Major vs Minor Nonconformity
The grading of an audit finding. A minor is an isolated lapse in an otherwise functioning system; a major is the absence or total breakdown of a required element, a risk of nonconforming output reaching the customer, or a pattern of minors that adds up to systemic failure.
How auditors decide
The test is systemic, not cosmetic. One missed calibration among hundreds is a lapse — minor. No calibration process at all, or calibration failures across every line, is a system failure — major. A cluster of related minors in the same clause is routinely rolled up into a major, because the pattern proves the system element isn't working.
Deliberate breach is its own trigger: falsified records or knowing disregard of a requirement grades major regardless of scale, because it attacks the integrity of the system itself.
Consequences of each
Minor: certification proceeds; you submit a corrective action plan, and the auditor verifies implementation at the next visit. Major: the certificate is not issued (initial audit) or is at risk of suspension (surveillance) until the cause is fixed and verified — usually within 90 days, sometimes via a follow-up on-site visit.
Neither grade is an insult, and a handful of minors at an initial audit is completely normal. Zero findings across a complex organization usually means a shallow audit, not a perfect company.
Worked examples
Minor: one internal audit in the annual programme was performed two months late; the rest are on schedule. Major: no internal audits have been performed this cycle at all — clause 9.2 is simply not implemented. Minor: a fire extinguisher inspection tag missing in one area. Major: the emergency preparedness process required by ISO 45001 clause 8.2 doesn't exist — no plans, no drills, no records.
Go deeper, free.
Every standard this term appears in has a free clause-by-clause guide on ReadSafety.com — and when you're ready for certification, USQC provides accredited third-party audits.
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