Relative Humidity + ISO 9001:2000 Audit of Maintenance Department

A

armaan

During the external audit one of the auditor was doing audit of maintenance department. As a ISO Coordinator i was with him and guiding him. We went to our maintenance department. One of the fellow who was actually maintaing building was present there and auditor asked some question. He simply said he has no idea about all equipment maintenance as he is just maintaining building.

LAter on auditor asked him about building maintenance and he explained what he does. Then auditor asked why he is maintain Relative humidity at one place 50 and one place 75?

So i surprised and asked auditor why he is asking all this type of technical questions?

My question is, auditor can ask such type of fundamental engineering questions or not?
Thanks
 

AndyN

Moved On
Re: Relative Humidity + ISO 9001:2000

He can certainly ask, but it seems like he's 'fishing' for an audit finding and will write it, based on you not having an answer. I'm guessing that if you don't have an answer for him, he'll make an issue because in his mind, that's how OFI's are found.I've seen this type of audit approach many times - it's simply because he doesn't know your business, thinks there's an anomaly with humidity and thinks you should have an answer - which you might not have, at that time.

Does the building humidity have any bearing on the product you're producing? It might not, but he might think it does.......

I hate it when auditors do a lot of 'thinking' about this kind of thing, instead of asking you - "does it affect product/process?"

It seems to me that they feel they should know the answer, don't want to admit it and if you can't respond, they can write a finding because of the lack of awareness....
 
A

armaan

Re: Relative Humidity + ISO 9001:2000

He can certainly ask, but it seems like he's 'fishing' for an audit finding and will write it, based on you not having an answer. I'm guessing that if you don't have an answer for him, he'll make an issue because in his mind, that's how OFI's are found.I've seen this type of audit approach many times - it's simply because he doesn't know your business, thinks there's an anomaly with humidity and thinks you should have an answer - which you might not have, at that time.

Does the building humidity have any bearing on the product you're producing? It might not, but he might think it does.......

I hate it when auditors do a lot of 'thinking' about this kind of thing, instead of asking you - "does it affect product/process?"

It seems to me that they feel they should know the answer, don't want to admit it and if you can't respond, they can write a finding because of the lack of awareness....

You might be right, but then also he has ask to right person then. Because the associate already confirmed that he was doing what his supervisor asked him to do. He doesnt have any idea about equipement maintenance.
 

BradM

Leader
Admin
The only thing I can think of is if there are any calibrations performed in the room, or if any temperature/RH sensitive materials are stored there.

Otherwise, it seems like an unusual statement.
 
A

armaan

The only thing I can think of is if there are any calibrations performed in the room, or if any temperature/RH sensitive materials are stored there.

Otherwise, it seems like an unusual statement.

No, We were in maintenance store room and on one of the computer he was sitting over there.

That's why I opposed for that particular question and in reply he said to me that i can relate this question with any process.
 
J

Jeff Frost

Sounds like the auditor was checking Clause 6.3a, infrastructure inclusive of the building, workspace and unities plus 6.4 the Work environment through the question. If the infrastructure or environment affects product quality it must be controlled.
 

BradM

Leader
Admin
Sounds like the auditor was checking Clause 6.3a, infrastructure inclusive of the building, workspace and unities plus 6.4 the Work environment through the question. If the infrastructure or environment affects product quality it must be controlled.

Jeff, you may be right. But the auditor should have alerted the auditee of this, and the auditee should have been told in advance. They may be already addressing that portion, but didn't know that's what the questions were about.
 

harry

Trusted Information Resource
Re: Relative Humidity + ISO 9001:2000

I understand that the OP is in the printing business where relative humidity is important for storage of paper.

On the contrary, I believe that the auditor is very experience and he is of the opinion that you are not storing your primary material - paper in good condition. Something that have an effect on the outcome or quality of your printing job.
 

AndyN

Moved On
Re: Relative Humidity + ISO 9001:2000

I understand that the OP is in the printing business where relative humidity is important for storage of paper.

How'd you find that out from this thread?

You're giving the auditor too much benefit here. If they are in the paper/printing industry then the auditor should have addressed it earlier and not waited until now.......
 

harry

Trusted Information Resource
How'd you find that out from this thread?

You're giving the auditor too much benefit here. If they are in the paper/printing industry then the auditor should have addressed it earlier and not waited until now.......

The OP had raised questions before and mentioned he is in the printing industry. One thing I learned from some senior covers here is to have a look at the OP's profile before trying to answer queries.

During the external audit one of the auditor was doing audit of maintenance department. As a ISO Coordinator i was with him and guiding him. We went to our maintenance department. One of the fellow who was actually maintaing building was present there and auditor asked some question. He simply said he has no idea about all equipment maintenance as he is just maintaining building.

LAter on auditor asked him about building maintenance and he explained what he does. Then auditor asked why he is maintain Relative humidity at one place 50 and one place 75?

So i surprised and asked auditor why he is asking all this type of technical questions?

My question is, auditor can ask such type of fundamental engineering questions or not?
Thanks

If the auditor is auditing section 6 on infrastructure, doesn't he have the right to ask a question on humidity that is relevant to that industry? Does the auditor have the right to test whether the buiding maintenance guy knows why different humidity is maintained at different places?

So, I think there is nothing wrong with the auditor and he's doing a good job.
 
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