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Standard Work Instruction Languages (IATF 16949 8.5.1.2)

Discussion in 'IATF 16949:2016 - Automotive Quality Systems' started by Jim TC, Mar 25, 2019.

  1. Jim TC

    Jim TC Member

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    We just completed our IATF surveillance audit and the auditor went out of her way to make a point that we have 3 languages on our production floor, but our standard work instructions are only in 2 languages. She did not write a finding, but said the requirement to have SWI's in the languages understood by responsible personnel (IATF 8.5.1.2) is being emphasized. If we don't follow up, we could have a nonconformance next year. To translate everything into a third language would be a large undertaking for us, and we are trying to figure out how to address it. What have others seen in regard to this? Have others had major or minor nonconformances related to SWI languages? What strategies are being applied to satisfy the requirement?
     
  2. John C. Abnet

    John C. Abnet Well-Known Member

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    Good day @Jim TC ;
    For the moment, please allow me to not consider the "major or minor" potentials.

    Instead, how does this directly impact your organization and its customers? Is it safe to assume that if any of the documentation in question was "wrong" or "gone" it could lead to a nonconformance (i.e. safety issue for an associate or product/service quality to your customers) ?

    Thanks in advance.
     
  3. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    It would be nice, wouldn't it, John? However, this is the message IATF auditors leave with clients: "If I find it next year, it's automatically a major"... Experience shows, none of that stuff about "investigating" the impact on quality matters two hoots. And I've seen the repercussions, up close and personal...
     
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  4. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    I could be exactly that. However, I have developed strategies with clients to get this kind of thing fixed based on some simple "risk based thinking" (to use a popular term) and translations these days can be pretty simple (if not always terribly accurate - but how would the auditor know?):D
     
  5. RoxaneB

    RoxaneB Moderator Staff Member

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    Is there an employee who can help translate?
     
  6. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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  7. RoxaneB

    RoxaneB Moderator Staff Member

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    Very true and perhaps that's a good first step or attempt. But Google doesn't always speak the right "language" - when we translated some documents from Portuguese into English for our steel company, it gave us words like "bowl" and "spoon", whereas at our North American plants, we said "ladle" and "bucket", respectively.

    Having an employee who speaks the language of the company can help to fine tune the instructions and may be be a good opportunity for someone who wants to grow within the company by taking on additional responsibilities.
     
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  8. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    Very true, of course. I was posting this, somewhat in the mode of "Audit Survival" in that addressing the auditor's concerns (when they failed to check if there were any adverse effects) would probably pass muster (and I doubt the auditor would have a clue how accurate they were!
     
  9. Serious Man

    Serious Man Active Member

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    Document language is not a problem.
    What about trainer, what about team leader questioned by one of foreigners during night shift over defected product?
    I've seen this and it was poor.
    Of course operator we can't communicate with is a low risk issue.
    Really?
     
  10. Jim TC

    Jim TC Member

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    To address the comments in total, we are strong in bilingual staff and have the capability to translate (or clean up Google's translation). Our training system is good overall. Operators are certified to each individual job, by part number and process. Training is conducted in the language of the trainee. The big concern is how big of a project we have ahead of us (maybe several hundred standard work instructions), when the reality is people know how to do their job because of the training. Yet the work instructions are viewed as a useful tool.
     
  11. RoxaneB

    RoxaneB Moderator Staff Member

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    What is the training based upon? Who does the training? What happens if a trainer or a new operator needs to reference the work instructions?

    Not knowing the format of your work instructions, the more pictures, the better, in my opinion. This can often be used to minimize translation issues.

    You could also try a small pilot area. See if the energy and resources used in adding the additional language have tangible and intangible benefits, and if these outcomes are worth expanding the approach across the rest of production.
     
  12. Andy Nichols

    Andy Nichols Moderator Staff Member

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    Apparently it IS!
     
  13. tony s

    tony s Well-Known Member

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    As long as the language used in the work instructions is easily understood by the personnel, there should be no problem. As an archipelago, the Philippines has 170 languages but when it comes to writing work instructions, procedures or manuals, even our laws and local ordinances, we officially use Filipino or English. Many organizations here are staffed with people from different places with different mother tongues. There are also organizations here with expatriates e.g. Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, Indians, etc. who work at the shop-floors. If an auditor would raise an issue about what must be the languages on our standardized work documents, then I will definitely push back.
     
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