I have not heard of this regarding an official standard (BRC, ISO22000) but I have experienced this from customer audits, UK retailers can be very mean & sometimes downright petty.... not going to name & shame but there are some auditors I hope to never ever meet again......
For instance - the auditor finds an old version of a controlled document in use..... then 2hrs later another different document (old version) & then later in the day two or three more documents, old versions in use.... and so it goes on.
The auditor then decides that your document control procedure is not just a little out of control, but it is a lot out of control.... in fact there is a "pattern" of no "control" which then instigates a major NCF showing that although it's the same NCF, it has occurred on multiple occasions & it's effect is widespread. This is particularly relevant where an 'improvement action' or recommendation has been given previously, but the factory being audited has chosen to ignore this advice.
Whilst I don't agree with it, sometimes this needs to happen to show senior management, and their staff, that much more control is needed in some areas which they have judged to be "unimportant".
Everybody knows, through their personal experience, observations & audits where their factory is weak (eg. condition of cleaning equipment, paperwork sign off, document control PPE compliance etc.) & it really is worth looking at these areas prior to any audit - plus speaking to the appropriate staff, to bring activities back under control before a little issue turns into a big problem.
Edited by Lesley.Roberts, 27 November 2018 - 03:52 PM.