horror stories in audit part 6

Location Calicut

Large Dairy. The auditor raised a query that the FSMS risk rating system should be mathematically modeled and the decision whether the food safety risk was significant or not should be taken based on a risk priority number (RPN).

        However the same hazard assessment had been cleared by their own audit team member for another location (unit of the same parent company) in the group.

        I checked the model he had suggested as a template. Even for the “yes or no” questions in the hazard assessment, you have to assign marks 1,5,10 depending on the assessment, multiply all numbers together and then arrive at an “RPN”.

         It was “pure mathematical magic” What is the purpose? The Lead Tutor from the same organisation, who taught us, had asked us to keep the rating model simple. The auditor can suggest anything and go away. The Food Safety team will then have to pointlessly waste their time (in calculations-like probability of earthquake or rains- for which super computers have to be used for).

         I believe the management systems are for “better practices” to be in built and control risks, not to make brilliant mathematics to impress and confuse.

Whither auditor consistency