posted 12 July 2000 10:56 AM              

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In my company we will retain all job records for 25 years (we've only been in business for 17 so far). Now, my question is how can we keep track of when 25 years is up (on a master list)? and who is usually responsible for something like that? All suggestions are greatly appreciated. Skyking115

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Posts: 275
From:ILLINOIS
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 12 July 2000 11:11 AM               

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Just 2 cents worth--

How many records/documents? How long do you legally need to keep/archive all or any part of them?

Possible to scan them into a computer database? - even if you needed to dedicate one or two hard drives for them?

Reagrds
Jim

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From:Ocala, FL USA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 12 July 2000 01:34 PM               

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How many depends on what is sold. We are responsible for maintaining them for 20 years. As to scanning them in, it's hard enough to get them to buy software more or less a scanner.

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From:Fayetteville, NC USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 12 July 2000 02:15 PM               

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In our industry, we have a legal responsibility to keep records for 15 years. Have tried to argue electronic copies as adequate records, but legal department refuses.
Before you go electronic you might want to check your legal footing too.
Our grudging solution-filing cabinets with orders in ~ chronological order. We lose a lot of floor space to them, but it does make it easier to trash paperwork when due. And retrieve for lawsuits.

AJP

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From:Oregon
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 12 July 2000 03:30 PM               

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Got a question for Sky before I know whether or not to stick my nose in this. Why 25 or 20 year retention? Is this a "Life of the Product" (ISO 13485/EN 46001 medical device) issue? A production plus 5 year (Medical Device Directive) issue?

This seems like a long retention time and I'm wondering if you can't begin by making a change there.

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From:Ocala, FL USA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 13 July 2000 07:04 AM               

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We build firetrucks and the NFPA requires that you are responsible to keep records for 20 years.

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From:ILLINOIS
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 13 July 2000 07:46 AM               

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What works for us ... with the ones we don't scan is to keep the current - 5 yrs available in office file cabinets - then we take what hard copies we need to keep - longer (some 7-10 years)index & "archive store" them by date in back room storage boxes. It took a while to convince our upper level folks to invest in a scanner too but we found the 150-200 well worth the reduction in storage space.

Regards
Jim

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