J
jbc69mc
I had a customer audit and he ask me: "what you do when the relevant function is missing? show me an evidence for that". What is the good answer? What evidence I must to have?
B
bgwiehle
jbc69mc said:
I think we need some context if you want specific advice: is missing function
- personnel performing the activity not available/not assigned or
- inspection or process step not performed due to error or
- logistics problems (internal error or supplier problem)
- equipment malfunction, etc.
Each scenario should have some kind of contingency plan and/or reaction plan. The auditor may want so see the plan, as contingency plans are required by some customers; he may also want to see records that show such plans are complete and effective.
B.G. Wiehle
J
jbc69mc
I mean the personnel performing the activity not available. Thanks for your help.
R
ralphsulser
Do you have other people trained to perform the function questioned?
How is the training and competence documented?
Are there skill maps and/ or training records to provide evidence of competence?
How is the training and competence documented?
Are there skill maps and/ or training records to provide evidence of competence?
Wes Bucey
Prophet of Profit
Another factor to consider is how long the personnel are absent.
How is the work flow disrupted? Can remaining personnel work or is this missing person's function critical for the rest of the process? Does the absence of one person shut down the entire plant or only some small segment which can be made up within a short time after the missing person returns?
For practical reasons, small companies do not have a lot of extra workers to fill in for missing persons. The result is one of two choices:
What a customer looks for is a supplier who has the foresight to think of this contingency (a form of Failure Mode & Evaluation Analysis [FMEA]) and to have a plan in place to provide for continuation of the business. Some customers also ask for a risk analysis of contingency plans if fire or natural disaster occurs and stops business (think hurricanes and earthquakes.)
These contingency plans are critical to a customer who is entrusting production of a custom-made product to a single supplier. An acceptable contingency plan:
Estimate maximum time of business interruption due to various causes and offer to maintain "safety stock" at an off-site location to assure customer uninterrupted delivery. During that period, maintain constant communication with customer regarding status so customer can seek an alternate source if the disruption will last beyond the "safety stock" period. Some suppliers use this technique as a normal course of business by shipping ALL production to an off-site warehouse for FIFO delivery to the customer. If there is a disruption, supplier works overtime to build the safety stock back up to "pre-event" levels once the supplier is back in production. (this can play havoc with a Kanban or JIT system, but may be necessary to assure continued production at customer.)
So, using the safety stock concept:
If the disruption is minor and due only to sick or injured personnel being away from job for short period, sufficient safety stock may be held on site to assure customer unhindered flow of product. As the disruption escalates, supplier taps the off-site saftey stock and implements other plans to get back in production (hire temporary help, recruit new personnel, rent new premises and equipment to replace damaged equipment, outsource entire production to backup supplier, etc.)
Above all, it is important to remember the primary reason for these plans is the continued survival of the supplier's business, coincidentally assuring the customer continued flow of goods.
It is generally not considered good form for a customer to demand access to contingency plans of suppliers who sell commodities. The customer is normally allowed to intrude on the private plans of the supplier only for suppliers of custom goods. The theory is the customer can always go to another source for a commodity, but has a difficult time getting another supplier ramped up to make a custom product.
For this reason, many customers "double source" [or triple or quadruple] custom products just to :ca: if one supplier has an event which stops production.
How is the work flow disrupted? Can remaining personnel work or is this missing person's function critical for the rest of the process? Does the absence of one person shut down the entire plant or only some small segment which can be made up within a short time after the missing person returns?
For practical reasons, small companies do not have a lot of extra workers to fill in for missing persons. The result is one of two choices:
- other workers expand their duties to pick up the function of the missing person in addition to their own functions.
OR - the work and function lay idle until the person returns (sometimes necessary for special expertise like welding or programming a computerized machine tool.)
What a customer looks for is a supplier who has the foresight to think of this contingency (a form of Failure Mode & Evaluation Analysis [FMEA]) and to have a plan in place to provide for continuation of the business. Some customers also ask for a risk analysis of contingency plans if fire or natural disaster occurs and stops business (think hurricanes and earthquakes.)
These contingency plans are critical to a customer who is entrusting production of a custom-made product to a single supplier. An acceptable contingency plan:
Estimate maximum time of business interruption due to various causes and offer to maintain "safety stock" at an off-site location to assure customer uninterrupted delivery. During that period, maintain constant communication with customer regarding status so customer can seek an alternate source if the disruption will last beyond the "safety stock" period. Some suppliers use this technique as a normal course of business by shipping ALL production to an off-site warehouse for FIFO delivery to the customer. If there is a disruption, supplier works overtime to build the safety stock back up to "pre-event" levels once the supplier is back in production. (this can play havoc with a Kanban or JIT system, but may be necessary to assure continued production at customer.)
So, using the safety stock concept:
If the disruption is minor and due only to sick or injured personnel being away from job for short period, sufficient safety stock may be held on site to assure customer unhindered flow of product. As the disruption escalates, supplier taps the off-site saftey stock and implements other plans to get back in production (hire temporary help, recruit new personnel, rent new premises and equipment to replace damaged equipment, outsource entire production to backup supplier, etc.)
Above all, it is important to remember the primary reason for these plans is the continued survival of the supplier's business, coincidentally assuring the customer continued flow of goods.
It is generally not considered good form for a customer to demand access to contingency plans of suppliers who sell commodities. The customer is normally allowed to intrude on the private plans of the supplier only for suppliers of custom goods. The theory is the customer can always go to another source for a commodity, but has a difficult time getting another supplier ramped up to make a custom product.For this reason, many customers "double source" [or triple or quadruple] custom products just to :ca: if one supplier has an event which stops production.
J
jbc69mc
Thanks a lot Wes!
Now is clear in my mind. Is matter fact, the auditor ask me about this plan if some peopels are out of work or many people are out of work. In a sample, on a process where are 6 workers per shift he ask me what we do if 4 workers are out of office. Our response was that the other team (from second shift) will work over time and for the affected team we change they responsibilities/duty.
Now is clear in my mind. Is matter fact, the auditor ask me about this plan if some peopels are out of work or many people are out of work. In a sample, on a process where are 6 workers per shift he ask me what we do if 4 workers are out of office. Our response was that the other team (from second shift) will work over time and for the affected team we change they responsibilities/duty.
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