A quality audit at a manufacturing company – how to prepare for it?
There’s one week left until the company’s quality audit. Before the auditor’s visit, we need to check that the manuals are up to date, compile the documentation, verify training records, and ensure that employees are familiar with the applicable procedures. The problem is that some of the documents are stored in binders, and training records were entered late. How many people will be assigned to organize the documents? How will this affect operations? And does preparing for a quality audit at a manufacturing company always have to be this way? Find out what a quality audit in manufacturing entails and how to prepare your facility to avoid a last-minute scramble to catch up.
What is a quality audit in a manufacturing company?
A quality audit is a systematic, independent, and documented assessment of whether processes, work practices, and results meet the requirements set forth in standards, the organization’s internal procedures, or agreements with clients.
An audit at a manufacturing facility is not limited to reviewing documentation. The auditor may also observe operations on the production floor, speak with employees, conduct interviews using a checklist, and verify whether the practices in place comply with applicable instructions.
Depending on the purpose of the audit and the entity conducting the assessment, the following categories are distinguished:
- internal quality audit – conducted by an organization or on its behalf, used to assess the compliance of processes and identify opportunities for improvement;
- external quality audit – conducted, for example, by a client, a certification body, or another external entity.
It is important to distinguish between a production audit and ongoing quality control. Quality control focuses primarily on inspecting products and their specifications, while an audit also evaluates processes and organizational solutions.
What areas might be reviewed during a quality audit?
The scope of a quality audit depends on its purpose, the type of production, and the criteria adopted. The areas most commonly verified are:
- documentation – the existence, accessibility, and up-to-date status of procedures, job instructions, health and safety guidelines, and other documents;
- production processes – compliance of performed activities with established standards;
- competencies – qualifications, required skills, and certifications;
- training – training programs, dates, and certificates of completion;
- quality documentation – inspection results, forms, records, and reports;
- nonconformities – methods for identifying problems and taking corrective actions;
- previous audits – implementation of recommendations and effectiveness of implemented actions.
How to prepare your company for a quality audit, step by step?
A production audit includes both administrative checks related to documentation and verification of the plant’s actual operations. How should a company prepare for a quality audit?
What mistakes should you avoid before a quality audit?
What does the period right before a quality audit look like in most manufacturing companies? Everyone is in a panic—which is no surprise if there hasn’t been any regular internal oversight up to that point.
The quality department starts going through the files and discovers that some of the instructions are out of date, while certain training certificates are nowhere to be found. The production manager has to determine whether all operators are familiar with the current procedures, and the HR department checks whether all required training and certifications are up to date.
All these backlogs must be cleared up quickly. Employees are pulled away from their duties, and documentation is completed in a rush. Production efficiency drops, and the risk of errors increases. The resulting decline in plant efficiency over several days may have fewer consequences than a negative audit result. However, by avoiding basic organizational mistakes, the company can avoid incurring such costs altogether.
The most common mistakes include:
- outdated instructions,
- lack of training certificates,
- discrepancies between procedure and practice,
- outdated certifications,
- lack of corrective actions following previous audits.
Most of these errors can be easily avoided through systematic monitoring of documentation, competencies, and processes.
How does noSilo help keep a company ready for a quality audit?
The noSilo system is a solution that makes preparing your company for a quality audit a mere formality. This is all thanks to the centralization of documentation and the automation of employee management tasks.
- The online knowledge base provides employees with constant access to up-to-date job instructions and training materials right at their workstation.
- The training management system allows you to prepare training on a revised procedure, administer a knowledge test, and maintain a record of completion.
- Competency matrix make it possible to assess employee competencies and identify skill gaps.
- Checklists, used to verify acquired competencies, help monitor the completion of required tasks and collect confirmation of their completion.
- Checklists and tests created for internal audits allow for regular assessment of knowledge of procedures.
All information is available in a single online system, covering all areas of the organization. There’s no need to worry that a single missing document will prevent the company from passing a quality audit.
A quality audit at a manufacturing company doesn’t have to mean weeks of stressful preparation. With the help of noSilo, an organization can systematically organize its documentation, develop employee skills, and verify compliance with standards – all while saving time, reducing the risk of non-compliance, and maintaining constant readiness for an audit.
FAQ
The scope of the documentation depends on the audit criteria. Typically, you should prepare up-to-date procedures, job instructions, quality control records, training certificates, competency documentation, and reports from previous audits and corrective actions.
The audit is typically attended by representatives from the quality department, production managers, the owners of the audited processes, and employees responsible for the areas being assessed.
Yes. Interviews with employees are one way to gather audit evidence. The auditor may ask about the tasks performed, applicable instructions, safety rules, or procedures to follow if a nonconformity is detected.
The frequency of internal audits is determined by the organization. Standards do not prescribe the frequency of audits. However, during the planning process, it is important to consider the significance of the processes, the risks involved, and the results of previous audits in the relevant areas.
Once a nonconformity is identified, you should assess the problem, take appropriate measures to mitigate its effects, and eliminate the possible causes. Next, you must implement corrective actions, document the process, and verify the effectiveness of the solutions implemented.
Bibliography:
https://mfiles.pl/pl/index.php/Audyt_jako%C5%9Bci;
https://committee.iso.org/files/live/sites/tc176/files/PDF%20APG%20New%20Disclaimer%2012-2023/ISO-TC%20176-TF_APG-InternalAudit.pdf;
https://www.iso.org/quality-management/quality-assurance.
Mariusz knows HR like few others, but he’s also drawn to industry and technology. He writes about digital tools in a way that ensures everyone - from HR specialists to shift managers - understands how they can make day-to-day work easier.
He combines knowledge of HR processes with an understanding of industrial realities, allowing him to demonstrate how HR tools work on the factory floor, not just in theory. A jack-of-all-trades who can weave onboarding, skills development, and industrial realities into a single, compelling narrative.
