NationalStandardofCanadaCAN/CSA-ISO9004-00(ISO9004:2000)InternationalStandardISO9004:2000(secondedition,2000-12-15)hasbeenadoptedwithoutmodificationasCSAStandardCAN/CSA-ISO9004-00,whichhasbeenapprovedasaNationalStandardofCanadabytheStandardsCouncilofCanada.ISBN1-55324-407-9December2000 TheCanadianStandardsAssociation,whichoperatesunderthenameCSAInternational(CSA),underwhoseauspicesthisNationalStandardhasbeenproduced,wascharteredin1919andaccreditedbytheStandardsCouncilofCanadatotheNationalStandardssystemin1973.Itisanot-for-profit,nonstatutory,voluntarymembershipassociationengagedinstandardsdevelopmentandcertificationactivities.CSAstandardsreflectanationalconsensusofproducersandusers—includingmanufacturers,consumers,retailers,unionsandprofessionalorganizations,andgovernmentalagencies.Thestandardsareusedwidelybyindustryandcommerceandoftenadoptedbymunicipal,provincial,andfederalgovernmentsintheirregulations,particularlyinthefieldsofhealth,safety,buildingandconstruction,andtheenvironment.Individuals,companies,andassociationsacrossCanadaindicatetheirsupportforCSA’sstandardsdevelopmentbyvolunteeringtheirtimeandskillstoCSACommitteeworkandsupportingtheAssociation’sobjectivesthroughsustainingmemberships.Themorethan7000committeevolunteersandthe2000sustainingmembershipstogetherformCSA’stotalmembershipfromwhichitsDirectorsarechosen.SustainingmembershipsrepresentamajorsourceofincomeforCSA’sstandardsdevelopmentactivities.TheAssociationofferscertificationandtestingservicesinsupportofandasanextensiontoitsstandardsdevelopmentactivities.Toensuretheintegrityofitscertificationprocess,theAssociationregularlyandcontinuallyauditsandinspectsproductsthatbeartheCSAMark.InadditiontoitsheadofficeandlaboratorycomplexinToronto,CSAhasregionalbranchofficesinmajorcentresacrossCanadaandinspectionandtestingagenciesineightcountries.Since1919,theAssociationhasdevelopedthenecessaryexpertisetomeetitscorporatemission:CSAisanindependentserviceorganizationwhosemissionistoprovideanopenandeffectiveforumforactivitiesfacilitatingtheexchangeofgoodsandservicesthroughtheuseofstandards,certificationandrelatedservicestomeetnationalandinternationalneeds.ForfurtherinformationonCSAservices,writetoCSAInternational178RexdaleBoulevardToronto,Ontario,M9W1R3CanadaTheStandardsCouncilofCanadaisthecoordinatingbodyoftheNationalStandardssystem,afederationofindependent,autonomousorganizationsworkingtowardsthefurtherdevelopmentandimprovementofvoluntarystandardizationinthenationalinterest.TheprincipalobjectsoftheCouncilaretofosterandpromotevoluntarystandardizationasameansofadvancingthenationaleconomy,benefitingthehealth,safety,andwelfareofthepublic,assistingandprotectingtheconsumer,facilitatingdomesticandinternationaltrade,andfurtheringinternationalcooperationinthefieldofstandards.ANationalStandardofCanadaisastandardwhichhasbeenapprovedbytheStandardsCouncilofCanadaandonewhichreflectsareasonableagreementamongtheviewsofanumberofcapableindividualswhosecollectiveinterestsprovidetothegreatestpracticableextentabalanceofrepresentationofproducers,users,consumers,andotherswithrelevantinterests,asmaybeappropriatetothesubjectinhand.Itnormallyisastandardwhichiscapableofmakingasignificantandtimelycontributiontothenationalinterest.ApprovalofastandardasaNationalStandardofCanadaindicatesthatastandardconformstothecriteriaandproceduresestablishedbytheStandardsCouncilofCanada.Approvaldoesnotrefertothetechnicalcontentofthestandard;thisremainsthecontinuingresponsibilityoftheaccreditedstandards-developmentorganization.ThosewhohaveaneedtoapplystandardsareencouragedtouseNationalStandardsofCanadawheneverpracticable.Thesestandardsaresubjecttoperiodicreview;therefore,usersarecautionedtoobtainthelatesteditionfromtheorganizationpreparingthestandard.TheresponsibilityforapprovingNationalStandardsofCanadarestswiththeStandardsCouncilofCanada270AlbertStreet,Suite200Ottawa,Ontario,K1P6N7CanadaLesnormesnationalesduCanadasontpubliéesenversionsfrançaiseetanglaise.AlthoughtheintendedprimaryapplicationofthisStandardisstatedinitsScope,itisimportanttonotethatitremainstheresponsibilityoftheuserstojudgeitssuitabilityfortheirparticularpurpose.Qualitymanagementsystems—CAN/CSA-ISO9004-00GuidelinesforperformanceimprovementsDecember2000CSA/1CAN/CSA-ISO9004-00Qualitymanagementsystems—GuidelinesforperformanceimprovementsCSAPrefaceThisisthefirsteditionofCSAStandardCAN/CSA-ISO9004,Qualitymanagementsystems—Guidelinesforperformanceimprovements,whichisanadoptionwithoutmodificationoftheidenticallytitledISO(InternationalOrganizationforStandardization)Standard9004:2000(secondedition,2000-12-15).ThisCSAStandardsupersedesCSAStandardCAN/CSA-ISO9004-1-94(adoptedISO9004-1:1994),Qualitymanagementandqualitysystemelements,Part1:Guidelines.TheISO9000andISO10000familyofStandardswasdevelopedbyqualityexpertsfromaroundtheworld,undertheauspicesoftheInternationalOrganizationforStandardization(ISO)TechnicalCommittee176.Canadaplaysamajorroleinthisarea.ThetechnicalcommitteeischairedbyaCanadian.TheSecretariatofISO