Control of Records: "Retention"

[savetheearth]

Hi friends,

As the new 9001 revision has removed the word "time" from "retention", do we still need to stipulate minimum retention time for each and every type of records in ISO procedures?

Personally find it is tedious to do so and think that the best way would be to decide whether to continue retention at the time when there are requisition for disposal.

Thanks..

 

[alitaptap]

Hi friends,

As the new 9001 revision has removed the word "time" from "retention", do we still need to stipulate minimum retention time for each and every type of records in ISO procedures?

Personally find it is tedious to do so and think that the best way would be to decide whether to continue retention at the time when there are requisition for disposal.

Thanks..

Define retention period for each quality record and ensure that it complies with regulatory requirements. If you are planning to go for certification audit, I suggest you cover the duration period of certificate e.g. 3 years record of implementation.

 

[samsung]

Hi friends,

As the new 9001 revision has removed the word "time" from "retention", do we still need to stipulate minimum retention time for each and every type of records in ISO procedures?

Personally find it is tedious to do so and think that the best way would be to decide whether to continue retention at the time when there are requisition for disposal.

Thanks..

Decision regarding retention (or disposition) of any record should ideally base upon the factors such as organizational requirement, legal requirements, customer or other interested party requirement and the likes. In short, it should be subjected to some sort of risk analysis as to what can happen if the records are not retained.

Hence you need to define in your documented procedure what controls you would implement to ensure "identification, storage, protection, retrieval, retention and disposition of records."

In addition, the standard also requires to define the controls / actions in respect of disposition (means* DISTRIBUTION, disposal, allocation, transfer; sale, auction) of records. 'Disposal' or say 'getting rid of' the documents can be one of the actions you may take once the defined 'retention' period is over. Possible means of disposition may be archiving, binding, shredding, burning, recycling, reusing the paper documents etc. etc.

Hope it helps,

*from Concise Oxford Thesaurus

 

[savetheearth]

Will it be a nonconformity for our way of control?

 

[alitaptap]

Will it be a nonconformity for our way of control?

Yes. Controls needed for retention and disposition of records are requirements.

 

[savetheearth]

Same answer as we got from all the auditors....but we still think that we have the right to determine our way of control, and NC should not be given just like that, unless we violate minimum retention time stipulated in particular laws or customer requirements.

Anyway we appreciate very much for your advice.

Is it acceptable if we state in our procedure as follows:
In our company, records shall be maintained safely and shall only be disposed after 2 conditions are met: longer than the minimum retention time stipulated by laws or customer requirements, and after approval from the board of directors.

 

[Umang Vidyarthi]

Same answer as we got from all the auditors....but we still think that we have the right to determine our way of control, and NC should not be given just like that, unless we violate minimum retention time stipulated in particular laws or customer requirements.

Anyway we appreciate very much for your advice.

Is it acceptable if we state in our procedure as follows:
In our company, records shall be maintained safely and shall only be disposed after 2 conditions are met: longer than the minimum retention time stipulated by laws or customer requirements, and after approval from the board of directors.

Yes, of course you do have the right to control the documents, fulfilling the requirements given in 4.2.4

4.2.4 control of records....The organisation shall establish a documented procedure to define the controls needed for the identification, storage, protection, retrieval, retention and desposition of records....

The organisation has a free hand to decide the procedure (keeping legal & customer's requirement also in the mind). Once defined, then you have to adhere to it.

Umang

 

[samsung]

Same answer as we got from all the auditors....but we still think that we have the right to determine our way of control, and NC should not be given just like that, unless we violate minimum retention time stipulated in particular laws or customer requirements.

Anyway we appreciate very much for your advice.

Is it acceptable if we state in our procedure as follows:
In our company, records shall be maintained safely and shall only be disposed after 2 conditions are met: longer than the minimum retention time stipulated by laws or customer requirements, and after approval from the board of directors.

If you search through the 'Post Attachment' section, you will get a very good guidance document 'Excerpt from ISO 9001 in plain English (Craig Cochran).pdf' which provides information not only on WHAT to control but also a lot of stuff on HOW (& WHY) to control the records & documents. It also includes a nice template for record control. Of course, you will also get, as a bonus, other useful explanations & tips 'in plain English' on various other requirements which might be confusing many of the non-professionals.

I strongly advise you must read it & pay due credit to its author.

 

[dhghan]

I think there is no minimum or maximum retention for records. Basically the retention period should stated in the procedures or as stipulated by the customer or the manufaturer who knows very well the life time of the product and the period it guarantee. From my experience it is generally 2 years and the longest retention period that I stated in the procedures is 5 years and that is one of our customer requirements. Please give me your comments if you have any.

 

[alitaptap]

I think there is no minimum or maximum retention for records.

I think you missed to consider the applicable statutory and regulatory requirement.