We know from the recommendations of ISO 19011 that Audit Findings (statements of fact from the audit) replaced Observations a long time ago.
Audit Findings either indicate:
OFIs are not audit findings. They are more like recommendations but auditors may use them to offer advice or, unintentionally, to conceal system weaknesses by making the system depend to some extent on the CB.
When a management system fails to identify a future significant risk or opportunity that is a system weakness that needs corrective action not an OFI.
Continued issue of "Observations" instead of OFIs indicates that the CB is out of date with its use of terminology recommended by ISO 19011.
I understand why the auditor felt compelled to reduce the level of embarrassment but this should have resulted in fortitude and a re-audit instead of a bundle of nonconformities and recommendations dressed up as observations and the wrong conclusion: recommended continued certification.
The lack of fortitude may indicate fundamental incompetence or it may indicate a deeper problem with the CB itself. Indeed, the independent review of the report should have refuted this conclusion.
John
Audit Findings either indicate:
- Conformity - perhaps worthy of praise
- Nonconformity - perhaps worthy of corrective action
OFIs are not audit findings. They are more like recommendations but auditors may use them to offer advice or, unintentionally, to conceal system weaknesses by making the system depend to some extent on the CB.
When a management system fails to identify a future significant risk or opportunity that is a system weakness that needs corrective action not an OFI.
Continued issue of "Observations" instead of OFIs indicates that the CB is out of date with its use of terminology recommended by ISO 19011.
I understand why the auditor felt compelled to reduce the level of embarrassment but this should have resulted in fortitude and a re-audit instead of a bundle of nonconformities and recommendations dressed up as observations and the wrong conclusion: recommended continued certification.
The lack of fortitude may indicate fundamental incompetence or it may indicate a deeper problem with the CB itself. Indeed, the independent review of the report should have refuted this conclusion.
John


