In short: an auditor wants to see that the person doing the task was competent, and that you kept a record. The weak point is usually scattered records. Keep one learning record per person and task, with sign-offs and dates, and the evidence is ready when a customer or auditor asks.
What does ISO 9001 require for competence?
Clause 7.2 of ISO 9001:2015 is about competence. In summary, you decide what competence people need for work that affects quality, make sure they have it through education, training or experience, take action where there are gaps and check that it worked, and keep documented information as evidence. Read the standard for the exact wording. This page is general guidance, not certification advice.
What do auditors typically ask to see?
- What competence each role or task needs.
- Records showing each person was trained or assessed for the task they do.
- Evidence the training worked, such as an observation or a sign-off.
- Who signed it off, and when.
Where do competence records usually fall down?
- Scattered records. Paper in one place, a spreadsheet in another, a certificate in an email.
- No link between person, task and date. You can show a course was completed, not that this operator could do this step on that day.
- No evidence it worked. Completion is not competence.
- Single points of failure. Only one person is signed off for a critical task. Build a simple matrix of tasks against people to see the gaps: key-person risk shows how.
How can you make the evidence easier to produce?
Record each step, check and sign-off as the work is done, with photo evidence on digital checklists, and keep it in one learning record per person with a skills gap view. Skills Velocity does this alongside hands-free work instructions. It supports the evidence customers and auditors ask for: it does not replace your quality management system. If you supply into aerospace and defence, your customer’s requirements can go further than ISO 9001, so check them. For where your data lives, see sovereign AI for manufacturing.
Frequently asked questions
What does ISO 9001 clause 7.2 require?
In summary, clause 7.2 asks you to decide what competence people need for work that affects quality, make sure they are competent through education, training or experience, act to close gaps and check the actions worked, and keep documented information as evidence. Read the standard itself for the exact wording.
What evidence of competence do auditors ask for?
Auditors commonly ask what competence each role needs, records showing each person was trained or assessed for the task, evidence the training worked, and who signed it off and when. Exact requirements depend on your standard and your customer.
How can you prove an operator was competent on a given date?
Keep a record per person and per task that shows the training or assessment, the sign-off and the date. Step sign-offs with photo evidence, held in one learning record, make that quick to produce.