Scheduling Internal Audits - What is meant by 'based on status and importance'?

[Aaron Lupo]

Originally posted by Fire Girl:
My last maintenance audit, my registrar was not pleased with how I schedule audits. The standard states that audits should be scheduled based on status and importance. What exactly is meant by this? I thought I knew but apparently I don't!

Thanks

What do you think based on status and importance means Fire? The only reason I ask is I want to see where you are coming from.


[This message has been edited by ISO GUY (edited 02 May 2001).]

[This message has been edited by ISO GUY (edited 02 May 2001).]

 

[Fire Girl]

ISO Guy

I think that status & importance is a variable thing based on your company.

Status- Are there lots of N/C's and CPA's in this element? If there are lots of problems in one area than you should be auditing it more.

Importance- That will depend on your company. At different companies there may be some elements which are more important than others.

How's that for an answer?

 

[Al Dyer]

Originally posted by Fire Girl:
ISO Guy

I think that status & importance is a variable thing based on your company.

Status- Are there lots of N/C's and CPA's in this element? If there are lots of problems in one area than you should be auditing it more.

Importance- That will depend on your company. At different companies there may be some elements which are more important than others.

How's that for an answer?

I like it!

Just to add to importance, there is "some" guidance in appendix B of QS-9000. They say that customer complaints/supplier response, internal audit, management review, and continuous improvement are to be reviewed during all on-site audits. We use this to assist us in defining importance.

ASD...

 

[Dan Larsen]

I think Fire Girl has it right. As for the auditor issue, the key, Fire Girl, is "in YOUR company"!

Auditors can be swayed by their expectations, and part of the job of the Management Rep is to put those expectations into perspective for the company the auditor is auditing.

If you feel and believe your audit schedule is responsive to the needs of your company, you should take him/her on and ask how your system fails to meet the intent of the standard.

 

[eskay]

Yes.... I agree with others!! Auditor cannot comment on frequency of audit scheduled by the MR until and unless he finds some major and/or repeated non-conformities in the areas audited.

I have a query too!! I saw that ISOGUY & few others have mentioned that the internal audit schedule to be approved during the Management Review Meeting. Is this a requirement? In my case, I never put the internal audit schedule for approval during the Management Review meeting. All our group companies internal audit schedules are approved by me as MR and followed. Any comments??

{Its been a while since I visited this forum and made some contribution...Been too busy out of QA!! - this note for all those who have missed me!! }

------------------
Eskay
Seven Seas Group of Companies
Dubai

 

[Al Dyer]

Just personal experience, but in the past I have acted as the MR and Internal Auditor and never had schedules approved by management, only reported results for their review.

I have always worked for smaller companies and for either the President or General Manager, so this organization of duties has worked well.

ASD...

 

[Fire Girl]

At this time I do not have management sign off on the I/A schedule. I review audit results with them and allow them to peruse the schedule in case they have any concerns. There is no where in the standard that says management has to approve the schedule. But if you say they do, then they do!

 

[energy]

Fire Girl,
You are correct when you say that it isn't stated in the standard. I guess what I was pointing to was the definition of the Mgt Rep. "ensuring that processes needed for the quality Management system are established, implemented and maintained". To me, that "could suggest" monitoring Top Management's quality planning. It's just a nice touch showing that Top Mgt had a say in the Internal Audit Schedule and any special audits required. In my previous life, I would go to the CEO and say I think we need to audit this or that. They would sign off the audit schedule and it added clout to the departments being audited, who usually resist auditing activity. The customer would look at the audit scedule, see the authorizing signature and they knew "Top Management" had some input. And, it only took a minute. JMHO
Fishing was great!
energy

 

[Russ]

I'm curious,does anyone write NCR's from mini-audits you do as you walk thru the facility? Or do you reserve that for scheduled audits?

 

[Alf Gulford]

Russ-
Could you define a 'mini-audit'?

If an area asks me to come out and help them with conformance to standards I act as an internal consultant and don't write anything, just point out gaps and provide them with advice/information. Then they're audited later per the schedule. On the other hand, if they ask me to audit them (usually just before the registrar is due), it's a sort of 'mini' audit that I do write reports against.

Is this an answer to the question?

Alf