In IAF MD 1:2018 Issue 2 is stated under chapter 7.3 “Calculation of Audit Time”:
…Unless precluded by specific schemes, the reduction of audit time per sampled site shall not be greater than 50%.
For example, 30% is the maximum reduction in audit time allowed by IAF MD 5 while 20% is to be considered the maximum reduction allowed for the single management system processes performed by the central function and any potential centralised processes (e.g. purchasing)….
The reduction of audit time per sampled site with different standards is stated as not to be greater than 50% (30% + 20%) according to IAF MD 1:2018 Issue 2. In fact, 50% time reduction per site with different standards based on IAF MD 5 calculation schemes for QMS and EMS does not lead to the same result as a first reduction of 30% applied per standard (and site) according to IAF MD 5:2015 issue 3 with a second additional reduction of 20% applied for similar standards (per site) according to IAF MD 11:2013/2019.
Should the calculation process for audit time reduction be splitted according to the different applicable IAF MD documents (eg: IAF MD 5 and IAF MD 11) or instead being summed up as suggested in IAF MD 1 chapter 7.3 in order to get a correct result?
March 2019
The requirements as stated in the IAF MD1:2018 7.3.1 is, “reduction of audit time per sampled site max 50%”.
Its composition can vary.
An example is indicated in 7.3.1, but there could be many of these.
IAF MD11:2019 is related to the level of integration of two or more sets of audit criteria/standards and its requirements are related for the “planning and delivery of audits of IMS” and therefore, defining if the audit team utilized to perform an audit of IMS, can be potentially be optimized and be more efficiently utilized during the auditing processes of IMS.
Therefore its impact in increase of audit time or decrease of audit time (max 20%), shall be considered after having applied IAF MD1:2018 and IAF MD 5:2015.The elements justifying reduction in each MD are quite separate:
- MD5 for the characteristics of the organisation
- MD1 for the logistics and needs of assessing a single management system across many sites
- MD11 for the practical benefits of assessing an integrated system where the common aspects need not to be repeated for each MS standard.
Any reduction justified because of integration efficiencies, is completely unconnected with the other considerations.
See also Question 37.23