What Does ISO 9001 Clause 7.1.5.1 Monitoring and measuring Resources Mean?
Updated: Nov 16
ISO 9001 Clause 7.1.5.1, titled "General," a sub clause to 7.1.5 Monitoring and measuring resources header, outlines the requirements for determining and providing resources necessary to ensure valid and reliable results when monitoring or measuring is used to verify the conformity of products and services to established requirements.
Detailed Explanation of Clause 7.1.5.1
Resource Determination: The organization is responsible for identifying and allocating the resources required for effective monitoring and measurement activities. This involves the people, equipment, tools, and any other resources necessary to conduct these activities.
Suitability: The resources provided must be suitable for the specific type of monitoring and measurement activities being conducted. This means that the tools and equipment used should be appropriate for the specific tasks and should be capable of producing accurate and reliable results.
Resource Maintenance: To maintain the reliability of monitoring and measurement resources, the organization should ensure that these resources are regularly maintained. This includes calibration, servicing, and other maintenance activities that are necessary to keep the resources fit for their intended purpose.
Documented Information: The organization is required to retain appropriate documented information as evidence of the fitness for purpose of monitoring and measurement resources. The calibration documentation serves as proof that the resources have been maintained and are capable of producing accurate results.
For example, in a manufacturing environment, if the organization uses measuring instruments like calipers to ensure the precise dimensions of manufactured parts, these instruments must be periodically calibrated to ensure their accuracy. This calibration process ensures that the measuring instruments are suitable for the specific monitoring and measurement activities (measuring part dimensions) and that they continue to be fit for their intended purpose whenever they are used for measuring.
ISO 9001 Clause 7.1.5.1 General
Compliance with this clause is essential to guarantee the reliability of data collected through monitoring and measurement processes, which, in turn, ensures that products and services conform to the specified requirements and quality standards.