11 replies to this topic

[siddhu]

Dear All,

I have query w.r.t BRC Global Standard for Food safety Issue 5 clause 1.11
" The company shall maintain certification to the Global Standard for Food safety by effective timescale planning to ensure that certification does not expire"

If I have ceritificate of BRC ISSUE 4 which EXPIRED IN JUNE 2008 and implementation and certification for new verion is effective from July 2008.

This clause was not present in BRC ISSUE 4

If COMPANY conducted audit in month of Septmber with a certification GAP OF 2 MONTHS.

Whether it is major nonconformity or not?

Regards,
siddhu

[Soda]

I would imagine it may still be raised as a non conformance as it still does noty conform to the new standard, regardless of the previous.

Our company had somethin similar happen. We where not due a productr recall for 4 months however our previous product recall was done to the requirements of version 4 so we did not meet the requirements of the new version

[Simon]

I don't understand the question. BRC requires (at the longest frequency) that you have an annual audit. If you go past the date for reaudit then the certificate expires, to get it back you need to be audited again.

[Soda]

if you fail to maintain certification and thyere is a lapse in certification then the next auditor may pick up on this and raise it as a non conformance.

[Jozee]

Version 4 of the standard clearly defines the criteria for maintaining certification in section 3, clause 8.11.4, and faiure to comply resulted in a requirement to re-apply for certification, equivalent to a D grade.

As a 2 month lapse in certification has occured, the company would recieve the same major non-conformity as before, however an overview of the requirements are now stated in clause 1.11 of version 5.

This is not anything new.

Kind regards,
Jozee

[Geethanjali Puppala]

Version 4 of the standard clearly defines the criteria for maintaining certification in section 3, clause 8.11.4, and faiure to comply resulted in a requirement to re-apply for certification, equivalent to a D grade.

As a 2 month lapse in certification has occured, the company would recieve the same major non-conformity as before, however an overview of the requirements are now stated in clause 1.11 of version 5.

This is not anything new.

Kind regards,
Jozee

Hi,
If there is a lapse in certification and the company receives Major non conformity, what should be the corrective action? I am bit confused here.
best regards,
Geetha

[Simon]

Hi,
If there is a lapse in certification and the company receives Major non conformity, what should be the corrective action? I am bit confused here.
best regards,
Geetha

Maybe it’s the Certification Bodies loss of earnings Geetha.

[Dukebagman]

When we had our BRC audit to version 4 in June I asked this question of the auditor. She said that if a company goes over the pervious audit date by more than a week (or so) then CMI would consider this to be a major non-conformance, however the corrective action would have been signed off anyway with completion of the audit.

Really this is just a nightmare if you have A grade and slip up.... you would get an automatic B grade due to the major non-conformance.

[Simon]

When we had our BRC audit to version 4 in June I asked this question of the auditor. She said that if a company goes over the pervious audit date by more than a week (or so) then CMI would consider this to be a major non-conformance, however the corrective action would have been signed off anyway with completion of the audit.

Really this is just a nightmare if you have A grade and slip up.... you would get an automatic B grade due to the major non-conformance.

Thanks for the info Dukebagman and welcome to the forums.



Regards,
Simon

[Geethanjali Puppala]

When we had our BRC audit to version 4 in June I asked this question of the auditor. She said that if a company goes over the pervious audit date by more than a week (or so) then CMI would consider this to be a major non-conformance, however the corrective action would have been signed off anyway with completion of the audit.

Really this is just a nightmare if you have A grade and slip up.... you would get an automatic B grade due to the major non-conformance.

Hi Dukebagman,
to the most valuable forum .
Thanks for the info.
Regards,
Geetha

[PaulaB]

Hi,

Clarification on this point.

If you do not have your audit prior to your renewal date (usually in the 28 days before)(this is not the date your certificate runs out) you will receive a Major CAR against 1.11, there is a one week lapse on this to allow for unforseen circumstances that delayed the planned audit. e.g auditor has an accident. If your audit is late you get a Major. If you decide to pull out of the BRC scheme and then come back in e.g if you lose a customer that wanted BRC and you feel the cost is prohibitive and then you gain a customer that wants you to obtain certification again, you must be out of the scheme for 6 months to not obtain a Major.

To close this non-conformance a letter of intent to have in the correct timescale for the next audit should be OK, there isn't a lot else you can do. The Certifying Body should give you plenty of notice that your audit is due so there should be no reason to go beyond the renewal date for the Audit.

Hope this helps

[Simon]

Thank you Paula.