COVID-19
On-site audit
Is the on-site audit different in this crisis?
Valid for all standards in the field of management systems (status as of 1 April 2020)
Answer
The official and company regulations are always observed during the audit (hygiene measures, minimum distance). This is reflected in the audit process:
1. The auditor and the audited persons are provided with masks, if available on site, as a precautionary measure.
2. The opening and closing discussion of the audit takes place with a limited number of participants (max. 3-5 persons).
3. The audit sequences are carried out with a minimum of staff on site, keeping a distance of 2 m.
4. For audit sequences in production: Interviews with employees on site are kept to a minimum. The safety distance is always maintained. We act on site according to the situation and with caution.
5. Lunch is organised on a small scale.
6. The rules of the standard owner are continuously observed.
7. Any deviation from normal practice is noted by the auditor in the ProCert Portal (under changes to the audit plan).
Remote audit
Interruption, reduction or temporary termination of production
We had to temporarily stop production. Will ProCert suspend our certificate?
Valid for all standards in the field of management systems (status as of 1 April 2020)
Answer
NO. A risk assessment may be requested by ProCert followed by a possible on-site audit at the time of the production start. ProCert must be kept informed of shutdowns and production starts (according to the certification regulations).
We are producing, but part of our production is discontinued. Can the audit be carried out under these conditions?
Valid for all standards in the field of management systems (status as of 1 April 2020)
Answer
YES. The audit can take place. The auditor decides on site on the definition of possible exclusions. The scope of the new certificate will be adjusted accordingly and an additional audit may be required.
Postponement of the audit and consequences
We'll have a surveillance audit soon. Can I postpone it?
Valid for all standards in the field of management systems (status as of 1 April 2020)
Answer
YES. If the reason for the deferral is related to VIDOC-19 and the evaluation concludes with a possible deferral of up to 6 months, but it is also possible to do it remotely, if the evaluation is positive.
The audit of my site is planned in the coming weeks, will ProCert postpone it?
Valid for all standards in the field of management systems (status as of 1 April 2020)
Answer
NO. ProCert does not postpone an audit by default. The auditor's schedule is very busy, so a postponement is only considered as a last resort.
We work to ensure that planned audits can be maintained while safeguarding the health of our auditors (compliance with national regulations) and your own access restrictions to the sites.
What are the consequences if I postpone my audit to June or later?
Valid for all standards in the field of management systems (status as of 1 April 2020)
Answer
In this case we will immediately offer you a new audit slot between July and August 2020. This range is potentially the only one that guarantees an audit during the year. We cannot guarantee an audit in 2020 if all our clients postpone their audits.
The audit of my site has been postponed, do I still have to comply with the requirements of the standard(s)?
Valid for all standards in the field of management systems (status as of 1 April 2020)
Answer
YES. Continued compliance with the requirements of the standard is essential to maintain certification, as contractually stipulated. The actions implemented by your site during the Coronavirus crisis will be verified at the latest during the next evaluation, whatever its form.
Expiry of the certificate
If my site could not be audited due to COVID-19 and my certificate is about to expire, is it possible to extend its validity without prior audit/assessment?
Valid for all standards in the field of management systems (status as of 1 April 2020)
Answer
YES. On request and only if you have a ProCert certificate. It is the current certifying body that can extend your certificate. An extension of 6 months is proposed, without an audit. However, a risk assessment by ProCert must be conducted.
Extension of certificate
Our site would like to extend the certificate. Will we automatically receive a new certificate?
Valid for all standards in the field of management systems (status as of 1 April 2020)
Answer
NO. A risk assessment is required to ensure that your system is functioning properly. ProCert has drafted a procedure which is available to clients: the procedure is composed of the following steps:
1. Risk assessment
1.1 Part completed by you, also submitting documents and records to us and
1.2 Part completed by ProCert
2. Decision by ProCert to extend or not. An interview is conducted to support the decision.
Is the result of this risk assessment shared with the standard holders or the SAS?
Valid for all standards in the field of management systems (status as of 1 April 2020)
Answer
YES. This assessment, if applicable, must be uploaded to the standards holder portal. Our Accreditation Department must access it in order to verify the correctness of our decision.