Difference between 7.1.6 and 7.2

Difference between 7.1.6 and 7.2

One of the readers asked difference between 7.1.6 and 7.2.

Clause 7.1.6 of ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard deals with the requirements related to the knowledge specific to the organization, which is a support resource for an organization. Clause 7.2 of ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard deals with the requirements related to the comptence of persons. Competence is the ability to apply knowledge and skills to achieve desired results. Competent person is also a resource for an organization.

Clause 7.1.6 requires determining organizational knowledge (necessary for the operation of its processes), maintaining it and making it available. When addressing changes, it requires considering current knowledge and determining the ways to acquire/access necessary knowledge/updates.

Clause 7.2 requires determining necessary competence of persons, ensuring competent persons doing the job, taking necessary actions to acquire necessary competence, evaluating the effectiveness of the actions taken and retaining documented information.

Clause 7.2 appears compliment to clause 7.1.6.

With best wishes,

KRS