SQF requirement: policy, food safety and quality manual

• Policy Manual
  • Basically a summary of your systems - you don't need to include all the details of each of your programs but essentially just summarize what you have.
  • I attached the Table of Contents of a policy manual for reference.
    • Example Policy Manual.doc   24.5KB   1376 downloads
  • You can think of this as a tool to show customers/auditors what you have in place in a 5-10 page document. Within the summaries of programs, you can reference document names/numbers as to where they can find the complete version of the program.
• Food Safety Manual
  • HACCP Plan/Food Safety Plan that analyzes and is record of all hazards introduced in your manufacturing processes.
• Quality Manual (Level 3 Only)
  • Same as HACCP Plan except for instead of analyzing/recognizing food safety hazards you are examining and recording the quality of your products.

Here is a little explanation of what the purpose of these manuals are (imo):

• Policy Manual
  • Basically a summary of your systems - you don't need to include all the details of each of your programs but essentially just summarize what you have.
  • I attached the Table of Contents of a policy manual for reference.
    • Example Policy Manual.doc   24.5KB   1376 downloads
  • You can think of this as a tool to show customers/auditors what you have in place in a 5-10 page document. Within the summaries of programs, you can reference document names/numbers as to where they can find the complete version of the program.
• Food Safety Manual
  • HACCP Plan/Food Safety Plan that analyzes and is record of all hazards introduced in your manufacturing processes.
• Quality Manual (Level 3 Only)
  • Same as HACCP Plan except for instead of analyzing/recognizing food safety hazards you are examining and recording the quality of your products.

Hope that helps you get a better idea of where to start!

• The scope of certification covers all food safety management activities that are under the control of (COMPANY NAME).
• The products covered under the scope of certification may be found in Appendix A.
• 
  
  (This is simply a printed product list that I had our Customer Service Manager generate in a report)
• All products that are manufactured according to SQF standards should be in this list in order to be considered "under the scope of certification".

Under "Scope of Certification" in the Policy Manual I have the following:

• The scope of certification covers all food safety management activities that are under the control of (COMPANY NAME).
• The products covered under the scope of certification may be found in Appendix A.
• 
  
  (This is simply a printed product list that I had our Customer Service Manager generate in a report)
• All products that are manufactured according to SQF standards should be in this list in order to be considered "under the scope of certification".

As for the Pre-requisite Programs, I am sure what you already have in place is sufficient but remember this Policy Manual is just a summary so all I did under this section of the Policy Manual was list out the Pre-requisite Programs (which are basically the requirements of Section 6 of the SQF Code) along with the Document Number so it is easy to locate.

I went through our existing policy manual and made it into a template for you to review and make your own as it fits for your company.

(NOTE: As they recommend in the SQF Guidance document, this policy manual should be done last after all programs are in place so you can summarize your entire food safety management system as it is written.)

Example Policy Manual.doc   38.5KB   989 downloads (Note to Simon - I will add this to your File Library as well)

UR SIMPLY LEGEND

MUCH MUCH APPRECIATED,

I went through our existing policy manual and made it into a template for you to review and make your own as it fits for your company.

(NOTE: As they recommend in the SQF Guidance document, this policy manual should be done last after all programs are in place so you can summarize your entire food safety management system as it is written.)

Example Policy Manual.doc   38.5KB   989 downloads (Note to Simon - I will add this to your File Library as well)

Dear friends,

Would anyone please advice me how can i make policy manual,food safety and quality manual........

need a big favor

how can i make document which cover all elements of SQF ,i meant one document which show how company has implemented the SQF system

kind regard,
shraaa

In the guidance document provided on the SQF web site. There is a specific quote regarding manual structure:

"There is NO prescribed format or organization prescribed by the standard on how manuals are to be constructed. SQF auditor is to VERiFY CONTENT, NOT FORMAT. Format should be determine by company, whichever format is most convenient for them." (emphisis mine)

For me the easisest way to do that was to organize everthing into one manual which I call the "Quality Manual" to make it simple for the employees. Then I used the code sections as the document break down. So you have a structure that looks like this, where the blue text is my actual documents.

6.4 Calibration of Equipment
6.4.1 Calibration Methods
6.4.1.1-3 QM Calibration System & Procedure
6.4.1.1-3 QM SP Calibration System & Procedure
6.4.2 Calibration Standards
6.4.1.1-3 QM Calibration System & Procedure
6.4.1.1-3 QM SP Calibration System & Procedure
6.4.3 Calibration Schedule
6.4.1.1-3 QM Calibration System & Procedure
6.4.1.1-3 QM SP Calibration System & Procedure
6.4.4 Records
6.4.4 VER Monitoring Equipment Verification
6.4.4.1 QM Check Weigher Challenge Procedure
6.4.4.1 QM SP Check Weigher Challenge Procedure
6.4.4.1 WI Checkweigher Challenge Work Instruction
6.9.2.2 QM Metal Detector Challenge Procedure
6.9.2.2 QM SP Metal Detector Challenge Procedure
6.9.2.2 WI Metal Detector Challenge Work Instruction

Where I had documents in place already I coded them with the SQF section that was applicable and then added them in to the new SQF index. Hence the various documents listed in blue under records.

I have found that this is the easiest way to integrate existing documetns into the new system , while ensuring that any "missing documents" are created to complete the SQF upgrade and maintain sipmlicity of use for floor personnel.

Hope this helps along with everybody elses comments.

Larry

Thanks a million, I'm new to this site and new to my job to get a sausage plant ready for certification and again thank you.

Loika

:welcome: Labucknall

I know I'm late to the party here, but thank you all for providing such great examples!  I am literally writing an entire food safety program from scratch with the goal of getting our steam rolled oats facility SQF certified...and doing it all by myself (our company has a total of 4 employees, including the owner).  To say that it's a daunting task is a gross understatement...but your help with how to organize things is going to help me get off to a great start - thanks!!

Brian

I know I'm late to the party here, but thank you all for providing such great examples!  I am literally writing an entire food safety program from scratch with the goal of getting our steam rolled oats facility SQF certified...and doing it all by myself (our company has a total of 4 employees, including the owner).  To say that it's a daunting task is a gross understatement...but your help with how to organize things is going to help me get off to a great start - thanks!!

 

Brian

I see this post is a few years old but I am currently facing the same challenge. My company is food contact packaging and employs around 80 so my task is a bit different but any advice you have I would be interested to hear! Thanks I hope everything turned out well for you!

Thanks charityrp1!  It's been a long process, but I've almost completed everything we need (we've had numerous roadblocks and speed bumps along the way that have prevented us from being able to start up...long story...) - my best advice is to go through the Guidance Documents, they are a huge help!  Good luck!

Can someone please upload their quality manual?

Can someone please upload their quality manual?

No one is going to upload their quality manual.  What in particular do you need help with?

No one is going to upload their quality manual. What in particular do you need help with?

No one is going to upload their quality manual. What in particular do you need help with?

Hi Melani33, 

Have you downloaded the SQF standard?  The scope is in there!

This thread is quite dated, and the new standards will cover slightly more items.  

Do you already have SQF food safety?  And you are querying how to add quality?  If so, they shouldn't be separate documents.  Quality is blended into the food safety plan.