Profession controller open.

A quality control inspector is an employee who ensures product quality control and compliance with the technological process of its production. These employees are involved in various areas of production activity and provide internal supervision over product compliance with established regulations and standards. That is why their specific rights and obligations are determined depending on the chosen sphere of production and the type of product produced. The general rights and responsibilities of this category of workers are enshrined in their standard job descriptions, the content of which is often duplicated in the texts of employment agreements.

What rights does the quality control inspector have?

The quality control inspector has the right to monitor the timely and complete fulfillment of production tasks by the enterprise’s employees. This right also implies the opportunity to report to immediate management about violations identified during verification of compliance with the production process and product quality control. Also, this employee has the right to report to management about distinguished employees and nominate them for promotion. In the process of carrying out his activities, he has the right to give mandatory instructions to his subordinates and other persons whose activities are under his supervision. To optimally carry out his own functions, the quality control controller has the right to interact with other services and departments of the company, request the necessary documents and information from other departments, and send them the information received.

What job responsibilities does a quality control inspector perform?

The main job responsibility of the quality control inspector is to supervise the implementation of the technological process. In this case, this obligation extends to a specific area of ​​production for which the employee is responsible. Control is carried out on the basis of analysis results, readings of instruments used to carry out control and measurement activities. In addition, this employee is obliged to monitor the proper technical condition of equipment directly involved in production activities. For the purpose of analysis, these workers are often required to carry out direct sampling of products or monitor the correct and timely implementation of the specified sampling. Finally, the quality control inspector is required to be directly involved in the acceptance of technical means and equipment after repairs, replacements, cleanings and other similar procedures.

Added to the site:

1. General Provisions

1.1. The quality control department, being an independent structural unit of the enterprise, is created and liquidated by order of [name of the position of the head of the enterprise].

1.2. The department reports directly to the technical director of the enterprise.

1.3. The quality control department is headed by a chief appointed to the position by order of [name of the position of the head of the enterprise] on the recommendation of the technical director.

1.4. The head of the quality control department has [fill in the required] deputy(s); his/her responsibilities are determined by the head of the quality control department.

1.5. The deputy(s) and other employees of the department are appointed to positions and dismissed from positions by order of [name of the position of the head of the enterprise] upon the proposal of the head of the quality control department.

1.6. In its activities the department is guided by:

Charter of the enterprise;

This provision;

Legislation of the Russian Federation;

1.7. [Enter as appropriate].

2. Structure

2.1. The structure and staffing levels of the department are approved by [name of the position of the head of the enterprise], based on the specific conditions and characteristics of the enterprise’s activities, upon the proposal of the technical director and head of the department, as well as in agreement with the [HR department, organization and remuneration department].

2.2. The quality control department may include structural units (bureaus, groups, laboratories, etc.).

For example: technical bureau of OKK (sector, group); bureau (sector, group) of quality control in workshops (BKK); external acceptance control laboratory; central measuring laboratory; laboratory of chemical analysis.

2.3. Regulations on the divisions of the department (bureaus, sectors, groups, laboratories, etc.) are approved by [name of the position of the head of the enterprise], and the distribution of responsibilities between employees of the divisions is carried out by the head of the department.

2.4. [Enter as appropriate].

3. Objectives

The quality control department performs the following tasks:

3.1. Ensuring that the enterprise produces high-quality and competitive products.

3.2. Preventing the enterprise from releasing products that do not meet the requirements of standards and technical specifications, approved samples (standards), and design documentation.

3.3. Compliance with delivery conditions and completeness of products under contracts.

3.4. Strengthening production discipline, increasing the responsibility of all levels of production for the quality of products.

3.5. [Enter as appropriate].

4. Functions

To perform these tasks, the quality control department is assigned the following functions:

4.1. Checking the material resources supplied to the enterprise (raw materials, materials, semi-finished products, components) and preparing conclusions on the compliance of their quality with standards and technical conditions.

4.2. Drawing up acceptance control reports on the quality of material resources.

4.3. Operational control at all stages of the production process.

4.4. Determination of the nomenclature of measured parameters and optimal standards of measurement accuracy.

4.5. Carrying out selective inspection control over the quality of individual technological operations (including transportation), technological equipment and tools.

4.6. Control for:

Quality, completeness, packaging, preservation of products;

Compliance of manufactured products with standards, technical specifications, approved samples (standards), design documentation;

The presence of the enterprise’s trademark on the finished product;

Correct storage in departments of the enterprise and in warehouses of material resources and finished products;

- [fill in what you need].

4.7. Assessment of the grade of products produced by the enterprise.

4.8. Branding of accepted and rejected products.

4.9. Preparation of documentation for accepted and rejected products in accordance with the established procedure.

4.10. Identifying the reasons for product non-compliance with the requirements of regulatory and technical documentation, determining the possibility of correcting defects and eliminating defects, taking measures to eliminate them.

4.11. Ensuring the withdrawal of products from circulation if it is impossible (inappropriate) to eliminate defects and defects.

4.12. Carrying out repeated inspections, downgrading of products.

4.13. Analysis and technical accounting of product defects.

4.14. Organization of two-way exchange of information with consumers about the quality of the product.

4.15. Registration of the results of control operations, keeping records of product quality indicators, defects and their causes, drawing up periodic reports on product quality.

4.16. Preparation of documents certifying product quality.

4.17. Systematic monitoring of the condition of the enterprise's control and measuring equipment.

4.18. Timely implementation of activities related to the introduction of new regulations and standards.

4.19. Participation in testing new product samples, development of technical documentation for these products. Preparation of products for certification and certification.

4.20. Participation in the development of sections on quality and completeness in contracts for the supply of products.

4.22. Development and presentation to the management of the enterprise of proposals to improve the quality of products, as well as to increase the requirements for the quality of material resources consumed by the enterprise (raw materials, materials, semi-finished products, components).

4.23. [Enter as appropriate].

5. Rights

The quality control department has the right:

5.1. Stop accepting and shipping products in the following cases:

Non-compliance of its quality with standards, technical documentation, approved standards, samples;

Inconsistencies in its completeness established by the regulatory and technical documentation;

Lack of mandatory established technical documentation;

- [fill in what you need].

The head of the quality control department notifies the technical director in writing about the termination of acceptance (shipment).

An order from the head of the quality control department to refuse to release products can only be canceled on the basis of a written order from [name of the position of the head of the enterprise].

5.2. When identifying non-compliance of products with standards at certain stages of production, make proposals to the management of the enterprise to suspend the manufacturing process in the relevant structural divisions of the enterprise, and reject the products themselves.

5.3. Require from heads of all structural divisions:

Carrying out activities aimed at improving the quality of products;

Providing information necessary for the work of the department;

- [fill in what you need].

5.4. In case of disagreement regarding product quality, make the final decision on acceptance or rejection of the product.

5.5. When resolving disputes about product quality in court, issue an expert opinion.

5.6. The head of the quality control department also has the right to represent:

Proposals for incentives for distinguished employees, for bringing to disciplinary liability employees who violate labor and production discipline;

Conclusions on facts of damage to valuables (when drawing up documents to formalize the write-off of shortages of valuables and damage in excess of the norms of natural loss);

- [enter as required];

- [fill in what you need].

6. Relationships (official connections) **

To perform the functions and exercise the rights provided for by these regulations, the environmental protection department interacts:

6.1. With the standardization department on issues:

Receipts:

Standards;

Instructions;

Technical conditions;

Other technical documentation for determining product quality;

- [fill in what you need].

Providing:

Suggestions and comments on the provided documentation;

Information about violation of standards and technical conditions;

- [fill in what you need].

6.2. With the department of the chief technologist regarding:

Receipts:

Conclusions on the compliance of material resources (raw materials, materials, semi-finished products, etc.) with standards and technical specifications;

Conclusions on the possibility of using material resources in production;

- [fill in what you need].

Providing:

Material resources (raw materials, materials, semi-finished products, etc.) to analyze its compliance with standards and specifications;

- [fill in what you need].

6.3. With the department of the chief designer on questions:

Receipts:

Technical documentation for testing product samples;

Technological maps with tolerance standards in accordance with standards and specifications;

Descriptions of technological processes indicating quality requirements;

- [fill in what you need].

Providing:

Information about detected technological deficiencies and proposals for their elimination;

Proposals to improve product quality;

Generalized information about the quality of products and the amount of defects;

Test reports and studies of product samples;

- [fill in what you need].

6.4. With the chief mechanic department regarding:

Receipts:

Equipment inspection and repair plans;

Means for monitoring the quality of equipment repairs;

- [fill in what you need].

Providing:

Proposals to improve product quality;

- [fill in what you need].

6.5. With the department of the chief power engineer on issues:

Receipts:

Schedules of preventive maintenance on electrical equipment;

Accessories for electrical equipment;

Assistance in repairing electrical equipment;

- [fill in what you need].

Providing:

Applications for repair of electrical equipment;

Applications for components for electrical equipment;

- [fill in what you need].

6.6. With the tool department regarding:

Receipts:

Measuring tools (including our own production);

- [fill in what you need].

Providing:

Applications for a new tool;

Acts of write-off of faulty measuring instruments;

- [fill in what you need].

6.7. With the production laboratory and its departments regarding:

Receipts:

Acts with test results;

Sample research reports;

Conclusions on the compliance of material resources, finished products with standards and technical specifications;

- [fill in what you need].

Providing:

Tasks for testing, research (mechanical, physical or chemical methods);

- [fill in what you need].

6.8. With the logistics department regarding:

Receipts:

Accompanying documents from suppliers for material resources supplied to the enterprise (certificates, declarations of conformity, passports, etc.);

Copies of supply contracts, amendments to them;

- [fill in what you need].

Providing:

Product acceptance certificates for quality and completeness;

Acts of product rejection;

- [fill in what you need].

6.9. Contact the sales department regarding:

Receipts:

Samples of packaging labels;

Data on product returns by consumers;

- [fill in what you need].

Providing:

Documents confirming the quality of products (declarations, passports, etc.);

Documents accompanying the products and subject to transfer to consumers;

Permits for sealing boxes, containers, wagons;

- [fill in what you need].

6.10. With the chief accounting department on issues:

Receipts:

Information on the results of accounting for losses from defects;

Information on penalties from those responsible for marriage;

- [fill in what you need].

Providing:

Acts of product rejection;

Conclusions on the guilt of workers;

Calculation of costs for eliminating defects;

- [fill in what you need].

6.11. With the marketing department regarding:

Receipts:

Certificates of external acceptance by counterparties;

Information about non-compliance with the declared quality of products during the warranty period;

Representations on the supply of products for individual items of the product range for warranty service, as well as on removal from warranty service;

Data from the after-sales service department (bureau) on product defects identified during its use or operation;

Samples of products produced by competing enterprises to establish the degree of quality;

- [fill in what you need].

Providing:

Information about technological changes in products;

Information on measures to improve product quality;

Results of analysis of the quality of product samples produced by competing enterprises;

- [fill in what you need].

6.12. With the legal department regarding:

Receipts:

Copies of sections of contracts with suppliers on product quality;

Inquiries about the quality of products for claims and lawsuits;

- [fill in what you need].

Reply to requests from the legal department;

- [fill in what you need].

6.13. From [name of structural unit] on issues:

Receipts:

- [enter as required];

- [fill in what you need].

Providing:

- [enter as required];

- [fill in what you need].

7. Responsibility

7.1. The head of the quality control department is responsible for the quality and timeliness of the department’s performance of the functions provided for by these regulations.

7.2. The head of the department is personally responsible for:

Compliance with the legislation of instructions and guidelines issued by the department on product quality issues;

Presentation of reliable information about product quality;

Providing the management of the enterprise with information about the quality of products;

Timely and high-quality execution of orders of the enterprise management on product quality issues;

Preventing the use of faulty control devices;

Preventing the use of outdated regulations and standards;

- [fill in what you need].

7.3. The responsibilities of quality control department employees are established by job descriptions.

7.4. [Enter as appropriate].

Head of structural unit

[initials, surname]

[signature]

[day month Year]

Agreed:

[official with whom the position is agreed upon]

[initials, surname]

[signature]

[day month Year]

Head of the legal department

[initials, surname]

[signature]

[day month Year]

Brandin Vladimir Alexandrovich,
Deputy General Director of the Consulting Center "Quality and Business"
(Saint Petersburg)

The company that produces the product is responsible for its quality. Product acceptance inspection is one way to provide the assurance against unintentional use or supply of non-conforming products required by clause 8.3 of the international standard ISO 9001:2008. Clause 7.1 of this standard requires defining product acceptance criteria, and clause 8.2.4 establishes that products can be shipped to the consumer only after confirmation of their compliance with the acceptance criteria. Appropriate records must be maintained, including evidence that the release of products has been authorized by an authorized person. Traditionally, this management function (product control) is assigned to a specialized unit - the technical control department (QC).

Formally, the international standard ISO 9001:2008 contains a clear answer to the question about the place of the technical control department in the quality management system (QMS).

The task of the quality control department is to confirm product compliance with established requirements.

In many cases, the quality control department performs the function of monitoring purchased raw materials and supplies, as if repeating the work of the supplier's quality control department, as well as monitoring the correct execution of production operations, ensuring compliance with the requirements of ISO 9001:2008 for monitoring and measuring processes.

Everything is obvious and unambiguous. And we could have put an end to this if it were not for the everywhere observed conflict of interests and the helplessness of the “quality management systems” created by renaming the quality control department. Plus, there is an almost universally observed desire to belittle the role of the quality control department.

At the declaration level, everything looks quite impressive. For example, in the regulations on a division you can often find the following wording: “The main task of the quality control department is to organize constant production control at all stages of the technological process and eliminate the causes that violate a given technological process and cause the appearance of defects,” or even this: “The main task of the quality control department is preventing the production of products by the enterprise that do not meet the requirements of standards and technical specifications, design and technological documentation, delivery conditions and contracts, or incomplete products, as well as strengthening production discipline and increasing the responsibility of all levels of production for the quality of products." That is, the quality control department ensures that key tasks are resolved - everyone can rest. But, for some reason, no one is happy, and the quality control department employees perceive their work as a continuous struggle with a careless team, on whose side, sometimes, part of the enterprise management also takes sides.

Is struggle an inevitable attribute of management, or is it a question of incomplete compliance of the current enterprise management system with the requirements of ISO 9001:2008? Regarding the “struggle for quality,” the answer is clear: the quality management system provides guarantees for the release of quality products through the correct organization of processes. If signs of struggle arise, this is evidence of a systemic inconsistency, the causes of which must be identified and eliminated.

For a conflict situation to arise, two conditions are necessary: ​​there must be participants, and their goals must contradict each other (a common special case is different understandings of the same goal). Analysis of real and potential conflicts allows us to find areas for improvement of the current management system, its consistent approach to the quality management system.

Let's consider typical conflict situations in which the technical control department is involved, their main causes and ways to bring this part of the overall management system into compliance with the requirements of ISO 9001:2008.

As defined in the international standard ISO:9000:2005, a management system is different from any other in that it ensures the development of policies and objectives and their achievement. A quality management system is, accordingly, designed to define policies and goals and how to achieve them in relation to product quality. Quality, in turn, refers to compliance with requirements. To the question: “What requirements,” the answer is usually given: “Customer requirements.”

This answer is not entirely accurate. Or rather, the answer is correct, but not complete. ISO 9001:2008 applies to organizations seeking to “demonstrate their ability to consistently produce products that meet customer and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.” But the standard does not require that all other requirements be waived. This incompleteness of the answer often prevents the causes of conflict situations from being correctly identified and eliminated.

ISO 9004:2000 (“Quality management systems—Guidelines for improvement”) specifies that requirements are set by “stakeholders.” These include: consumers, suppliers, government, owners and personnel. Summarized characteristics of the main requirements presented by stakeholders are given in Table 1.

Table 1. Main types of requirements presented by stakeholders

Are mechanisms for fulfilling requirements taken into account or not in the enterprise’s QMS documents? everyone interested parties - does not matter much. The company still fulfills them, although to varying degrees. Typically, the interests of one of the parties dominate and its demands are met more consistently. The unevenness of taking into account the requirements of different stakeholders, in itself, does not in any way contradict the requirements for the quality management system. It is only important that this is the decision of senior management, that the decision is based on an analysis of actual data and is consistent with the goals of the enterprise.

The main actor in the management system is the personnel, since management is the management of people. It is the employees of the enterprise who ensure the achievement of goals (fulfillment of the requirements of stakeholders), while themselves being an interested party. Developing the correct policy and goals of the enterprise in the field of quality and, then, the goals of individual processes consistent with the goals of the enterprise is one of the most important and quite complex tasks in the development and implementation of a QMS. In most cases, in the process of creating a QMS, correction of spontaneously formed goals is required. Otherwise, the territory for the fight is provided. That is, politics and goals exist wherever there is management. But when they are independently formed by the heads of individual structural divisions, based on common sense and convenience for work, contradictions may well arise. In relation to the QMS, this will mean the emergence of different policies and goals in relation to the same stakeholders. Including different understandings of the priority of individual stakeholders for the enterprise. For example, for a supply service that must provide the production process with raw materials, the interests of suppliers may well be closer to the interests of consumers.

The task of senior management is to ensure unity of policy and goals. This means that the policy must be consistent with the purpose of the organization (affect all stakeholders important to the organization) and be understood equally by all employees. And the goals must be consistent with the policy. No one, of course, expects that the very first policies and goals formulated during the development of the QMS will turn out to be completely successful. Both policies and goals must be consistently improved based on the results of an analysis of their achievement and an analysis of the causes of real and potential inconsistencies. It is only important to provide room for improvement from the very beginning. There is often a desire to draw a bold line between “before” and “after” QMS. This can lead to the invention of fictitious policies and goals "in honor of the ISO". If a fictitious structure is immediately created, separated by clear boundaries from the management that actually exists at the enterprise, it is very difficult to find areas for improvement - all efforts are spent on combating newly emerged (artificially created) problems.

The basis of the quality policy of any enterprise is the fulfillment of consumer requirements and the desire to increase customer satisfaction. The main goal in the field of quality of any enterprise, accordingly, is the production of products necessary for the consumer. Products are the result of a process. The main distinguishing feature of the process is the transformation of “input” into “output” (in relation to production processes - the transformation of raw materials into products). The result of the transformation depends on the characteristics of the "input" and the operations occurring within the process.

Thus, to obtain products that have certain useful characteristics, production must obtain raw materials and materials that have certain characteristics and fulfill certain operations. Or, if we go from the consumer, to obtain products that have certain useful properties, production must fulfill certain operations with certain raw materials and supplies. Wherever the word "determined" (that is, predetermined) appears, there is a potential need for control. It is potential insofar as the need to introduce control operations must be justified. The decision to introduce a control operation must be preceded by an analysis of the actual data. But more on that below. Part of the control operations (or all, if the competence of the department’s employees allows) can be performed by a specialized service. This service is usually called "OTK".

The task of the supply service is to ensure that certain requirements are met, the task of production is also to ensure that certain requirements are met (providing, not “fulfillment”), the task of the quality control department is to provide objective data on the degree of fulfillment of certain requirements. Requirements, in this case, act as the “lowest” level of goals.

The certainty of requirements is not limited to the fact that they must be specified in advance (before the start of the process). Requirements must be specific. Requirements must be objective (not depend on the opinions, moods and other psychological characteristics of the participants in the process). The requirements must be the same for all participants in the process, the progress or outcome of which is controlled. And they must be understood equally by all participants in the process. This circumstance is often overlooked. For example, a quality control employee carries out product control using special measuring instruments (and even better if special laboratory tests are carried out). Can a worker, armed only with his senses, determine for himself, before the “verdict” of the quality control department, whether he is producing something?

Thus, the most important reason for the emergence of conflicts involving the quality control department is uncertainty of requirements. Removing requirements ambiguity leads to the prevention of conflicts and, of course, most importantly, to a reduction in the number of nonconformities. If it is not possible to eliminate the uncertainty (inconsistency) of requirements, it is necessary to move on to the analysis of higher levels of goals (the goals of the relevant departments or even the enterprise as a whole) and eliminate the contradictions at this level.

Control of raw materials, control of production operations and control of finished products, in addition to common features, have their own characteristics. Let us consider the control function at each of these stages in more detail.

Incoming control or QMS and suppliers.

The international standard ISO 9001:2008 requires the selection, evaluation and re-evaluation of suppliers; communicate to suppliers the requirements for products and processes for their production; carry out inspection of purchased products (section 7.4 of the standard).

For example, a decision is made to select suppliers based on the minimum price criterion. The decision was made on the basis of factual data: Quality Control Department provided evidence that at the incoming control stage it is possible to prevent the sending of inappropriate raw materials into production, and this does not lead to significant time and financial losses. The criterion meets the requirements of the ISO 9001:2008 standard, the goals of the enterprise and is economically justified. There are no reasons for conflicts to arise:

Such successes are rarer than we would like. In most cases, the analysis could show that the company's losses when choosing suppliers based on the lowest price criterion are several times greater than the savings on purchases. It could, but it doesn’t show it because it’s not being done. A very common situation is when the minimum price is the main requirement for the supply service, and the quality control department requires quality from the same supplier. In this case, the volume of necessary purchases is calculated on the assumption that all raw materials and materials fully comply with the requirements of the enterprise, and delivery times are approaching “work on wheels” (that is, it turns out that the entire necessary amount of control should occur instantly). The conflict is inevitable and is of an objective nature (requirements are not defined): Quality Control Department detains raw materials for inspection and prevents the sending of part of the raw materials (that do not meet the established requirements) into production. That is, the quality control department disrupts the rhythmic work of production and impedes the implementation of the plan.

What caused the conflicting requirements? Most likely, the type and degree of management of suppliers and purchased products does not correspond to the impact of purchasing on the quality of the final product. The most common two options are: either the requirements for product testing are incorrectly defined, or the supplier’s ability to fulfill the established requirements is not analyzed. Or both at the same time.

The first case is observed when the requirements for purchased products, volumes, frequency and control parameters are established based on theoretical concepts, without analyzing the characteristics and trends of the real processes of the enterprise and its products (the requirements of paragraph 8.4 of ISO 9001:2008 are not fully met). The theoretical nature of the requirements is usually visible from their wording: “The product must comply with the requirements of GOST:”. Then it’s simple: the volume, frequency and controlled parameters are taken from the relevant sections of the same external regulatory document. It would be interesting to know whether it is even possible to take into account specific technologies, the state of equipment and the level of competence of the personnel of a particular enterprise when developing GOST? As a result, two misses are ensured with one shot: human, time and material resources are diverted to carry out control, and raw materials that have been approved by Quality Control Department give rise to inconsistencies in the production process. The disadvantages of establishing requirements by referring to an external regulatory document are obvious: not all characteristics of raw materials that are important for ensuring the quality of the final product are standardized in the relevant GOSTs. And those that are necessary are specified as a range of (quite large) values. As a result, raw materials that meet the requirements turn out to be different and behave differently during processing.

A common situation: analysis of nonconformities identified during a manufacturing operation shows that they are largely related to certain characteristics of the raw materials. The quality control department replies: “What can we do, the raw materials comply with GOST.” Who should be happy about this?

This does not mean that the supply service is right in considering the minimum price as the only criterion. She just turns out to be right more often. The fact is that, in fact, price is not the only or even the main criterion for it. The main thing for the supply service is the ability of the supplier to meet quality requirements. It’s just that these requirements are understood somewhat differently (for example, less specifically). At a minimum, the quality requirements for the supply service are formulated in the form of product names. It is clear that no one will buy clay instead of cement, even if it is significantly cheaper. The supplier's ability to meet quality requirements is fundamental to the procurement function for the simple reason that analyzing the impact of procurement on processes and final products (as discussed above is the second reason for incorrectly defining procurement requirements) always carried out. It’s just not done regularly and consistently enough. Most often, only in cases where production simply cannot do anything with the raw materials in stock.

The main task that must be solved in relation to incoming control is the determination of specific characteristics of raw materials that ensure the possibility of obtaining the required useful properties of the product as a result of performing specific (those that are available to production) operations.

Control of raw materials affects the interests of (at a minimum): technological service, production, supply service and quality control department. The requirements for the characteristics of raw materials and materials that guide these services should not contradict each other. An example of a solution is separation of functions: the technology service determines the characteristics, and everyone else uses them in their activities.

The purpose of incoming control is to prevent the sending of raw materials into production that could negatively affect the product’s compliance with established requirements. The goal should determine the composition and characteristics of the requirements. Additional requirements that govern only one of the above divisions can be introduced only if they do not affect the quality of the product (for example, a minimum price).

Requirements must be specific. That is, the ranges of values ​​​​of individual characteristics of raw materials and materials must be determined, within which production is able to ensure the fulfillment of product requirements. The best option in this case is to establish requirements in the form of specifications.

Control methods used by the quality control department must be agreed upon with the supplier. And the scope and frequency of control should be determined based on an analysis of the stability of the characteristics of raw materials and materials received from a specific supplier. If an enterprise considers it necessary to fully check the purchased raw materials (absolutely does not trust the supplier’s guarantees), it is necessary to persistently look for a replacement supplier or, at least, deduct the costs of incoming inspection from the cost of the purchase contract.

Operations control or QMS and production personnel.

The company's employees see everything and understand everything. Enterprise employees perfectly distinguish true goals from declarations and requirements that need to be fulfilled from “just” requirements. To expect a quality management system to create a mass illusion is to deceive yourself.

Control of operations is usually called “control of technological discipline”. The very name of control suggests that there is a technology, the fulfillment of the requirements of which ensures that the required characteristics of the product are obtained. It is impossible to assume that production personnel are not interested in producing high-quality (needed by the consumer) products. Consequently, the reasons why a worker may understand the requirements for his activities differently from what is written in the technological documents are objective in nature.

There are three objective reasons:

the requirements are unclear (insufficient level of qualifications);

compliance with the requirements does not ensure the release of high-quality products (imperfect technology);

the requirements cannot be met (there is not enough time, the actual characteristics of the raw materials do not meet the requirements, the actual condition of the equipment does not meet the requirements).

An important conclusion: the worker can almost never be “to blame” for violations of technological discipline. If the goal of technological discipline control is to improve the production process, the reasons are always related to clarifying the requirements for the process or properly providing it with resources (clarifying the requirements for auxiliary, servicing processes). There can be no one to blame for the QMS. And this is one of the criteria to determine the degree of maturity of the management system. If an analysis of identified inconsistencies is carried out with the aim of identifying (and roughly punishing) those responsible, this means that the quality management system has not yet extended to this area of ​​the enterprise’s activities. By the way, the fact that the search for culprits in production teams is a refusal of management was discovered back in the 70s of the last century (much earlier than the appearance of the first version of the international standard for quality management systems).

Control of technological discipline is an important and necessary element of the QMS. But for this, at a minimum, there must be technology. It is technology, not just technological documentation. It's easy to check. You need to ask the head of the technology service the question: “You have developed the technology. Do you guarantee that if it is followed, the products produced will fully comply with the established requirements”? And then listen to the answer.

If the answer is anything other than a simple “yes,” such as “yes in principle,” it is best to try to avoid the honorable task of overseeing such a technological discipline. The benefits of such control will not be obvious either to production personnel or to the management of the enterprise. And the territory for conflicts (quite objective) is guaranteed.

In addition, monitoring technological discipline requires a fairly high level of competence in management. Otherwise it will be control for the sake of control. That is, the result may not even be a contradictory understanding of the requirements, but rather an activity devoid of purpose.

One of the common reasons for the inability to meet the requirements established in technology is the notorious struggle between “quality” and “quantity”. The production staff cannot (they believe) meet all the requirements, because then they will not be able to fulfill the plan. This is an objective non-compliance of the system with the requirements of the international standard. All possible contradictions between quality and quantity in the QMS must be eliminated before they arise - if an analysis of the organization’s ability to fulfill the established requirements (clause 7.2.2 of ISO 9001:2008) is carried out. This means that in the quality management system only those requirements can be accepted and enshrined in technological documentation, the fulfillment of which doesn't interfere product release plan.

The contrast between "plan" and "quality" is a strange illusion. This cannot happen, except in cases of mass insanity. The plan (the number of products produced) is the basis for the economic success of the enterprise and its personnel if the product finds a consumer. He is also the gravedigger if the product turns out to be unnecessary for the consumer. Everyone understands that low-quality products are not just money wasted on its production. This also means additional disposal costs.

There are cases when a company persistently produces products that, as everyone understands, will never be sold. But this is an extremely rare exception. Much more often, products produced in violation of technological discipline are ultimately recognized as conforming, paid for by the consumer, and there is even evidence that the consumer remains satisfied with it. In this case, it is reasonable to suspend the control of technological discipline and conduct an analysis of the validity of the requirements for the implementation of production operations.

It is impossible to hide something from the staff, you can only pretend that you don’t see it. As soon as “carelessness”, “failure to perform” and others appear as reasons for violations of technological discipline or defective products psychological evaluation, the red signal should flash: the requirements are incorrectly defined or the operation is not provided with resources. This may be another non-compliance with ISO 9001:2008: senior management has failed to meet its obligations to communicate to staff the importance of meeting customer and legal and regulatory requirements. Simply put, no one explained to people why they need to do what is required and why it is important for the enterprise. It even happens that, on the contrary, they explained to the production staff that all this was not necessary, but they “forgot” to tell the quality control department.

The purpose of technological discipline control is to prevent actions that could negatively affect product compliance with established requirements. Compliance with the requirements must be supported by appropriate resources. The best option in this case is to establish resource requirements (including requirements for personnel competence) in the technological documentation. The scope and frequency of control should be determined based on an analysis of the characteristics of production processes and an analysis of the stability of product characteristics.

Data on the results of technological discipline control should be considered during the analysis of the organization's ability to meet product requirements.

Control of finished products or QMS and consumer.

The quality management system must define product acceptance criteria. It may seem that since there are acceptance criteria, there must be acceptance control. There is no such mandatory requirement in ISO 9001:2008. This is determined by the organization itself. What is needed in a quality management system is not so much acceptance control as guarantees to prevent the unintentional sending of non-conforming products to the consumer.

In other words, if there is no uncertainty in meeting the requirements for raw materials, if there is technology and it is followed, acceptance control can be predominantly documentary, that is, it consists of checking documented evidence of satisfactory completion of the previous stages of control.

When developing an overall production control program and determining which operations are necessary in it, it is useful to pay attention to the often observed imbalance between the “input” and “output” of the system. Often, enterprises experience complete trust in the supplier and the same complete distrust in themselves. They manifest themselves in the fact that purchases are checked purely based on the availability of accompanying documentation (and even this is partially accepted much later than receipt of the products, since the products are shipped by production, and “certificates” are issued in the office), and own products are carefully processed during the production process and before entering the warehouse controlled (sometimes it is even asserted without foundation that complete control is carried out). Formally, no requirements for the quality management system are violated, but such a bias towards product control indicates the imperfection of the system.

The above does not mean that in a developed quality management system it is possible to completely abandon product control. No, product control at all stages of production is mandatory. The question is for what purpose it is being carried out. At one pole in this case there are management systems in which product control is the last opportunity to weed out defects, at the other - systems in which it is important to obtain data on the characteristics and trends of products and develop preventive actions.

In any case, with regard to product control, as with other types of control, the main thing is to correctly define the requirements. The composition of product requirements is established in clause 7.2.1 of ISO 9001:2008. These are requirements set by the consumer; requirements not specified by the consumer, but necessary for the known or intended use of the product; legal and regulatory requirements; additional requirements of the organization itself.

As practice shows, the division of product requirements into groups given in the standard provokes enterprises to distribute responsibility for determining these requirements between different functional services, and declare production responsible for implementation. The result may be not just contradictory requirements, but an actual invitation to production to decide for itself which requirements of which services to fulfill and to what extent. In fact, paragraph 7.2.1 of the standard lists different (but equally necessary) aspects of the same product. Products that the company actually produces. Because of this alone, different groups of requirements should be organically combined, not opposed or contradict each other. Quite often, correctly defining product requirements means reducing their number (eliminating those that do not affect customer satisfaction), which also leads to purely economic benefits.

The first in the standard are the requirements established by the consumer. The importance of their definition is obvious, since this is real money. It is generally accepted that the consumer's requirements are fixed in the contract. But all experts know that consumers are very reluctant to talk about what they really need.

There are many reasons for this. Currently, a fairly large arsenal of methods has been developed that make it possible to identify the actual consumer requirements with a sufficient degree of accuracy. But this work is carried out, as a rule, by consulting organizations. Enterprises, as a rule, do not have their own specialized services capable of conducting such analysis. However, ISO 9001:2008 contains mechanisms to ensure that the enterprise is consistently closer to the consumer. It's just that their effect doesn't become apparent as quickly.

An analysis of contracts with consumers shows that product quality requirements are usually formulated in general and vague terms. One of the most common situations of insufficiently specific product requirements is their definition through reference to state standards or technical specifications. There has been a steady tendency to equate consumer requirements (both established and expected) with the requirements of GOSTs. It turns out that the three groups of requirements listed in the standard are reduced to one. This is illogical and has little to do with reality.

The requirements of the end consumer cannot sound like “must comply with GOST”. As a rule, he has not read GOSTs and will not read them. This is fortunate. Reading many GOSTs and, especially, Technical Specifications often gives rise not to the desire to purchase these products, but to the desire to be wary and find out more specifically what exactly is being offered.

As an everyday example: boiled sausage that meets the state standard (GOST R 52196-2003 Boiled sausage products) can be made from almost anything that, with more or less stretching, can be called “meat”. The manufacturer can use beef, pork, lamb, buffalo of any kind, as well as offal and pork skin for its production - as long as the result is the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates established by the standard. This is a joy for the consumer:

The requirements of external regulations must, of course, be determined and followed. But, only those applicable to the activities of the organization. The task formulated in the standard is precisely to determine which of the external requirements are required to be fulfilled (failure to comply may lead to sanctions from government agencies), which do not need to be fulfilled (since they do not ensure increased customer satisfaction), and which are necessary for the organization itself (because they are expressly stated by the consumer or are actually necessary to ensure customer satisfaction).

As mentioned above, the quality management system has a mechanism for consistently approaching the correct (corresponding to consumer needs) product requirements. This is monitoring and measuring products and processes, working with claims and wishes of consumers and monitoring their satisfaction, analyzing consumer satisfaction and characteristics and trends of products and processes.

In relation to product requirements, this means:

development of a classifier of reasons for consumer requests and complaints;

conducting an analysis of the causes of inconsistencies identified by enterprise employees during the production process and in the final product;

determination of quality indicators that correspond to the interests of consumers and production capabilities;

selection of control methods and instrumental and personnel support for their implementation;

and finally, determining the volume and frequency of monitoring of various quality indicators depending on the frequency of relevant requests and claims from consumers.

And, if the presence of subjective requirements is unacceptable in relation to any control operation, this is doubly unacceptable in relation to product requirements. Without clear and objective requirements for products, the management system is built “in a swamp.” It is pointless to even try to correctly determine the requirements for production processes and for the purchase of raw materials.

There is a fairly simple indicator of the correct implementation of the product control function. This is the structure and number of inconsistencies identified by the quality control department and the consumer. If customer requests and complaints contain information about non-compliance with requirements that are included in the quality control control plan, and if the number of non-conformities identified by the quality control department significantly exceeds the number of similar non-conformities identified by the consumer, the system is moving in the right direction. And if consumer complaints relate to requirements that are not taken into account in the control plan and are a “surprise” for the enterprise, then there is simply no QMS.

So, the main reasons for non-fulfillment of product requirements are the uncertainty of the requirements themselves and the lack of objective opportunities for production personnel to fulfill them. As a rule, these two reasons exist simultaneously. That is, the workers do not understand the requirements because they do not know what to do to make it work well.

From the above, we can conclude that an enterprise developing and implementing a quality management system must become more truthful and modest. This is true. Commitments to consumers must contain guarantees, not good intentions. Ideas about how to properly produce good products, of course, should not be forgotten. There are simply requirements, and there are goals for improvement. Requirements must be fulfilled; accordingly, they must be feasible. The Quality Control Department is on guard here. And this, to be honest, is a purely technical task.

What we would like to see, but is currently not possible (including based on actual data on non-conformities received by the quality control department) is goals to improve products and processes. Without improvement goals, just like without requirements, a quality management system cannot exist. The extent to which objectives are achieved should be assessed and, if achieved, requirements can be increased accordingly. But the quality control department has absolutely nothing to do with it (except for the quality goals of this unit itself).

Today, many enterprises have implemented quality management systems. Their compliance with the international standard is confirmed by respected certification bodies. Why are there still conflicts, in the center of which is the quality control department? The main reason is uncertainty and inconsistency of requirements or their inconsistency with the capabilities of the enterprise.

In a somewhat simplified form, the main thesis of the quality management system is formulated as follows:

"You can do whatever you want. You can't do what you can't do." What exactly is “not allowed”? You cannot proclaim one thing and strive for another. If this is not done, all problems turn into tasks (completely solvable). If the goal was not to develop and implement a QMS, if you needed to become like everyone else (just get a certificate), the scope of the quality management system will inevitably be limited to the dusty frame of the certificate, no matter whose wall it is on - the head of the quality control department, the quality director, or even the general director himself. .

Quality Control Controller

Main operation at work controller a - comparison of product parameters with the indicators specified in GOSTs, drawings, technological documentation. In this case, products are inspected “by eye” or checked using control and measuring instruments, instruments: micrometers, calipers, gauges, magnifiers, microscopes, electrical measuring instruments, etc. By means of labor controller and there are also lists of “standard images” of the required characteristics of quality products, stored in his memory. Controller receives a batch of finished products or semi-finished products, checks each of them, affixes a control stamp, draws up accompanying documentation, defective statements. But controller not only identifies defects, but also studies its causes and suggests measures for its prevention. The reasons may be different: poorly adjusted equipment, poor-quality materials, defects in workpieces, unskilled workers, negligence, and inattentiveness of workers. Controller You must be attentive and correct and, at the same time, demanding and principled in communicating with workers. Authoritative controller disciplines workers. Inexperience, carelessness controller and can cause conflicts and disorganize work on the site. Controller- a quality expert, he must be conscientious and understand the consequences of delivering low-quality products. Job controller but is associated with the performance of monotonous actions and may seem monotonous to people who prefer a quick change of impressions and actions, who are mobile. Job controller but it requires accuracy and thoroughness, so thorough, unhurried people work more successfully here.

Skilled controller knows production technology well, the work process itself, understands drawings, knows how to use control and measuring instruments, has a developed memory, normal vision (not lower than O.5, without pronounced anomalies), stable visual performance, noise immunity, composure, and attentiveness. The physical activity of the controller is insignificant. Controller We work in specially equipped workplaces in good lighting. Salary depends on qualifications, time-based and bonus.

Speciality controller and the quality control department has much in common with the work of a tester of finished products or semi-finished products, a commodity expert.

Profession controller and OTC can be purchased at the enterprise through individual-team training or at a vocational school. A vocational school graduate receives 2-3 rank. In the future, you can continue your education at a technical school or university corresponding to the production profile, become an inspection foreman, the head of a workshop inspection service, or the head of an enterprise’s technical inspection department.

Regardless of the product being manufactured, there must be an employee at the production site who constantly monitors the technical process and its compliance with GOST. This profession is called quality control inspector. He monitors all stages of production, from the supply of raw materials to the storage of finished products. A controller can be any employee who is responsible for supervision and quality control.

Responsibilities of the controller

The main task of the controller is to prevent manufacturing defects, so he is obliged to regularly monitor:

• the quality of raw materials and production recipes;
• check the quality of production equipment;
• monitor the quality of employee work;
• promptly stop the process during the release of defective products;
• eliminate the causes of its occurrence;
• monitor the correct operation of the equipment;
• compliance of production with technical documentation and state standards.

The quality control inspector is personally responsible for low-quality products and for their return to the factory. That is why highly qualified people who have received appropriate education are hired for this position. Experience, personal qualities and good knowledge of the entire process of manufacturing goods allows us to simultaneously monitor several processes and minimize the presence of defects.

What should a controller know?

The job of a quality control inspector is very responsible. In addition to monitoring all processes at the factory, he must know all the technical documentation so that the products fully comply with them. Knowing what reasons can lead to defects, an employee of the technical control department is engaged in prevention and elimination of them. After the product has been released, he checks it for suitability. If there is a defective product, the appropriate form is filled out, which states the reasons for its occurrence, those responsible for this, and the write-off of the goods is issued. Here are some other responsibilities of a quality control inspector that he should know:

• standards for raw materials, finished products;
• types and sizes of semi-finished products and finished products;
• technological process;
• ability to use measuring instruments;
• safety regulations, sanitary standards;
• organization of work in the workplace;
• types of defects and methods for eliminating them.

All this allows the employee to visually see during the production process how well the product meets the standards.

Personal characteristics

The physical load when working as a quality control inspector is insignificant, but other important personal qualities are required. He must have good memory and vision, be collected and attentive. Professional quality:

Important factors when hiring

To obtain the position of Quality Control Controller, you need:

• presence of higher specialized education;
• experience in the field of production control;
• excellent knowledge of modern technologies;
• ability to use a computer and electronic documents and programs;
• drawing up production plans and documents;
• endurance and ability to perform several tasks simultaneously, monitor several processes;
• Responsible attitude towards performing basic job duties.

Job responsibilities will depend on what area of ​​activity the employee specializes in.

Relationships with other departments

The quality controller actively cooperates with all departments and workshops of the factory. Identification of the causes of defects is carried out together with the heads of workshops. When raw materials arrive, the supply department informs the quality control department about this, providing documents from the supplier for control. All products in the warehouse, their import and export are controlled by the quality department and are documented with the relevant acts. Work orders are also signed by a specialist, on the basis of which wages are calculated in the accounting department. Everything that the quality control inspector does is interconnected with the work of all production departments.

Advantages of the profession

The main advantage is the demand for specialists in the labor market. Controllers are needed everywhere, and areas of activity are constantly expanding, new specializations are emerging. The work does not require physical training, so people of any age can master it.

Education

You can learn to become a controller at a vocational school or other educational institution that corresponds to the field of activity in which the employee will work. Having completed training at a vocational school, a graduate receives a 2-3 grade and the opportunity to continue his education or get a job. Some factories organize individual training courses with the opportunity to undergo an internship at their plant.