What is the difference between a Critical and Major Non-Conformance?

What are critical non-conformance?? and what is the difference between Critical Non Conformance and Major Non Conformance?? Give Practical examples,,if possible..

What are critical non-conformance?? and what is the difference between Critical Non Conformance and Major Non Conformance?? Give Practical examples,,if possible..

It can vary some degree from standard to standard and by registrar but it was described to us by our auditor as the following (I threw in minor):

Minor Non Conformance - Failure to follow a system or process that would not lead to a food safety breach

Major Non Conformance - Failure of a system or process that could lead to a breach of food safety

Critical Non Conformance - Failure of a system or process that has lead to a breach of food safety

Examples could be a bit dangerous because it is open to interpretation and the actual situation.

The auditor explained it by saying if a critical non conformance was found during the audit they would request the system or process be stopped and an immeadiate containment would be needed along with a temporary correction until resolution occured.

A major may require containment depending on the situation but could likely be corrected on the spot and require a system change to prevent further issue.

Jawwad:

Just to share with you the definitions I have:

(1) CRITICAL: A severe deviation from planned requirements such that maintenance of safety is impacted. Critical non-conformance represents a very significant omission or failure in the food safety system, one that has a direct and adverse effect on the safety of the product.

(2) MAJOR: A significant deviation from planned requirements such that maintenance of safety in inhibited. It represents an unacceptable safety risk without constituting an overall system failure in the area concerned.

(3) MINOR: A deviation of the HACCP-based system relative to HACCP procedures & facility sanitation or others, which are not likely to reduce materially the facility’s ability to meet acceptable sanitation requirements or ensure food safety.

(4) OBSERVATION: A recommendation given to effect an improvement.


Yong

Dear Jawwad,

As you can see from the above, there are various interpretations of such criteria, typically depending on the source and maybe the process. From memory, Yong's definitions are typical USFDA type "flavour".

You asked for an example, well, in many factory audit templates, a water (or ice) supply which is considered by an inspector to be unsafe is a critical NCR for seafood production. In this respect, basic utilities are often considered "guilty" unless they can be demonstrated to be "innocent", eg by documented/validated data.

Rgds / Charles.C

Thanks to all of u for considering my query and prompt responses.

What are critical non-conformance?? and what is the difference between Critical Non Conformance and Major Non Conformance?? Give Practical examples,,if possible..

According to BRC:

Critical - Failure to comply with food safety or legal requirement
Major - Failure to meet the statement of intent or any clause of the standard and/or where based on the evidence available there is a doubt as to the conformity of the product being supplied
Minor - Product conformity is not in doubt but absolute compliance to statement of intent hasn't been met and/or the clause has not been met on the basis of objective evidence

Regards,

Tony

This topic has really helped. Thank you all for all of your input.

 

I am currently involved in developing a Supplier Evaluation Program and have been struggling how to define major vs. minor. And how to give specific examples and/or list for major vs. minors.

 

 

Side Note:

Does anyone rank thier customer? This would be used to help identify the customer with supplier and who are the customers you want to please and go "above and beyond."

 

Regards,

PB