8.5.4 Preservation

Hello all, I am new to this forum and I have learnt a lot here.

I want clarification on Clause 8.5.4 (ISO 9001:2015). The standard states that “organization shall preserve the outputs during production and service provision, to the extent necessary to ensure conformity to requirements. Preservation can include identification, handling, contamination control, packaging, storage, transmission or transportation, and protection”.

Does this clause apply to the preservation of the raw materials (inputs) as well or just the preservation of the organisation’s outputs only.

Thanks

 

Ap

Applies to everything, starting when you receive raw material , and how you store it, and throughout all the steps needed to finish and deliver your product.

 

I agree with Qualmx, specifically the output of your Warehouse or Storage Area are preserved and damage free raw materials prior to use in the Production.

 

Clause 8.5.4 specifies "The organization shall preserve the outputs during production and service provision..." Let's describe the word output. As per 3.7.5 of ISO 9000:2015, output is defined as "result of a process". So if there are various processes during production or service provision, each process must have output/s. For example:

• Purchasing process output could be "purchased materials that are within the specifications";
• Incoming inspection process output could be "quality assured inspected materials";
• Warehousing process output could be "damage free materials" (as posted by Erickson);
• Preliminary and mid-production processes outputs could be "WIP (work-in-process) parts within specs"; and so on.

8.5.4 is applicable to the above outputs including the final product or service where both are defined as the "output of an organization..."