NCM (Nonconforming Material) Situation.. Then What?

[jfbock]

Wonder if some of you could help me brainstorm something by getting ideas of what has worked for you.

Ok, so I discover an NCM event. I can fill out forms and distribute but what, as a matter of policy, has your company done to improve or alleviate the situation? We have in internal corrective action process but I think many of you would agree that pulling out the CAR forms too often can lead to as much apathy as not doing anything at all.

Do you issue a CAR EVERY TIME there is an event? Or do you have a corrective action light, so to speak, that involves preventing future events?

 

[Howard Atkins]

Wonder if some of you could help me brainstorm something by getting ideas of what has worked for you.

Ok, so I discover an NCM event. I can fill out forms and distribute but what, as a matter of policy, has your company done to improve or alleviate the situation? We have in internal corrective action process but I think many of you would agree that pulling out the CAR forms too often can lead to as much apathy as not doing anything at all.

Do you issue a CAR EVERY TIME there is an event? Or do you have a corrective action light, so to speak, that involves preventing future events?

I would suggest making criteria for opening a CAR based on cost, effect or any other criteria.
The standards says

A documented procedure shall be established to define
the controls and related responsibilities and authorities for dealing with nonconforming product.
Where applicable, the organization shall deal with nonconforming product by one or more of the following
ways:
a) by taking action to eliminate the detected nonconformity;

You are not obligated to act in a specific manner and your procedure can define your controls and responsibilities which include whether to act according to 8.5.2 Corrective action .

Which also says

Corrective actions shall be appropriate to the effects of the nonconformities encountered.
A documented procedure shall be established to define requirements for

c) evaluating the need for action to ensure that nonconformities do not recur,

On your reporting form add a field-Do we need to open a CAR?
Some companies will make a Pareto of non conforming material and act each month on a specific problem.

Build your system to act logically and with cost benifit