What needs to be done if a manufacturer wants to comply with revised harmonized standards?

When a manufacturer seeks to comply with revised harmonized standards, performing a gap analysis and developing an action plan is essential. A gap analysis involves examining the existing processes, products, and compliance measures against the updated standards to identify any discrepancies or areas needing improvement. This step ensures that the manufacturer clearly understands what changes are necessary to meet the new requirements.

Following the gap analysis, the development of an action plan allows the manufacturer to outline specific steps, timelines, and resources needed to achieve compliance. This structured approach helps prioritize actions, allocate responsibilities, and track progress effectively, ensuring the manufacturer aligns with the revised standards in a systematic manner.

While notifying stakeholders of new standards or conducting training sessions are important aspects of communication and implementation, they are part of the broader compliance process that comes after the manufacturer has assessed how their current practices measure against the revised standards. Developing new standards in-house is not necessary because harmonized standards are already established and meant to provide a framework for compliance across the industry.