This month we are going to look at QSP1 & QSP14 as both topics are quite similar.
Why control documentation and records?
If you’ve ever been asked to locate a critical document from an area where there is no system in place, you will be able to answer that easily…..it’s painful! It takes ages, is really frustrating and wastes time that could be spent being more productive.
Standardised:
QSP01 reminds us that we need to maintain control so that only current versions of documents are used and that forms are standardised across different group companies.
Not only does this make us look professional but it helps to standardise layouts where forms perform similar functions, ie. You get used to the look of a form from one project to the next and know how to complete it correctly.
Responsibility lies with the Quality Manager only for ensuring the system is in place and employees are aware of it. The Quality manager is not the person who generates and maintains QA records for individual projects; this falls to specific team members on each job site.
Current version:
The company’s Quality System is maintained in electronic format on “Sharepoint”.
This means access is easy from any location as long as you have an internet connection. If you copy and store a version of any document locally, you run the risk of it being updated on Sharepoint without you knowing. For the same reason, all paper copies of documents are deemed to be uncontrolled.
Amendments:
We are always looking for ways to improve the systems we operate, so we encourage any member of staff to propose amendments to any quality document. These will be reviewed by the Quality Manager and implemented once approved.
Archiving:
Contract records need to be maintained for a period of 6 years (unless otherwise determined by the MD or Quality Manager) So if you are given direction to “Clear the site” make sure you do not take this too literally.
All appropriate documents need to be placed in archive boxes and stored in Coolquay or in the case of O’Shea’s electrical and Douglas calibration in Little Island. Each box is given a unique reference number and logged electronically for ease of location.
Due to the scale of records on some projects, it is preferable to scan and store electronic copies for the statutory duration. This is a much more efficient alternative and should be encouraged where feasible. If there were no such things as design changes or errors then control of drawings would not be quite as critical, but unfortunately we have a bit to go until we get to that point. Imagine the chaos on a project where drawings were released for fabrication or construction in an uncontrolled manner.
Without an up to date drawing register for instance, Engineers or Foremen would not know what the current revision of a drawing should be…….many hours would be wasted installing systems that had been rerouted or worse still material specs changed due to a poorly managed distribution procedure.
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