Action plans for NC's not carried out in a timely manner

Hi everyone,

Recently, our organization conducted audit of the internal audit. One of the findings observed is that "action plans for the issued NC's per process owner were not carried out in a timely manner." This is due to lapses in the implementation within the set target date and due to late submission  of objective evidences to the assigned auditor within the verification schedule. This is a recurring major finding from the previous audit of IA.

As per ISO 22000:2005 Cl. 8.4.1 "The management responsible for the area being audited shall ensure that actions are taken without undue delay to eliminate detected non-conformities and their causes."

Do you have any suggestions on how to address this? We have tried many corrective actions for this including hiring a personnel to just monitor progress/status of each action plan prior the target date, follow up process owner on a weekly basis to remind them with their upcoming TD and monitoring tracker facilitated by dept. head of each process owner, but none of these were effective.

Would really appreciate your help in this matter.

Thanks in advance! 

I had a similar problem, it was necessary to put a person responsible only for this in the company so that there were not the usual delays. I don't know if the thing can help you

It sounds like an accountability issue - if your dedicated personnel was the only one following up with department heads on your action plans with no recourse for past-due action plans from upper management, then you need to work on management commitment. 

While many meetings can be counter-productive, I found this was the best way for preparing for an audit and any subsequent NCs. Depending on the proximity to/from the audit, the frequency of meetings varied. But, the point was to sit down with the head of the major departments (warehouse, production, president, GM, rarely if ever HR and purchasing) and as QA, I had our SQF checklist or NC report, highlighted as appropriate and each person or department listed accordingly as responsible. Going through this list with everyone present allowed for greater accountability, discussing solutions and challenges, as well as assuring that we all had the necessary resources to carry out our tasks in a timely manner. Hope this helps!

You can fix the date for every action into they will be done and verify if your persons do it. Patti suggest a good idea: Mounthly meeting or weekley meeting.

2018 seems to have updated the clause as  -

make the necessary correction and take the necessary corrective action within the agreed time frame;

 

Seems more flexible. And nicely sharing the "buck".

I can set up the software I use to nag people if they have overdue items.

If that does not work, I escalate with email CC the Plant Manager.

If that does not work, I call them out by name during weekly staff meetings.

But that's just me.

Marshall

I can set up the software I use to nag people if they have overdue items.

If that does not work, I escalate with email CC the Plant Manager.

If that does not work, I call them out by name during weekly staff meetings.

 

But that's just me.

 

Marshall

Hi Marshall,

In one Facility I worked in, the second step was often replaced by projectiles. Substantial turnover rate.

Increase the frequencies of your management review meetings. One of the agenda topics should be NCRs. In the meeting state which non-conformances have not been closed off and whom was responsible for it as well. This also helps to determine if the responsible is actually having a difficulty in closing off the NCR due to other contributing factors