42 replies to this topic

[swebster]

If we fail an audit and we have a follow-up within 60 days; what happens if the auditor does not show up within the allotted time? 

[acarver]

SQF Audits: Levels, Scoring, & What To Do If You Fail An SQF Audit (documentcompliance.com)

 

This indicates that you have to schedule the auditor. It may depend on your CB. Have you contacted them?

[SQFconsultant]

If you fail an audit, your company has to schedule the re-aydit. If the auditor does not show up you call the cb and say, hey wtf!

[swebster]

I apologize, I should have added more information. I had an audit in January, the beginning of Jan- the auditor left giving me a 93. Then at the very end of Jan emailed and said we were getting a critical. I have put in all of the corrective actions and requested to schedule our follow-up (many many times). I also submitted a professional complaint and an appeal; they accepted the complaint but not the appeal. The company auditing us has rescheduled approximately 6 times and now the 60-day mark is coming up on March 31st. Theoretically they have Thursday or Friday to come. They told me yesterday we would schedule for today and then once again cancelled! My issue is that I am going to need my certificate by the first week of April. We are down for production that week and now am between a rock and a hard place. I was wondering if they are not here within 60 days (that is going against the standard) are they held accountable for that? Thank you.

[swebster]

The first time they tried to schedule he auditor that we have a professional complaint open on (this was supposed to be March 21st). Another instance they said the auditor they had scheduled next needed to get a training update before being able to come, guess that fell through. Then said we had another auditor and then cancelled 3 hours later. This whole process just seems so unorganized- I have never been through an audit that was not put together and clear about their findings before they left.

[SQFconsultant]

You need to escalate by picking up the phone and calling the SQFI office directly. 

[kingstudruler1]

I think im with glen.  Call SQFI.   Probably switch CBs as soon as you can.   2 minors and a critical?   

 

It really like to know when and why they upgraded to critical.   

[swebster]

There were a few places of a couple droppings of mice feces. 2 were in the warehouse, 1 in the maintenance office (in the actual office) and 1 in a back storage room. So, 2 areas way out of production areas. He cited us a minor. Then one of our employees (he cleans and is on the spectrum, but a good guy) he picked up a baby mouse by the silos and brought it to me and the auditor. He raised it to a major. 

 

Then almost 3 weeks later said that they discussed it and made it a critical. But the entire time sending in CAR's they kept asking for information that was already attached. It was like they were stalling us on the pest control points. We have been in touch with our manager, the scheduler and the supervisor. We are waiting on the supervisor to get in contact with us to set up a meeting. We have expressed to them all that we need to escalate this and would like the managers contact information. The scheduler sent over a name, no contact info. We asked again and he sent an email, no phone number even though we specifically asked for it. 

[Scampi]

You need to escalate by picking up the phone and calling the SQFI office directly. 

 

Ask for Leanne Chubboff by name

[Scampi]

who's your CB?

[swebster]

Does Leanne work with NSF? That is our certifying body. We are in contact with the Manager of Operations and she too said she can not help to get someone in here within the time frame. Maybe next week- our cert is up the 8th and also we are down for production for Easter week. 

[swebster]

I see Leanne is the Vice president of Technical Affairs, thank you.

[Scampi]

this is absolutely a failing of NSF that you should not have to suffer repercussions from and she needs to know, particularly when one considers the size and scope of NSF (who happens to be my CB, but in Canada)

 

I just finished my 2 audit, so I'm not feeling particularly warm and fuzzy toward NSF today either

 

 

Best of luck--I hope she's able to assist you getting this rectified

 

 

P.S.   by mouse by the silo, I'm assuming you mean outside????  Seems heavy handed for sure

[kingstudruler1]

I see Leanne is the Vice president of Technical Affairs, thank you.

 

At SQFI not NSF.   Just like food manufactures have to follow SQF guidleines in order to be certified, so do certification bodies and auditors to conduct audits.  if they have / are acting inappororiatley SQFI will straighten them out.   

[jfrey123]

A critical for physically catching the mouse instead of letting it find it's way to a tin can...?  Yeah, I'd be arguing all day long.  "Our employee is so dedicated to food safety that when they observed a rodent near a silo, they leapt into action to apprehend the vile vermin, thus preventing it's intrusion into a product handling area!"

[Setanta]

A critical for physically catching the mouse instead of letting it find it's way to a tin can...?  Yeah, I'd be arguing all day long.  "Our employee is so dedicated to food safety that when they observed a rodent near a silo, they leapt into action to apprehend the vile vermin, thus preventing it's intrusion into a product handling area!"

 

 

HERO!

[swebster]

The "silo" I was referring to is a smaller transfer silo inside. It is the opposite side of the facility as the production area. 

[MDaleDDF]

If one of my team literally carried a mouse over to me while I was talking to an auditor, I'd probably kill the mouse and employee both on site....lol....

[swebster]

OMG!! I ABOUT DIED!! Took me so much to keep my cool. I immediately told the employee, get that thing outside, take your gloves off and wash your hands NOW! I was very assertive but it still happened. 

[jfrey123]

If one of my team literally carried a mouse over to me while I was talking to an auditor, I'd probably kill the mouse and employee both on site....lol....

 

Don't get me wrong, I'd have management build a woodshed in order for me to have a place to drag the employee to for us to... talk.  But that would be after the fact.  I've got a saying: "The luck of the auditor."  No matter how well prepped my facility is, no matter how much work we've done to get things in order, there's always going to be the craziest one-off weird thing that happens that we couldn't have prepared for.

 

For our poor OP here, that was one of the employees walking up with a mouse caught by hand.  JFC, I feel for you OP!  But now, man, we gotta protect the company and come up with the most awesome explanation of how this is actually proof our training, culture and SOP's have come together to prevent a food safety issue from occurring.

 

I'd have so much fun writing up drafts of the CAPA for this finding.  "Employee has undergone retraining to exit the rear of the facility and catapult any captured rodents into the next zip code with a new company provided slingshot."

[ChristinaK]

Definitely contact SQFI at this point. I'd ask to submit a formal complaint against NSF, as well.

 

I hope you've taken a second look at your pest control program and/or pest control company, though. And definitely retrain that employee so he knows to never do that again! Yikes.

[swebster]

Absolutely, all employees have been trained on the importance of pest control and food safety, proper cleaning procedures and were supplied with new equipment to do this. The pest control provider has been in contact and working along side of us as well as our landlord (which is a huge feat in its own). I have submitted a complaint with NSF executive level and also with SQFI compliance department. 

 

They got back and said they could do April 18th (10 days after our prior certificate expires), we told them absolutely not. After this interaction the escalated complaints were submitted and now they came back with the 4th. 

 

It is ridiculous how hard one must push to get them to do their job! My issue is that if I didn't have my CARs in within a certain time frame our certificate would be yanked but they don't follow their own standards. 60 days for the follow-up which they have surpassed and there is no reprimanding for them.

[ChristinaK]

That sounds so frustrating. If I were you, I would look into another CB for your next-year's re-certification audit. If you were using NSF because of a customer requirement (recommended CB list or whatever), I would inform the customer that you are switching CB's and why, as well.

 

I used NSF for our BRC audits at my last place and never had a huge problem with them. Had one year where the technical reviewer actually dropped one of our NC's because the auditor "double-dipped" so to speak. I thought the auditor was tough, but fair overall, and their customer service was always exceptional, IME. It's shocking to me that they put you through this, honestly.

[swebster]

Yes we are looking into changing CB's. Does anyone have one they would recommend over the many there are. We are curently with NSF, just the last few audits I feel like there is something lacking internally on their end. ITS SO FRUSTRATING!

[Setanta]

OMG!! I ABOUT DIED!! Took me so much to keep my cool. I immediately told the employee, get that thing outside, take your gloves off and wash your hands NOW! I was very assertive but it still happened. 

 

 

GOOD LORD!  I admit I skimmed that, and I thought he just found it, NOT that he presented it to you in front of the auditor. 

I take back my hero comment, that's a sabotage!!!!

 

Years ago, prior to SQF, I was a tag along on an audit where an employee casually mentioned to the auditor, that "the metal detector didn't always work", which was BS. The metal detector did work, but the employee liked to make everything dramatic. There was a serious talking to with that person. And that audit was a failure.