Nonconformance, Hold and Corrective Action Procedure

Purpose. Describes how nonconforming raw materials, batches, precast elements and customer complaints are identified, held, recorded, dispositioned and corrected so that nonconforming product does not reach customers.

1.Scope

This procedure applies to any raw material, in-process batch, finished product or precast element that does not meet the specification, the drawing or the customer order, and to any customer complaint about product. It applies at all three sites.

2.Identifying and holding

Any worker who finds a nonconformance must stop the affected process, attach a hold tag to the material or element and inform the supervisor. Held product must be moved to the quarantine bay or hold area and must not be dispatched or used until a disposition is recorded.

3.Recording

The supervisor or laboratory technician must raise a nonconformance report in the quality test register within the shift. The report must identify the product, batch number, quantity, the specification requirement, the actual result and the immediate containment action.

4.Disposition

The Quality and Laboratory Manager will decide the disposition and record it in the register. Rework must follow a written rework instruction and the reworked product must be retested. Concessions must be agreed with the customer in writing. Scrap must be disposed of through the waste procedure and the quantity recorded.

• Rework to specification and retest
• Regrade to a lower specification product
• Concession agreed with the customer in writing
• Return to supplier
• Scrap

5.Root cause and corrective action

For every nonconformance rated medium or higher and for every customer complaint, the department must complete a root cause analysis using a structured tool such as five whys or a cause and effect diagram. Corrective actions must address the root cause, have an owner and a due date and be verified as effective before the report is closed.

6.Trending and review

The Quality and Laboratory Manager will trend nonconformances and complaints by product, cause and department and present the trend at the monthly quality, safety and environment review. Repeat nonconformances must be escalated for a structured improvement project.