BRC Internal Audit Self Assessment Tool

Hi,

Recently, I have to make a internal audit against BRC and I don't know if I have enough with the Self Assessment Tool linked with the final report or I will have to buy the Official BRC Global Standard for Food Safety: Issue 6. I am not sure if all clauses are included in the Self Assessment Tool and will be accepted by the external auditor.

Furthermore, I would like to know if it's recommendable to download the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety - Interpretation Guideline: Issue 6 instead of buying the official standard to make the internal Audit.

Thanks a lot and regards

Doesn't BRC 1.1.7 require that the facility has the current issue (original) of the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety?

Hi RG3

I work as a consultant, I have audited IFS but in this case I have some month to prepare a BRC internal audit for a company and I don't Know If I should buy the original standard or I have enough with the Self Assessment Tool linked to the final report with the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety - Interpretation Guideline: Issue 6 to prepare it

Regards

Dear FerranFlo,
 

I doubt that the tool is sufficient. Tool + Interp.Guideline 6 also dubious IMO (haven't seen Guide myself but see comment below).

I think all the auditable clauses are given in tool  but a (substantial) amount of interpretative material included in  the brc standard is of course missing. A sample, semi-complete (ca.60-70%) version of full standard is also offered (somewhere) but from memory still omits some crucial content. Adequacy may/may not depend on the process/product involved

 

While we hope that this tool is useful in helping you prepare for your audit it should not be considered as evidence of an internal audit and will not be accepted by auditors during an audit

Above is taken from self-assessment tool, ie some usage caution is recommended..

There have been strangely few comments on this forum regarding the Interpretation Guidelines ver. 6 you refer. Whether this implies very few people are users, no idea. There seems to be some kind of overview of the content here -

http://www.mqmconsul...e-6-guidelines/

Regardless, based on the few examples on this forum, if you are able to well-comprehend the IFS standard, BRC should be slightly less weird IMO. :smile:

Rgds / Charles.C

Dear Charles.C

Then, I deduce that It would be much better buying the Official BRC Global Standard for Food Safety: Issue 6 because of their interpretive clauses. I supposed than the official standard did not contain supplementary information to help the interpretation.

I have a doubt about the product categories.

If the company has many  product categories, must be all products categories included in the internal audit? I'm not sure if I should verify the flow diagram and the HACCP plan for all products categories.

Regards

Dear Charles.C

Then, I deduce that It would be much better buying the Official BRC Global Standard for Food Safety: Issue 6 because of their interpretive clauses. I supposed than the official standard did not contain supplementary information to help the interpretation.

I have a doubt about the product categories.

If the company has many  product categories, must be all products categories included in the internal audit? I'm not sure if I should verify the flow diagram and the HACCP plan for all products categories.

Regards

Dear FerranFlo,

The self-assessment tool is ca.60pgs, the complete standard is ca.120pgs.

The major operational item in the full standard relates to the Appendix Guidelines on defining Production Risk Zones. These directly connect to para. 4.3 in the standard.

The additional Guidance documents are, I think, intended to clarify aspects where experience has shown that applicants frequently have interpretive problems, somteimes simply due to the standard being “unclear”..

Frankly, IMO it is difficult to confidently evaluate the requirements of any Food Standard without having a copy of the standard. :smile:

Rgds / Charles.C

Dear Charles.C

Thanks for your advices,

I'm going to buy the complete standard. I will also buy the the Interpretation Guideline if I have interpretive problems with some clauses.

regards

You have to have a copy of the standard on site... and internal audits come from each section of the standard, don't depend on the Self assessment tool....I use the interpretation guideline all the time ( I'm a consultant) especially when arguing with senior management