ISO Audit Time Again
By aejey322
@aejey322 (1004)
Philippines
August 13, 2012 2:01am CST
We conduct internal audits in our company for twice a year. This is for our ISO Quality Management System. I do not know if it's right to say fortunately or unfortunately, that I am one of the internal auditors. We do this every February/March and August/September of each year.
We have just finished our Auditors' meeting and I am assigned to audit our HR and Engineering departments. It is quite difficult to do audits especially if you are assigned to departments who are very closed minded. You really need to defend your findings. But really, auditing is not to find fault, but merely to check if the system is still running effectively. Yet, people tend to put in their minds that auditing is finding fault. SO when the audit starts, auditees seem to be very defensive. But I do auditing in a light mood so the auditees will be comfortable enough to provide you with all the materials you need.
I'll be getting busy starting tomorrow, until next week.
Actually, I am not posting this just because I am excited about the activity. But because I am worried I might be giving lesser time to be here on mylot. lol... I'm gonna miss you guys!
8 responses
@Fulltank (2882)
• Philippines
13 Aug 12
I would recommend to you to please focused on your job first before myLot. The money your earn on it is much bigger compared here. Company audits are part of the job and we should not take it lightly. Its one of the reasons of customer loss if you fail on Audits such as ISO. myLot community is still here waiting for your return. I've been in a similar situation (living myLot for almost three years) an comeback to have a new fun and many post as I can.
@abitcurious (1422)
• Philippines
14 Aug 12
Yess me too. Gone from mylot for three years and decided to come back!
@Fulltank (2882)
• Philippines
14 Aug 12
I know one or two about ISO audits since I'm engage too here in my company. Actually, we already outgrown ISO and move to the more difficult one which is the TS16949 which is an automotive standard. Just finished our surveillance audit several weeks ago and we don't have major NCR, and only few minor ones.
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
13 Aug 12
I know the feeling of auditing the company you too are employed.
Your office mates will feel like you are finding faults with their work. But i guess it wouldn't be like that if you will tell them that you are just doing your job and doing it to correct whatever lapses that there might be.
Focus on your job and just be back here when you are done with your audit. We are all like that, we always go back here. 
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
14 Aug 12
Of course my friend, your finding will prevail because it's in accordance with ISO. What for is your company's accreditation with ISO, if it will not be practiced? 
@aejey322 (1004)
• Philippines
14 Aug 12
you are right. but it's good that the departments i am being assigned to are having the same department head and is supportive to ISO. I found some system errors with their procedures when I audited them today. but they are open to admit it and even was thankful so they can immediately correct them.
i've experienced last year in another department where they are really resistant to accept the findings. until i was forced to elevate the issue for our Management Review Committee (composed of all department heads and top management) to decide. In the end, my finding still prevailed.
@shylade (3132)
• Philippines
14 Aug 12
What industry are you in? I am also an Internal Auditor and a the Document Custodian here. But ours is not yet certified but we are already implementing ISO. One of our plant is already ISO certified and our plant here is yet to be certified. Anyway, they say being Auditor is must easier than being the Auditee but like you I find it difficult too. Especially if you are dealing with people who doesn't cooperate. haha. Good luck to you and I know you will really be busy.
@aejey322 (1004)
• Philippines
14 Aug 12
we export banana and pines. we have been ISO-certified since 2000 I think. But I joined the company in 2001.
I have just finished one department today. But i need to clarify some things tomorrow, because the department head will be available by tomorrow yet.
It was a bit stressful so I decided to open mylot and check. Being here makes me relax. ;)
@asdomencil (4265)
• Philippines
14 Aug 12
I know what you feel right now. I am a QMR in our company. I am just curious that the audit in your part took a week to finish.
You are right it is really hard to audit defensive auditees. This only means that there are something they are hiding in the system. Furthermore, they don't want to commit nonconformities since it is really hard to conduct the root cause analysis.
Your company is still lean when it comes to auditing. In our case, we conduct internal audit every 4 months. Furthermore, an external audit of twice a year is also conducted.
@aejey322 (1004)
• Philippines
14 Aug 12
The audit actually will only take place a day or two for each department. And I am assigned with two. It will be a long weekend holiday here (Friday to Tuesday) so I mentioned that I will be busy until next week, because next week will be our closing meetings. ;)
so you do quarterly audits? yes, we only do it twice. and one external audit, usually falls in the month of April. we have just been audited by Bureau Veritas for re-certification last April.
@abitcurious (1422)
• Philippines
14 Aug 12
NOthing really beats the excitement you get when you're about to do something that you know you're good at. Probably makes you a better auditor knowing that despite the apprehensions, you can still do your job. Only means one thing: you liiiike your job. For that kudos! It's not easy to find a job that you'll both like and be good at.
@aejey322 (1004)
• Philippines
14 Aug 12
thank you! actually ISO auditing is not really my main job. ISO auditors in our company are composed of chosen supervisors and some managers who do the audit bi-annually. i've been with this team for 10 years now. whoa! but since it is not a regular (since it's only twice a year) activity, the excitement is there when schedule comes. especially when you are assigned to a department you know is quite challenging but auditees are participative enough to support you all the way.
@vidhyaprakash_2 (7116)
• India
14 Aug 12
Good to hear about this, don't get tensed and do your work properly. All the best.
ISO Auditing is quite common in most of the concerns and employees and employers will become quite tensed during the time of auditing. In the same way the auditors are also tensed. But all this persons must be relaxed and do their work normally without any tension. If we are correct in our work then there is no need to get tensed about this kind of auditing.
Each and every job is having its pros and cons and having difficult factors, but we have the ability to do our job in a good manner based on our skills. Don't get tensed with your job, due to the tension you will do some mistakes without your knowledge, if you are cool and do your work with your full interest with a cool mind, then you will do you work in a good manner and get appreciation for your job.
If you are in the higher position, be bold and do your work without nervous. Believe your self and take decisions based on the good things. Take proper break in your busy schedule to relax your self and do your work in casual way. All the days are same. Face everything normally and do your work properly. All the best.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
13 Aug 12
I was a bank manager for several years and I always encouraged my staff to be helpful for internal auditors. Afer all we all worked for the same company and if we had mistakes or were not doing something correctly we needed to correct these features before the government audits.
@minsupalar (5)
• Philippines
14 Aug 12
we will be missing you to ... good luck for your work i hope you will finished it soon so youn come back here
