LPA Implementation Guide ~ Steps 6 through 10

The LPA Implementation Guide

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6) What processes and operations are at highest risk for quality problems? - Write audit questions to address all high risk process elements. (Writing a definition of high risk for your facility will be very helpful)

Reasons - Questions for process audits should verify that the environment of the element or elements being audited are correct to produce quality products.

Options - A. Choose processes known by supervision, technicians, maintenance, and operators that have unstable variation.; B. Select areas on FMEAs that have a high risk priority number (RPN).; C. Utilize D-6 of the 8-D process: confirmation that the fixes implemented via corrective action remain in place and working by using the same indicator (metric) that demonstrated the problem.

Best Practices - Utilize all the options listed to develop questions. Questions
should be written so that the answer is yes or no. Yes indicates conformance and no indicates nonconformance. Use the What, How, and Why format when writing each
question.

7) What mistake proofing devices are at high risk areas for quality problems? - Write audit questions to address all high risk mistake proofing devices.

Reasons - Mistake proofing audit questions should verify that the error proofing devices will catch defective production conditions or defective products.

Options - A. Choose mistake proofing devices known by supervision, technicians, maintenance, and operators that have continual variation.
B. Select mistake proof devices noted on Control Plans that have a high severity number.
C. Utilize D-6 of the 8-D process: confirmation of validation that the fix of the escape point (mistake proofing device) at the control point identified in the corrective action remains in place and working by using the same indicator (metric) that demonstrated the problem.

Best Practices - Utilize all the options listed to develop mistake proofing questions. Questions should be written so that the answer is yes or no. Yes indicates  conformance and no indicates nonconformance. Use the What, How, and Why
format when writing each question.

8) How should you divide the questions into audit areas? - Divide the process and
error proofing questions into unique audits for the different secondary units you selected in
step 5.

Reasons - Creating unique audits for process and error proofing in secondary units that can be completed in less than fifteen minutes will ensure auditors are not overburdened and that both audit types can be addressed by experts..

Options - A. Create separate unique Error Proofing audits and Process audits for each audit area.
B. Build audits with both Error Proofing and Process questions for each areas.

Best Practices - Creating each unique audit with an average of 3 to 9 questions
and make sure that each audit requires fifteen minutes or less to complete. Forming audits with only Error Proofing questions allows you to assign these audits to auditors with unique skills and could reduce training time. (Note: the same audits will be performed and the same audit questions will be asked by the auditors on each
layer.)

9) How many audit layers should be created? - Determine the number of management layers that will conduct the audits.

Reasons - The number of layers will very greatly and depend on the management structure in the facility, as well as the span of authority for each structural level.
LPA systems must have at least two layers of auditors. The different layers will
complete the same audits with the same set of standard questions in each unique
audit.

Options - A. One layer (not recommended); B. Two layers; C. Three layers or more

Best Practices - Two or more layers, but you need to identify the value you expect to gain for each additional layer beyond two.

10) How frequently should each layer be audited? - Decide the frequency of
each layer and the time allowed to complete each assigned audit.

Reasons - Completing Layer 1 audits every shift will allow you to limit the exposure of a quality problem to a single shift.
The frequency and time to complete audits for layers other than layer 1 should be decided by the implementation team with the understanding that the increased
frequency will add value by improving quality.
The Layer of auditors that includes the Plant Manager must complete at least one audit a week and may be given up to 5 days to complete their audits.
Auditors in layers above 1 participate in order to gain knowledge about the
processes being audited, insure that those processes are functioning correctly at that time, the time of the audit.
Learn if Layer 1 audits are being completed, and give upper management the opportunity to build a relationship with all workers to help improve all aspects of the processes (safety, quality, cost, delivery).

Options  - A. Layer 1 audits must be completed every shift everyday.
B. Layer 2 audits may be 1 or 2 a week and given from 2 to 5 days to complete.
C. Layer 3 is usually scheduled once a week and given 3 to 5 days to complete.
D. Higher layers may be scheduled weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or quarterly.

Best Practices - Layer 1 audits must be completed every shift everyday. Layer 2
auditors complete 1 or 2 a week and are given from 2 to 5 days to complete. Layer 3 auditors are usually scheduled once a week and given 3 to 5 days to complete.
Higher layers may be scheduled weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Your LPA system must not become a head hunting expedition to discover who is not doing something correctly or to place blame.

Go to Steps 1 through 5

Go to Steps 11 through 15

Go to Steps 16 through 19