Beacon Quality Blog

The unique value of layered process audits (LPAs) stems from building an effective layering system where you have fresh eyes conducting audits on a consistent basis. LPAs involve employees from all levels of an organization, from operators to senior management, who devote periodic attention to core processes. Unfortunately, what makes LPAs so beneficial to your organization also makes them cumbersome—as the sheer number of audits and auditors involved can create scheduling headaches.

The good news is that you can reduce the time-consuming tasks associated with assigning and scheduling audits by using audit management software. For example, you can easily build a schedule where first-level supervisors are performing audits on every shift while top-level management representatives, such as a plant manager, complete at least one audit per week.

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In today’s competitive environment, manufacturers are more focused than ever on delivering high-quality products while reducing costs. Unfortunately, too often efforts are driven by a skewed perception of how best to achieve this goal. This is because many manufacturers pay greater attention to the cost of poor quality (CoPQ), comprising internal and external failure costs, over the cost of good quality (CoGQ), comprising proactive prevention and appraisal costs. As a result, they make reactive investments that yield less return and later prove to be insufficient.

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As we have discussed to great lengths, effective safety performance is built on a foundation of involved safety leadership from the top down, and engaged safety activity from the ground up. It sounds great in principle—and perhaps simple, but in reality is a lot more challenging in execution.

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