Frequency of Internal Audits
Hi,
I was wondering if someone was able to offer me some advice relating to internal audits. We are a BRCGS packaging materials site, currently we audit all our management system SOPs annually, however, due to a decrease in the number of internal auditors we have I am looking at making our internal audit schedule a little smarter. We have management system SOPs which relate to the standard clauses and then we have process SOPs which we are the actual instructions on how to carry out particular tasks. Our audit schedule is for the management system SOPs.
We have 50 management system SOPs which we audit once a year. My question is, do we need to do all these audits? The BRCGS standard says that all processes shall be audited at least annually. Is there anything that can be condensed/combined?
We also carry out a gap analysis every year against the BRC clauses, is this something that should be done every year or just when there is a change?
I have been looking at this for so long that I am confusing myself.
Thank you
What is the difference between your internal audit and the gap assessment?
You need to have an audit at least once per year that covers everything in 3.5.2. ie review policies, procedures, records, etc to prove to yourself that you are meeting the standard. My suggestion for this is to audit yourself using the checklist - just like the brcgs auditor does
Then you need to have plant hygiene inspections at a frequency based on risk if 3.5.5 applies to you.
Thank you for your response.
Internal audits are carried out by our internal audit team, they take a management system SOP and go audit it by asking questions to the relevant department. For the gap analysis, this is carried out by our quality team, we go through the standard and ensure that our SOPs cover what is required.
Thank you again.
Thank you for your response.
is.
Internal audits are carried out by our internal audit team, they take a management system SOP and go audit it by asking questions to the relevant department. For the gap analysis, this is carried out by our quality team, we go through the standard and ensure that our SOPs cover what is required.
Thank you again.
It SOUNDS like you are kinda splitting the audit up which is fine. If does seem a little more difficult to document or even more so to expain to an auditor.
Annual Internal audit is sufficient.
I wouldn't be doing a gap analysis annually-------------the reassessment/internal audit is SUPOSSED to catch gaps against the standard...............so if verification against the standard isn't part of the internal audit adjust your process and drop the annual GAP