Preventive Action and ISO 9001: 2015 Standards
In new standards of ISO 9001: 2015 a significant change has been made where term Preventive Action has been dropped not only from the standard but from high level structure as well, means none of the new management system’s standards will have term Preventive Action in the standards. Earlier three terms: Correction-Corrective action and preventive action were used.
Preventive Action as a term has been dropped due to understanding that when a Quality Management System is implemented, the whole QMS works to prevent problem/s. Whole intent of implementing standards I to have preventive action in place. Therefore it was considered that there is no need to have specific preventive action requirement in the standards. This has been replaced with new term / approach Risk Based Thinking.
Because of two factors, introduction of risk based thinking, understanding QMS implemented is itself a preventive action; preventive action has been dropped from 2015.
The new standards emphasises on risk based thinking. This is a new concept which has been introduced in the standards with the objective to establish, implement, maintain, continual improvement in quality management system. It does not want to have a specific risk management system, Intent is anything we do, should keep risk based thinking in our mind. All problems and non-conformities NCS are not equal or have same significance. The purpose is based on associated risk, action should be appropriate. This is being promoted in the new standards of ISO 9001:2015.
Comment: Keeping in mind the historical development and changes in the ISO 9001 standards, it is quite evident that with the new standards, challenges is even bigger now for management asking for more commitment. Earlier preventive action was being considered in case of a non-conformity and according to my experience in majority of the cases, corrective action was being taken whereas in of preventive action, still a lot of room was existing. This is my personal experience. Readers do not need to agree with it necessarily.
All the best for the organisation certified against ISO 9001:2008 standards as they have to go for new standards now or in the near future.