Availability of Work Instructions for Standards Room Personnel

[Andrews]

Availability of work instructions

The standards room personnel , performing calibration, does not have the work instruction for calibration in his room.But he is aware of the existence of such a work instruction and that it is available with the Manager , who is in the next block.He even goes to the extent of taking the auditor to the Manager and is able to locate the instruction.

Is this a non-conformance because the Manager reasons that the existing standards room personnel has 25 years of experience in this field and therefore does not need an instruction.When asked why he prepared the instruction in the first place he explains that this was done so that any new person who joins can quickly understand.

 

[Angela-2007]

Completely my opinion, but I don't think that I would write that as a non-conformance. Standard states that instructions should be available at the time needed without disruption to the job being performed. The key word is "should" not "shall". I might inquire about a training record to prove training.

 

[Raffy]

Even though he has 25years experience, the instruction should be documented so that you have a basis to show on the auditors.

Raffy

 

[Randy]

Watch it Raffy!! Jim is trying to back you into a corner.

 

[energy]

Nooooooo! You think?

Randy said:

Watch it Raffy!! Jim is trying to back you into a corner.

Woe is me. Again? Here's another ambush in progress: Sure sneaks up on ya real quiet like. Reckon you gots to sleep with one eye open.

Jim Wade said:

Hello again, Dave

Your top-level diagram does not describe process interaction just sequence; as you made clear, "the interaction, in terms of inputs, outputs and controls, are defined in greater detail in the next level of documentation".

Just to be clear: are the documents you showed (proc22r4.doc & proc007r3.doc) examples of that next level?

rgds Jim

 

[db]

work instructions

Are you saying, Raffy, that all jobs need written work instructions?

Okay, I take this on. For the most part the answer is YES!!!!

Let me explain. There are different types of work instructions. I need to have shoulder surgery. Will my surgeon need a work instruction? YES! The work instruction might not tell her “how” to cut into my body, but the work instruction better tell her who the patient is, which shoulder she needs to cut and what she is doing in there.

Too many times we think of work instructions as a step-by-step task guide. Most work instructions are closer to routers, control plans, etc. A work instruction for a receptionist might be the list of phone extensions. It doesn’t tell the receptionist how to work the phone, but give direction on what numbers to transfer calls to. Even here, there is a work instruction that tells us how to reply to a post.

So in a sense, all jobs do need work instructions.

Here's another ambush in progress:

If you know your stuff, even ambushes (not that this was an ambush) can be safely negotiated.

 

[Angela-2007]

So if you classify the extension listing as a work instruction, then would you control it? Seems a little extensive.

Angela

 

[Angela-2007]

D.B. would you take that as far as to have a procedure for changing a toner cartridge in the copier?

Angela

 

[gpainter]

Competence is the KEY here

 

[db]

Control of phone listings

So if you classify the extension listing as a work instruction, then would you control it? Seems a little extensive.

Not really, Angela. Remember the extent of control is up to you. It might be possible for the receptionist himself (herself) to approve the listing. At any rate, every company I've worked for has had a rev level on the phone listing (normally by date). People and numbers change, the phone list must change accordingly. Does this have to be on the master list? There is no requirement for a master list (never was).

As far as the toner cartridge, do you need a procedure? Probably not. Do you need a work instruction? Every copier I’ve seen has the work instruction on the door panel. And once again, if you don’t need a work instruction, then you don’t need one. That’s why I said “for the most part”.

In Andrew’s original post, I’m sure the calibration tech had some sort of work instruction. How else would he know what gauge to calibrate when? Once again it all depends on what you call a work instruction. The control is up to you.