S. Internal Audit¶
1. Purpose¶
Seacoast, Inc. will conduct an internal audit annually to evaluate compliance, effectiveness and implementation of the quality management system.
2. Definitions¶
For readability, this section uses the following definitions and abbreviations.
- 2.1 MRM: A periodic meeting conducted by executive management to review the quality management system's performance, audit findings, corrective actions, and continuous improvement opportunities.
3. References¶
- 3.1 Seacoast Inc. Quality Control Plan (Section A)
- 3.2 AISC Certification Program for Steel Bridge Fabricators
4. Responsibilities¶
- 4.1 Owner of Process: The management representative will review and approve any changes to this procedure. The procedures will be reviewed periodically at a minimum annually.
- 4.2 Quality Control (Manager): The quality control manager will approve the final procedures before deployed to the Quality Manual.
- 4.3 Internal Auditor(s): The auditor is responsible for following this procedure and conducting the internal audit.
- 4.4 Management Representative: Responsible to review the results of the audit and plan corrective action for any deficiencies identified. The management representative is also responsible to report any notable internal audit results to the management team.
5. Quality Records¶
Unless otherwise noted, all Quality Records follow the Seacoast "Policy for Maintenance of Quality Records" documented in the QCM Quality Control Plan (Section A-page 13)
- 5.1 Internal Audit Results: 2 years
6. Documentation¶
6.1 Conducting the Internal Audit¶
An internal audit of the quality management system is conducted annually. This audit evaluates the compliance and the effectiveness of the quality management system.
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | The management representative sets the start date and due date for the internal audit |
| 2 | The auditor collects the internal audit matrix (file) located on the Seacoast server under \\si-server\Shared\AISC\Fabricator\Audits - Internal |
| 3 | The auditor compares the internal audit matrix and the current AISC Certification Program for Steel Bridge Fabricators. Any missing components are added to the internal audit matrix |
| 4 | The auditor conducts the audit. The internal audit includes the areas of review below but is not limited to these topics. The internal audit is guided specifically by the internal audit matrix which is governed by the current AISC program requirements, in general as follows |
| 5 | Complete the audit matrix and assign levels of compliance to the task referenced, i.e. Strong (green), Acceptable (blue) or Weak (yellow) and designate as such with colors. Keep in mind this is an objective measure of compliance and weaknesses are not a black mark but opportunities to strengthen the business. |
| 6 | Prepare an executive summary by audit topics and bundle the matrix and summary together for delivery to the Management Representative. |
| 7 | Review the audit findings and make plans how to address the needs of Seacoast, Inc. These areas are reviewed as part of the MRM process conducted monthly. |
Step 4 — Areas of Review:
| Area of review | Comment |
|---|---|
| Reference material | Verify the existence and location of reference material and document the results |
| Procedures | Verify each procedure has been reviewed within a twelve month period. If not, initiate an update, completion of the update does not delay the completion of the audit, it is just a data point. Interview staff how functions are performed and note discrepancy from the documented procedure. |
| Review Job Books | Are job books current. Is document control being maintained, this includes a review of the submittal logs and each tab in the job book. Trace a representative material sample for each job and test the strength of material traceability. This should include a fastener and structure steel sample at a minimum. |
| Walk the yard | Is proper signage of qualified storage clearly visible. Is material being stored, labeled and handled according to procedure. Inspect equipment: what is the state of repair, are all tags current, etc... |
| Tour the shop | Is proper signage of qualified storage clearly visible. Observe the receiving process are documented procedures being followed. Interview shop staff and shop foreman about process, are procedures current with how work is performed. Observe in process inspection is Seacoast in compliance with documented procedures. Observe the final inspection process is Seacoast in compliance with documented procedures. |
| Functional responsibilities | Interview Seacoast, Inc. staff responsible for areas within Seacoast being audited. |
| Quality Assurance Program | Review the Quality Assurance Book for faithful and effective execution of the Management Review Meeting (MRM) process. |
7. Revision History¶
| Revision Date | Approved By |
|---|---|
| 2026-05-12 | Quality Manager |
Summary of Change: Reformatted to standard procedure template.