Meat&Poultry -- September 2014 - 58

Complete &
Dependable
Protection

SQF AUDITS

Protect your equipment
and keep your product
pure.

Suppliers also have the option of

having consulting firms perform un-

negotiating black-out dates with their

announced second-party audits to as-

Certification Body to define one or

sess their true readiness for an unan-

two weeks when the unannounced

nounced audit. In light of the recent

audit should not occur within that 60-

events involving a Chinese meat-pro-

day window in the event that the fa-

cessing company headquartered in the

cility may not be operating, seasonal

US and huge fines of a California meat

production issues or if key staff are

and poultry distributor, it is certain-

not available. SQF audits are typically

ly a good idea to have unannounced

two to three days at least so you also

second- and/or third-party audits to

know if the auditor has not arrived by

assess the true operating conditions

Wednesday in a particular week, the

within a facility.

audit is not likely to happen that week.

LeAnn Chuboff, senior technical

So you could go as far to narrow the

director of SQFI, states, "Being au-

potential days down from 60 days to

dit-ready is more than just the sum

consider there are 40 production days

of the parts, more than having your

within those two months, remove 10

programs in place, your equipment

days with potential black-out dates, re-

cleaned, your employees coached,

move 16 days for Thursdays and Fri-

etc. Being audit-ready means having

days over the eight-week period, then

an organization that is firing on all

it really leaves 24 potential days that

cylinders supported by a culture of

that unannounced audit will occur.

meatLINE™ Metal Detector

proactive excellence."

SQF has published information re-

Suppliers should not dread the un-

cess that includes a list of expectations

announced audit process. Suppliers

for suppliers and expectations for au-

should use this process as a motivator

ditors. SQF has clearly instructed au-

to assure they are indeed audit-ready,

ditors that plant inspections should

every day. This process is good for all

start within 60 minutes of arrival at

stakeholders involved to assure the in-

the facility to get a realistic picture of

tegrity of the system and promote con-

plant conditions and record keeping

tinuous compliance and approval. Our

practices during unannounced audits.

food-safety and quality-management

SQF also makes it clear in the code

systems must be able to withstand in-

that if suppliers choose to deny entry

spections of any type at any time to

to the auditor at the unannounced au-

Magnetic Liquid Traps

In conclusion, SQF Certified

garding the unannounced audit pro-

truly be successful. ■

dit, your SQF certificate will be immediately suspended.
©2014 Bunting Magnetics Co.

58

Some proactive suppliers are

* Meat&Poultry * September 2014 * www.MeatPoultry.com

Jeff Chilton is President of Chilton Consulting
Group and is a Certified SQF Auditor, SQF
Consultant and SQF Trainer.
http://www.buntingmagnetics.com http://www.MeatPoultry.com
Meat&Poultry -- September 2014

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