Identification of Quality Records (ISO9001 - 4.2.4) - How?

[Rachel]

Hi all...

Okay, likely thinking too much about this again...what have you all put in your procedures for the *identification* of records? How do you uniformly identify all of your records when they can exist in different media? Is this as simple as a master list? Are there better ways to do it?

It's too early on a Monday to be stumped.

Cheers,
-R.

 

[Tom W]

I use a master list - however this can be done many different ways. I do not believe there is a right or wrong answer here as long as you identify them in some method.

If you do a search on this you might get a number of ideas. Or maybe one of the Gurus can point you to a specific thread.

 

[Rachel]

Thanks, Tom.

I'm a little concerned with the feasibility of keeping this master list up to date. Each department is responsible for its own records - it seems like I'd be shooting myself in the foot if I asked them to update the master list as well. Internal records would be easy to standardize - it's the ones that originate externally (i.e., supplier C of A) that are stumping me.

 

[Claes Gefvenberg]

I use a master list - however this can be done many different ways. I do not believe there is a right or wrong answer here as long as you identify them in some method.

I fully agree. Mine is a database btw.

If you do a search on this you might get a number of ideas. Or maybe one of the Gurus can point you to a specific thread.

I wouldn't know about the gurus, but I can suggest a few links:

Identifying Quality Documents and Records from Non-Quality
Definition: Quality Record
Record Retention
Quality Records - Retention and Required Controls

/Claes

 

[Rachel]

Sorry, folks - I obviously am terribly irresponsible this morning, as I *completely* forgot about the search option.

Feel free to can this thread...

Cheers,
-R.

 

[CarolX]

Hi Rachel,

My creed is always...KEEP IT SIMPLE

This is basically my procedure for records



1.0 ALL RECORDS RELATED TO QUALITY FUNCTIONS SHALL BE MAINTAINED FOR A MINIMUM OF ONE YEAR UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED BY THE CUSTOMER.

2.0 ALL DOCUMENTS CONTAINED IN A JOB PACKET SHALL BE STORED TOGETHER UNDER THE JOB NUMBER.<O

3.0 THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS ARE STORED IN THE QUALITY AREA:<O

· CALIBRATION RECORDS
· FIRST ARTICLE REPORTS
· ECO’S (INCLUDING PREVENTATIVE ACTION ECO'S)
· NON-CONFORMING MATERIAL REPORTS
· CORRECTIVE ACTION REPORTS<O</O
· AUDIT REPORTS
· MANAGEMENT REVIEW REPORTS
· HARD COPIES OF ALL ISO RELATED PROCEDURES
· APPROVAL OF ALL ISO RELATED PROCEDURES
· OBSOLETE PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTS
· CUSTOMER TOOLING INVENTORY

4.0 THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS ARE STORED IN ENGINEERING

· CUSTOMER DRAWINGS
· ALL JOB PACKET DOCUMENTS
· ROUTING SEQUENCE
· CUTTING LIST
· PRINT
· SET-UP SHEETS
· INSPECTION RECORDS
· ANY OTHER DOCUMENT CONTAINED IN THE PART FILE SYSTEM OR ENGINEERING MASTER FILE.
· CONTRACT REVIEW

5.0 THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS ARE STORED IN PURCHASING

· PURCHASE ORDERS
· VENDOR HISTORY FILE
· APPROVED SUPPLIER LIST

6.0 THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS ARE STORED IN HUMAN RESOURCES

<O
· PERSONNEL RECORDS
· TRAINING RECORDS
· SAFETY RECORDS

<O

This is a 2 page procedure. Short and sweet!!

CarolX

 

[Claes Gefvenberg]

I *completely* forgot about the search option.

Feel free to can this thread....

Nah. Threads are often similar but very seldom exactly the same... Nothing wrong with this one. Besides, if we had canned it we would have missed Carols list. Thank's Carol

/Claes

 

[CarolX]

Your welcome, Claes...I try to jump in when I get a minutes.
Rachel...don't sweat it!!

 

[Mike S.]

I use a chart in my Q records procedure to list the name of the record, where retained, by who, and retention time . There are only about 15 types of records. But I don't list every single record per se. For example, I might make one category "product test records" and there might be 6 different forms that comprise product test records (i.e. density test records, surface finish test records, dimensional test records, etc.)

 

[Rachel]

Sorry folks - I'm really excited - I had to share - I just got my RAB Lead Auditor course results back and I got a 90! Man, I haven't gotten a top score since high school! (It's funny how I graduated university feeling dumber than when I got there...) Anyway, that's my excitement. Forgive me if it seems braggish - I just had to tell *someone*...and you guys seemed to fit!

Okay, back to documentation. I think a list is the way to go. We have a horribly inaccurate record retention list right now - maybe this can be fixed up to serve for both the IDs and the times. K.I.S.S., right?

One other question - I talked to our Purchasing manager and he said the bulk of their records are kept electronically. Retention time: "forever". I get what he means...but is this really a feasible answer? Would an auditor accept that?