Auditing is a management tool used to verify that systems and processes are compliant/conformant, effective, and continually improved. The process audit determines if process requirements (methods, procedures) are being met, while a system audit determines if system requirements (manual, policy, standards, regulations) are being met. This best-selling Handbook provides comprehensive coverage for nearly every aspect of the audit function. Though a valuable resource for studying for the CQA examination, it is also meant to be the single source for quality, environmental, safety and health auditors, audit managers, audit teams, and other professionals in the field. The Handbook is designed to provide practical guidance for system and process auditors. Practitioners in the field have provided content, example audit situations, stories, and review comments as the handbook evolved. New to this Third Edition are topics such as auditor competency, business applications, and improvement tools. Additionally, existing topics have been expanded to encompass process methods, process based management systems, and ISO 19011 guidance. The Handbook has been refocused to promote the common elements of all types of system and process audits (quality, environmental, safety, and health), and covers the latest auditing terminology and communication technology. The appendices include example forms and an example guide for when technical specialists (subject matter experts) are needed on the audit team.Content:Front Matter List of Figures and Tables Notes to the Reader Overview Table of ContentsPart I. Auditing Fundamentals1. Basic Terms and Concepts/Part IA2. Purpose of Audits/Part IB3. Types of Audits/Part IC4. Audit Criteria/Part ID5. Roles and Responsibilities of Audit Participants/Part IE6. Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues/Part IFPart II. Audit Process7. Audit Preparation and Planning/Part IIA8. Audit Performance/Part IIB9. Audit Reporting/Part IIC10. Audit Follow-up and Closure/Part IIDPart III. Auditor Competencies11. Auditor Characteristics/Part IIIA12. Resource Management/Part IIIB13. Team Membership, Leadership, and Facilitation/Part IIIF14. Conflict Resolution/Part IIIC15. Communication Techniques/Part IIID16. Interviewing Techniques/Part IIIE 17. Presentation Techniques/Part IIIG18. Process Verification and Validation/Part IIIHPart IV. Audit Program and Business Applications19. Audit Program Management/Part IVA20. Business Applications/Part IVBPart V. Quality Tools and Techniques21. Fundamental Quality Control Tools/Part VA22. Quality Improvement Tools/Part VB23. Descriptive Statistics/Part VC24. Sampling Methods/Part VD25. Process Capability/Part VE26. Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis/Part VF27. Cost of Quality/Part VGAppendices References GlossaryIndex