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1 Document Control
The SALSA Requirement:
“Document Control: All documents and records appropriate to the safety, legality and
quality of products shall be legible and able to be used by the appropriate personnel. The
control of these documents and records shall be the responsibility of a senior member of
staff. The business shall ensure these documents and records are stored safely for at least
the shelf‐life of the product(s) concerned plus 1 year, but must take into account any legal
or customer requirements and the use and possible increased shelf‐life of the product(s)
(eg the possible freezing of product(s) by the consumer).“
About this SALSA Requirement:
This Requirement is intended to ensure that you have appropriate documents and records
relevant to the safety, legality and quality of products and that you have a system to control their
issue and use. All documents and records should be stored in a safe and accessible place for at
least the shelf‐life of the product plus one year unless this is superseded by other external
requirements.
Tools Tips
A system to identify documents,
Records must be signed, dated (&
updates and different versions
HACCP ones timed), to identify who
checked what & when
A list of ‘current’ documents
If mistakes are made on ‘records’
A system to ensure staff always
just strike through incorrect
have the ‘current’ issue of
information and write in the
documents that they need
correct detail beside it
A defined and documented period
Ensure ‘changes’ are initialled, in
for ‘keeping documents’ included in
case you need to question the
your procedure
result later
Storage boxes for paperwork,
Never use correction fluid or
labelled, so you can find things
pencils
quickly
Keep documented notes on ‘why’
A safe, dry, pest‐proof place to keep & ‘when’ any procedures, recipes,
and store paperwork working methods etc. have been
updated
Additional resources:
See Tools & Tips for: 2.1.9. Maintaining documents & records is a key requirement of HACCP
What do I need to do to show I comply with this Requirement?
Write a ‘Document Control procedure’ to detail how you will control your documents and
records to ensure the correct versions are in use. Keep a list of ‘current’ documents issue
numbers/issue dates & reasons for changes. Have a logical archive system for the safe storage of
records in logically numbered archive boxes. Remember that ‘Document Control’ relates to every
other clause in the SALSA Standard where procedures and records are required, from Calibration
to Training.
Food Safety management systems are formed from many documents. They are normally divided
into a hierarchy of 3 to 4 ‘levels’ e.g.
Policies (aspirational) at the top
HACCP (the legally‐required study of food safety risks)
Procedures/Work Instructions (the ‘how‐to’ documents e.g. a Goods‐In procedure
describing how an activity is to be carried out)
Records, where measurements or results of checks, traceability info etc. are written.
To keep documents organised, use ‘headers & footers’ and a logical numbering/naming system.
Make one ‘named’ senior person responsible for the final vetting/issuing of documents &
revisions to ensure only one version of each document is available at any given time and that
everyone knows which version is ‘current’.
Clearly define how long ‘records’ are to be retained. This should be for a minimum of the shelf‐
life of the product plus one year. However, you should extend this period if it can be reasonably
expected that the product might be frozen by the purchaser to extend its life. It is common to
see document retention times set at 3 years to take account of this. In the event of a legal
challenge to your products, these documents form the basis of the ‘due diligence defence’, the
only legal defence available to food manufacturers –– which is why it is essential to make a
senior member of staff responsible for ‘Document Control’.
What do Document Control records look like?
In the examples below the current SALSA Requirement numbers are used as the basis for the
numbering system, and the site has chosen to use a pastel‐coloured paper to differentiate their
‘master documents’ from working documents & photocopies. Note that Document Control forms
are included in the system & have their own ‘Document Control’ footer.
INDEX & REVISION STATUS OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DOCUMENTS
Issue No Issue Date
Doc. No. PROCEDURES Amendments
Proc 1.1.1 Training Procedure 3 12/07/15 V1 First issue
V2 Add training for new Ricci
pasta machine use & cleaning
V3 Add training for Allergens
Proc 1.2.1 Personal Hygiene Rules & Regs 2 01/10/14 V1 First issue
V2 Include personal medicines
Proc 1.2.2 Getting Changed For Work 1 01/08/14 V1 First issue
Uncontrolled Copy Unless Printed on Yellow Paper
Doc Ref Issue No Issue Date Page Authorised By
REC 3.1 4 03/8/15 Page 1 of 3 Joe B
3.1 Document Control 30/06/2015 © SALSA 2015
3.1 Document Control
TITLE: DOCUMENT CONTROL PROCEDURE
Scope: All Documents relating to food safety, quality & SALSA.
PROCEDURE, RESPONSIBILITY & FREQUENCY
1. All Food Safety, Quality and SALSA system documents are identified by
Title
Document reference number
Issue date
Issue number
Person issuing
2. The Document reference number will either be the relevant SALSA clause or a number assigned by Joe B.
It will include PROC for procedures, POL for a policy or REC for records.
3. Joe B is responsible for maintaining a system for the control of all documents critical to food safety,
legality & quality, to ensure that only ‘current’ documents are available for use and that documents and
records may be readily retrieved when needed.
4. Joe B is responsible for issuing new documents, amending existing documents and withdrawing
superseded documents.
5. Master copies of documents will be printed on yellow paper to make them easy to identify.
Working ‘forms/records will be printed on white paper.
6. Where amendments & new versions are required, a brief note of the reason for change will be made in
the Amendments column of the Index, and a single copy of the immediately preceding obsolete version
(clearly marked as ‘OLD’) will be retained on file for reference.
7. Where a new version is issued, Joe B will take old versions out of Production folders and will replace them
with the new versions.
8. All records will be retained in a safe condition for 3 years. Changes will not generally be made but where
unavoidable, the person making the change is to initial the alteration and make a note of why it was
needed.
Uncontrolled Copy Unless Printed On Yellow Paper
Doc Ref Issue No Issue Date Page Authorised By
PROC 3.1 1 01/08/15 Page 1 of 1 Joe B
How can I use this example in my business?
The above are examples of Document Control procedures and records that would meet the
Requirement adequately. Use these principles/examples to develop your own system and
records for managing documents in your business.