AS9100 Clause 5.3 – Organizational Roles, Responsibilities, and Authorities

AS9100 5.3 Organizational Roles, Responsibilities, and Authorities requires that an organization establish, document, and communicate the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of all personnel who have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the quality management system (QMS). This includes top management, management representatives, and all other personnel who perform work affecting the quality of products or services.

The organization should ensure that all personnel are aware of their roles, responsibilities, and authorities, and that they have the necessary resources to perform their duties effectively. The organization should also have a process in place to review and update roles, responsibilities, and authorities as needed.

The following are some of the key roles and responsibilities that should be defined under AS9100 5.3:

• Top management is responsible for the overall effectiveness of the QMS. This includes ensuring that the QMS is aligned with the organization’s overall objectives, that it is effectively implemented and maintained, and that it is continually improved.
• Management representatives are appointed by top management to assist in the implementation and maintenance of the QMS. They typically have responsibility for ensuring that the QMS is aligned with the organization’s overall objectives, that it is effectively implemented and maintained, and that it is continually improved.
• Other personnel who have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the QMS should have their roles, responsibilities, and authorities defined in accordance with the organization’s needs. This may include personnel who perform work such as design, production, testing, inspection, and customer service.

By defining and documenting roles, responsibilities, and authorities, an organization can help to ensure that the QMS is effective and that all personnel are aware of their roles in achieving the organization’s quality objectives.

Here are some additional tips for implementing AS9100 5.3:

• Involve all stakeholders. When defining roles, responsibilities, and authorities, it is important to involve all stakeholders, including top management, management representatives, and all other personnel who have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the QMS. This will help to ensure that everyone has a voice in the process and that the roles and responsibilities are aligned with the organization’s needs.
• Use clear and concise language. The roles, responsibilities, and authorities should be defined in clear and concise language that is easy to understand by all personnel. This will help to ensure that everyone knows what is expected of them and that they can perform their duties effectively.
• Keep it up-to-date. The roles, responsibilities, and authorities should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis to ensure that they are still accurate and reflect the current state of the organization. This will help to ensure that the QMS remains effective and that it continues to meet the organization’s needs.