clause 5.1e top management is responsible for ensuring the availability of resources which includes HR. Clause 5.5.1 requires top management to define the organization and its responsibilities and authorities. Clause 6.1 required that adequate resources (e.g. HR) be determined and provided. And here in clause 6.2 the specific requirements for controlling HR are defined.  

Þ      Planning for HR process controls requires having a documented procedure that defines or references - competency criteria; skills evaluation; identification of training needs; types of training; provision of training; how training effectiveness is evaluated; methods to communicate awareness of the importance of quality requirements and meeting quality objectives, to all employees. 

Þ      Criteria for competency must be developed based on appropriate education, skills, training and experience for activities, tasks, functions and processes. The level and detail of such qualifications will depend upon the complexity of product, process, technology and customer and regulatory requirements.  

Þ      It is up to your organization to determine the necessary criteria for the various functions and activities affecting product and QMS. A “Skills Matrix” is a useful tool used by organizations to determine and manage the competency levels required by different activities and functions.   

Þ      The competency criteria for personnel with responsibility for design and development must be defined as well as the specific tools and techniques they need to use. These may include – computer-aided design (CAD); design for manufacturing (DFM); design for assembly (DFA); design of experiments (DOE); etc. For a full list of these tools, refer to the IATF TS 16949:2002 guidance document.  

Þ      Organizations undergo significant changes through growth or decline, acquisitions, new technology and new products and processes, Also, many organizations are now outsourcing their production labor to save on payroll costs and benefits. Labor related nonconformities can easily arise in such cases. Planning for your HR process must ensure that contract and agency personnel performing work affecting product quality have adequate competency and training. Appropriate records must be kept of such training. 

Þ      You must determine the scope and duration for effective on the job training for product related work. This training must be provided to all full-time as well as contract and agency personnel performing such work. They must also be informed of what nonconformities may arise and the consequence to the (internal and external) customer. Appropriate records must be kept of such training as well as training effectiveness. Review specific requirements for training at OEM customer or IATF websites. 

Þ      Quality awareness must be focused on meeting customer and regulatory requirements . The process to measure employee awareness of the importance of their work in meeting customer requirements and quality objectives may include the use of  – department or process quality metrics; involvement in quality planning; ongoing training programs; zero defect programs; product workshops; use of cross-functional teams; etc.   

Þ      QMS personnel must be motivated to achieve the organizations quality objective. The process to motivate employees and promote quality awareness and innovation may include the use of  – cross-functional teams; employee surveys; employee recognition awards; improvement suggestions; poster campaigns; quality circles; workshops; etc. 

Þ      You must determine and keep appropriate records of education; training; skills and experience. These records must demonstrate the effective operation of HR process controls (see first sentence of clause 4.2.4 quality records). 

Þ      Performance indicators to measure the effectiveness of the HR process in determining competency and training needs of the workforce, could include – employee turnover; employee complaints; number of instances unqualified personnel were found performing QMS activity; number of instances competency criteria were not met; and number of instances no training or competency records maintained; etc.