Unannounced Audit's NC submission falling in the Christmas holiday period
Morning
Has anyone had their N/C submission period (30 calendar days) fall over the Christmas, Boxing Day, New Years Day holidays?
We are almost at the end of our Boundary period (2 weeks left) on an Unannounced SQF Audit and still no Auditor has shown up. Wondering how it works through the major holiday like Christmas for N/C submissions and approvals.
Our facility closes the week between Christmas and New Years, so likely I will be the only one working!
TIA
You should have posted the blackout periods and most likely no auditor will show up during that week as they are fully aware that it would be shutdown week.
I am an auditor myself and all the CBs that I work with do not plan any audits during that week.
All the best..
Regards
Pavan
At the end of your audit when the auditor reviews any NC's, I would bring up that you are closed that week and see what the auditor says/suggests. May also not be a bad idea to reach out to the CB as well. In my experience, they try to work with you where they can.
That week between Christmas and New Years was not marked as a Blackout date because the end of our Boundary period is Dec. 13/22.
You should have posted the blackout periods and most likely no auditor will show up during that week as they are fully aware that it would be shutdown week.
I am an auditor myself and all the CBs that I work with do not plan any audits during that week.
All the best.. Please reach out to me if you would like to disucss further..
Foodsafety@bcg-food.ca
Regards
Pavan
I would pre-emptively reach out to your CB today and ask them----better to start the dialogue and know, than to wait and be unsure
You can explain that due to the shut down, you will not be able to access other departments for assistance in n/c decisions
what is something needs capitol expenditure---you cannot make that decision yourself
Morning
Has anyone had their N/C submission period (30 calendar days) fall over the Christmas, Boxing Day, New Years Day holidays?
We are almost at the end of our Boundary period (2 weeks left) on an Unannounced SQF Audit and still no Auditor has shown up. Wondering how it works through the major holiday like Christmas for N/C submissions and approvals.
Our facility closes the week between Christmas and New Years, so likely I will be the only one working!
TIA
You were supposed to provide black-out dates to your certification body. You likely still can provide those and just say there has been a change in your blackout dates and your facility will be closed on __________ dates.
Kara
It is my understanding that you provide Blackout dates falling within your Boundary dates for unannounced. Our final boundary date is December 13/22 but the 30 calendar days than fall though the Christmas/New Years closure.
You were supposed to provide black-out dates to your certification body. You likely still can provide those and just say there has been a change in your blackout dates and your facility will be closed on __________ dates.
Just out of curiosity, why would you feel that you will receive NCs ?
Morning
Has anyone had their N/C submission period (30 calendar days) fall over the Christmas, Boxing Day, New Years Day holidays?
We are almost at the end of our Boundary period (2 weeks left) on an Unannounced SQF Audit and still no Auditor has shown up. Wondering how it works through the major holiday like Christmas for N/C submissions and approvals.
Our facility closes the week between Christmas and New Years, so likely I will be the only one working!
TIA
Sadly we have received N/C's the previous couple of years, so Murphy's law leads me to think we will receive some this year!
Just out of curiosity, why would you feel that you will receive NCs ?
Cool, Which CB are you working with ? I offer Pre Audit services, Let me know if you are interested in connecting and discussing further ?
Sadly we have received N/C's the previous couple of years, so Murphy's law leads me to think we will receive some this year!
Hey, chin up! There's no correlation between your previous and upcoming audits: even if you'll have the same auditor it doesn't mean you'll get NC's. Just go through your notes from the previous one and see what comments/suggestions the auditor made, that could help.
This should have been made known to them in advance when you re-contracted for this years audit.
Not a good idea to be the only one working when the auditor walks in, it will be a red line and a walk out.
Morning
Has anyone had their N/C submission period (30 calendar days) fall over the Christmas, Boxing Day, New Years Day holidays?
We are almost at the end of our Boundary period (2 weeks left) on an Unannounced SQF Audit and still no Auditor has shown up. Wondering how it works through the major holiday like Christmas for N/C submissions and approvals.
Our facility closes the week between Christmas and New Years, so likely I will be the only one working!
TIA
Hi queenb,
Several posters appear to be confused here!
To summarize my understanding, your unannounced audit is due by 13th December, so there is no issue with black-out dates during the Christmas/New Year period.
SQF Food Safety Code requirements are Step 9: Audit Reporting and Closeout 9.4 Corrective Actions:
Evidence of your corrective actions is required to be sent to the SQF food safety auditor so that it can be verified and closed out within thirty (30) calendar days of the completion of your site audit.
If you submit your response to any NC’s within let’s say 15 days of the site audit then I would say that is reasonable (confirm receipt). It is the certification body’s problem if their auditors are taking 2 weeks off when they know this needs to be addressed.
Something to discuss with your auditor and agree timescales/submission dates when you come to the closing meeting.
Good luck with your audit, let's hope there aren't any NC's.
Tony
Thanks for the offer, will keep it in mind.
Cool, Which CB are you working with ? I offer Pre Audit services, Let me know if you are interested in connecting and discussing further ?
Sorry for the confusion. Our Boundary dates are October 14 to December 13, 2022, so Auditor can show up anytime within that period. We are approaching the end of our Boundary dates. This causes my 30 day submission period to fall during a period when we have a plant shutdown. I did not submit the shut down as a Blackout day because it is outside our Boundary days.
I've resolved myself to it is what it is. The CAR's will get submitted on time even if I'm not at home enjoying Christmas dinner :). I have contacted our CB with the information and asked for guidance/confirmation.
Hi queenb,
Several posters appear to be confused here!
To summarize my understanding, your unannounced audit is due by 13th December, so there is no issue with black-out dates during the Christmas/New Year period.
SQF Food Safety Code requirements are Step 9: Audit Reporting and Closeout 9.4 Corrective Actions:
Evidence of your corrective actions is required to be sent to the SQF food safety auditor so that it can be verified and closed out within thirty (30) calendar days of the completion of your site audit.
If you submit your response to any NC’s within let’s say 15 days of the site audit then I would say that is reasonable (confirm receipt). It is the certification body’s problem if their auditors are taking 2 weeks off when they know this needs to be addressed.
Something to discuss with your auditor and agree timescales/submission dates when you come to the closing meeting.
Good luck with your audit, let's hope there aren't any NC's.
Tony
I would recommend getting a committee together, perhaps your Food Safety Team, to meet the day after the audit concludes. Discuss your corrective actions, assign people to help, and review the timeline for completion. You should still have about 2 weeks before Christmas, which should be enough time to get everything submitted. Most CBs only give you 21 days anyways so they have time to review.
Thanks for the suggestion. CB has sent a Blackout date form and informed us that they can put Blackout dates in for the Christmas / New Years closure so looking like we are good. Only 9 possible working days for our Auditor to show up for the unannounced audit now.
Contact your CB as it sounds like you did not inform them of your shut down period.
This should have been made known to them in advance when you re-contracted for this years audit.
Not a good idea to be the only one working when the auditor walks in, it will be a red line and a walk out.
Lots are conflating the blackout dates of the audit issue, it appears the OP is focused on the timeframe for submitting replies.
To my knowledge, the CB's will not have any exemptions for holiday shutdowns for the calendar days permitted to submit responses. Given that your last possible audit date is the 13th of December, you might consider letting your management team know that they'll need to be on-deck and ready to run on corrective actions between the 14th and your holiday shutdown to get the CAR's submitted before you all leave for the holidays. Or at least have mostly everything handled to review after the new year if there is time left on the calendar window for submission.
If the audit period is until December 13, your 30 day NC period will be during the holidays. No way around that.
I suggest contacting the CB now to ask how to approach this to deal with any NCs effectively.
We just finished our unannounced audit and the auditor came the last two days of our audit period. He then looked at our certification and said we would have had a major NC if he was a day later. I frankly told him politely the schedule was their problem and that I would not have taken a major NC because they were late, I didn't have anything to do with the schedule.... my problem, he seemed actually serious about the NC. All good though, they were here on time and we passed with flying colors!
Good luck at your audit.
UPDATE: Auditor was here Monday and Tuesday, so our countdown starts now to have CAR's complete and submitted. We had 6 minors, 3 of which require Maintenance to fix and 3 of which are paperwork/policy related. If we both buckle down and get on these right away, we should be well within recommended submission time prior to the Christmas break. Thanks for all the input and well wishes on the Audit.
UPDATE: Auditor was here Monday and Tuesday, so our countdown starts now to have CAR's complete and submitted. We had 6 minors, 3 of which require Maintenance to fix and 3 of which are paperwork/policy related. If we both buckle down and get on these right away, we should be well within recommended submission time prior to the Christmas break. Thanks for all the input and well wishes on the Audit.
Hey that's cool! Sounds like it worked out in the end.... it's a Christmas MIRACLE!! Lol....
We just finished our unannounced audit and the auditor came the last two days of our audit period. He then looked at our certification and said we would have had a major NC if he was a day later. I frankly told him politely the schedule was their problem and that I would not have taken a major NC because they were late, I didn't have anything to do with the schedule.... my problem, he seemed actually serious about the NC. All good though, they were here on time and we passed with flying colors!
Congrats.