Purpose

Is to define the controls that are required to ensure documents used in the quality management system are established, maintained and Controlled.

Scope

Includes the Quality manual, Flow process charts, Documented Procedures, Work instructions, Associated forms and all national and International standards.

Understood By

Managing Director, Business Development Manager

  1. GENERAL

    1. Documents required for the quality management system shall be formally controlled to ensure: –

  • Documents are approved for adequacy prior to issue

  • Reviewed, updated as necessary and re-approval of documents

  • The current version status is always known

  • Relevant versions of applicable documents are available at point of use

  • Documents remain legible, readily identifiable and retrievable

  • Any documents of external origin are identified, and their distribution controlled

  • So that obsolete documents are prevented from unintended use,

these documents shall be suitably identified

  1. APPROVAL OF DOCUMENTS FOR ADEQUACY PRIOR TO ISSUE

    1. It is the responsibility of the Managing Director to ensure that all documents required for the quality management system are approved for adequacy. The signing and dating by the Managing Director of each Master form confirms approval. Other documents that require approval prior to issue include:

  • Operating procedures

  • Forms

    1. The Managing Director is responsible for signing the Quality Policy and quality objectives as confirmation that they have been reviewed and approved.

    2. All procedures shall be approved for adequacy prior to issue. The signing of each page of the operating procedure by the Managing Director confirms this has been carried out.

  1. CHANGES TO DOCUMENTS/FORMS

    1. In the circumstances where there is a change to a document, the issue date on the document must be changed on all pages and the contents list amended accordingly. The date identifies the current revision status. It is the responsibility of the Managing Director to ensure that this procedure is maintained

    2. Where a change is made to the Quality manual, flow process chart or documented procedures, these changes shall be typed in italics. It is the responsibility of the Business Development Manager to ensure this procedure is maintained.

  2. IDENTIFYING THE CURRENT STATUS OF DOCUMENTS

    1. The issue date shall be recorded onto each page of the procedure. A contents list shall have the issue date recorded, which identifies the current status of the procedure. It is the responsibility of the Managing Director to ensure that this procedure is maintained.

    2. Forms shall have the unique number and issue date recorded onto the

Document and where applicable pages numbered

  1. LEGIBLE, READILY IDENTIFIABLE & RETRIEVAL OF DOCUMENTS

    1. The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring that the documents remain

Legible, readily identifiable and retrievable. Periodic internal audits shall be carried out to verify that this procedure is being maintained, the results of the audit shall be recorded onto an Internal Audit report.

  1. DOCUMENTS OF EXTERNAL ORIGIN

    1. The following is a list of external documents that are used by the Organisation

  • ISO 9001:2015

  • ISO 14001:2015

  • BS 7858:2012

  • BS 7499:2013

  • BS 8517-1:2009

    1. The organisation shall ensure that the above external standards are controlled, to ensure that the latest revision is held on file and being used. The method of controlling standards is through liaison with the selected external consultant who will immediately notify the Organisation of any changes to the above standards.

  1. COMPUTER BACK-UPS

    1. Computers shall be backed up each week onto a portable hard drive and the data removed from the office. The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring this procedure is maintained.

  2. OBSOLETE DOCUMENTS

    1. Where an obsolete document is retained for any purpose, ensure the word ‘OBSOLETE’ is written across each page, this is to prevent unintended use. The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring that this procedure is maintained.

  3. CONTROL OF QUALITY RECORDS

    1. It is the responsibility of the Managing Director to ensure that records required for the Quality Management System are controlled. Such records shall be maintained that provide documentary evidence of conformance to customers specified requirements and the effective operation of the Quality Management System.

9.2 The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring that filing methods and

retention periods are maintained.

  1. The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring that quality records are

Easily retrievable and protected from loss or deterioration. This shall be verified during the internal audits of the quality management system.

  1. All quality records will be shredded once the retention period is expired. The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring that this procedure is maintained.