IATF 16949 Internal Audit Checklist PDF

IATF 16949 audit process mandates accountability and proof of competency through internal audits that provide the basis for corrective actions.

The IAF Internal Audit Checklist pdf helps businesses ensure their quality management systems are functioning effectively and in compliance with ISO standards, while offering opportunities for process enhancement where applicable.

Management Review
The first step in IATF 16949 compliance starts with reviewing all available documentation, including quality manuals, procedures and records. Employee training to improve product quality may also be provided as this step can prevent nonconformances from arising.

Step two in the audit process involves reviewing an internal quality management system. This requires reviewing audit requirements, selecting qualified auditors and performing an assessment. Furthermore, it’s crucial that any nonconformances are documented through documented results of audits as well as any actions taken to remedy non-compliances.

The Process Audit Checklist Table includes similar questions as the Supplier Audit Checklist, with compliant, opportunities for improvement and minor non-conformance as scoring options. Process Definitions contains questions related to identifying managers for processes as well as evidence of their involvement; Process Resources examines how many people participate in each process as well as any measurements used to measure efficiency or satisfaction of processes.

Audit Planning
Once management and employees of your company become aware that an internal audit will take place, planning can begin immediately. This includes defining its scope; for instance, this might involve verifying processes covered, identifying interested parties and analyzing how ISO 9001:2015 standard implementation occurs.

Establish an audit team. A good audit team should include both managers and employees from various areas of your company; having such diversity ensures better quality results.

The process audit checklist template features a table with questions related to the PDCA cycle and evidence of process inputs, as well as evidence of opportunities for improvement (OFI) where suggestions to enhance the process are listed. This helps the auditor identify any issues that require attention; using data collected during audits as the foundation for developing an improvement plan for continued growth.

Auditing
Before applying for certification, conducting an internal audit of your QMS processes is an essential first step. Not only does it ensure all the documents and records are current and accurate; but it gives managers an opportunity to identify areas for improvement and potential pathways forward.

Audits involve reviewing documentation, interviewing employees and observing processes. Their goal is to assess if all requirements of IATF 16949 are being fulfilled; if not, corrective action plans must be developed as soon as possible to remedy noncompliance issues.

Once the review is completed, the company must submit an audit report to IATF for review and approval. Once approved, they will decide if your company should become certified to IATF 16949 standards by reviewing audit findings and corrective actions before reaching a decision. Generally, this process takes around six months; however, if necessary IATF can extend it. During an audit your company must be ready to answer questions or provide additional information when needed during their visit.

Audit Results
Audits involve interviewing personnel and observing production processes to assess conformance with ISO 9001 standards. Auditors also review documents related to a company’s quality management system such as records and manuals before reviewing how its quality assurance program manages employee training and qualifications verification methods.

As soon as the audit is over, a company should identify areas of non-conformance and create corrective actions to address them. After which, the audit will be officially closed by its results being reviewed by a certification body who may decide if certification of their business should take place or not.

An IATF 16949 internal audit checklist will assist your organization in upholding accountability and validating that its quality management system is effective, meeting customer demands while at the same time reducing waste and improving product quality by identifying issues and making necessary improvements.