Corrective Actions needed for Registration Audit Nonconformances

[Joconnell]

Forgive my newness to the quality scene, I cannot thank everyone enough for all of the information I have gotten from the cove! I am embarrassed to ask this, I am pretty sure I know what the answer is going to be ...

Do you need to initiate Corrective action for NC's given during initial certification audits? Our resigtrar reduced it after we provided him the information he requested to a deviation.

Secondly, I know there is a certain amount of time allowed after the registrar issues the NC to close the audit. I have been trying to get in touch with our auditor for months to close it completely and have gotten no response. What are the next steps I should take?

Thank-you in advance!!!

[Jim Wynne]

In Reply to Parent Post by Joconnell

Forgive my newness to the quality scene, I cannot thank everyone enough for all of the information I have gotten from the cove! I am embarrassed to ask this, I am pretty sure I know what the answer is going to be ...

No need for forgiveness--everyone has to start somewhere.

In Reply to Parent Post by Joconnell

Do you need to initiate Corrective action for NC's given during initial certification audits? Our resigtrar reduced it after we provided him the information he requested to a deviation.

I don't know what you mean by "reduced it." Normally the rules for dealing with audit findings are set out in the contract, and an efficacious CA plan is required.

In Reply to Parent Post by Joconnell

Secondly, I know there is a certain amount of time allowed after the registrar issues the NC to close the audit. I have been trying to get in touch with our auditor for months to close it completely and have gotten no response. What are the next steps I should take?

Tell the registrar that you won't honor the invoice if they won't honor their own rules. That'll get their attention in a hurry.

[Joconnell]

The registrar issued a Major NC for it, then when we did our proposed corrective action he reduced it to a minor NC and recommended us for certification, under the conditions we had to provide him the objective evidence without a follow-up audit, and we only had 90 days to do it. Here we are and it is going on 120 days! We recieved our certification and everything, no problem. But what should I do with the paperwork? Give it to him at the surveillance audit?

[Jim Wynne]

In Reply to Parent Post by Joconnell

The registrar issued a Major NC for it, then when we did our proposed corrective action he reduced it to a minor NC and recommended us for certification, under the conditions we had to provide him the objective evidence without a follow-up audit, and we only had 90 days to do it. Here we are and it is going on 120 days! We recieved our certification and everything, no problem. But what should I do with the paperwork? Give it to him at the surveillance audit?

I guess you could say that issuance of the certificate is at least tacit evidence of having cleared up the NC to the registrar's satisfaction. I've never heard of a major being reduced to a minor after a CA plan was submitted, though. Sounds like plea bargaining. I would also be concerned about your registrar's failure to respond to your cries for help. You need to discuss this with them, and make them understand that they're your supplier, and you will shop around if they don't perform as expected.

[Joconnell]

That is what is making me nervous. I was not involved with the company during selection of a certification body, so have very little knowledge about what their selection criteria is. The other strage thing is I only have an email address for the auditor, not direct contact information on anything he has sent us...

[Sidney Vianna]

Looks like you are trying to contact the auditor only. Have you tried to contact the registrar's office? Unless this CB is a one-man band, they should have other people and managers you could communicate with.

[Jim Wynne]

In Reply to Parent Post by Joconnell

That is what is making me nervous. I was not involved with the company during selection of a certification body, so have very little knowledge about what their selection criteria is. The other strage thing is I only have an email address for the auditor, not direct contact information on anything he has sent us...

I'm sure you can find a listed phone number for the registrar's office. Don't worry about contacting the auditor directly at this point. If you've made repeated attempts to contact him and haven't gotten a response, it's time to go over his head.

[Ted Schmitt]

In Reply to Parent Post by Joconnell

That is what is making me nervous. I was not involved with the company during selection of a certification body, so have very little knowledge about what their selection criteria is. The other strage thing is I only have an email address for the auditor, not direct contact information on anything he has sent us...

Go to the registrar´s home page and find the office number and give them a call... I like the "terrorism" of not paying.... it worked for me once...