Auditing Yankee Dryer Management Systems: Theory and Practice, 1997 Engineering Conference Proceedings

William G. Corboy, Jr. P.E.
Yankee Consulting, Inc.

An audit of a facility’s Yankee dryer management system is meant to be an evaluation or survey, performed for the company by a Competent Person(s) from outside the plant, with regard to personnel and asset safety. The audit has a multitude of purposes for the corporation, categorized largely among legal compliance, economic production, and employee welfare.

An audit for safety compliance is necessary because corporate officers and plant managers are ultimately responsible to provide each employee a work place which is free from recognized hazards. Corporate officers may delegate day-to-day responsibility for maintaining the effectiveness of the company’s Yankee dryer safety program to staff members. Nevertheless, they remain accountable for ensuring compliance with corporate policies and statutory regulations.

The present requirement for auditing a corporation’s management of its safety systems is explained as an evolution from safety philosophy and concept toward law and universal practice. An overview of the auditing process is presented from corporate commitment, to audit team formation, to the process by which an audit may be conducted. A practical example of one company’s experience with auditing its Yankee dryer management system is presented with applicable findings.