Can Scheduled Audits Block Unannounced SQF Visits?
Hi!
My facilities do cGMP, SQF, and organic audits. This is our 2nd year doing SQF with the Costco addendum everything is unannounced this year. I have already scheduled my cGMP and organic audits this year but some of them fall in the window of unannounced inspection for SQF. Does my CB have to honor those already scheduled? My fear is I am in the middle of cGMP and have to drop everything because SQF showed up. Any advice is much appreciated!
My fear is I am in the middle of cGMP and have to drop everything because SQF showed up. Any advice is much appreciated!
Your fear is warranted; it can (and does kind of often) happen. I believe NonGMO said he had 3 in one day or something nuts?
I had an unannounced check up from the Rabbi to verify my Kosher program/labels right in the middle of my unannounced SQF audit this past year. I gave the Rabbi the option of having our V.P. of ops walk him through (who is more than capable) but he decided he'd come back.
Auditors are pretty understanding, but you should have a plan of action ahead of time if you get 2 auditors showing on the same day/week. Probably goes without saying, but telling an auditor he can't audit because a more important auditor is there is NOT a good plan of action. :roflmao:
I concur with TimG.
I had the state department of agriculture to perform an audit for the FDA, when I had just seated my SQF auditor. The state rep came back the following week.
If SQF shows up, you will be dropping everything to attend to them or you will be failing your audit. It is spelled out there. Do not delay them at all.
I concur with TimG.
I had the state department of agriculture to perform an audit for the FDA, when I had just seated my SQF auditor. The state rep came back the following week.
If SQF shows up, you will be dropping everything to attend to them or you will be failing your audit. It is spelled out there. Do not delay them at all.
Happened at one of my sites this year too. The state/Fedbois get the second most senior rep who can properly answer their questions, while your senior most and majority of the team stick with the SQF auditor. Gov inspectors are slow anyway, and mostly can be handled with a couple of random SOPs or forms and someone to follow and swab sites they might choose to swab. Your SQF auditor though needs your full attention, but they're usually understanding when you need to leave the room for a few minutes to deal with an issue.
Just don't leave them sitting alone with a consultant like one of my clients did. 5 different people left the conference table to "go find those... other... documents we need...." *facepalm* Auditor waited a solid 15 minutes before telling me she's going to start marking n/c's. I told her I think they deserve the n/c's, but I also took the hint to go find everyone and get their asses back to the table.
Regarding SCHEDULED audits in unannounced audit window - We receive notification from our CB with our audit window dates (6-8 weeks from memory) and they ask if we would like to request any blackout dates during that window for when the audit cannot be completed. We have to provide a reason for the request. We have requested black out dates once for supplier audits and did not have the CB show up on that day. This was for FSSC22000 but would assume that all CB / certification schemes would be the same.
I would contact SQF and blackout the dates of the scheduled audit. I believe its a legitimate reason as the SQFP and backup are working however they are very busy.