4 replies to this topic

[S Maddux]

We process all kinds of cooked meats. We have three separate buildings at our facility. One is for production (high risk and low risk), one is for maintenance and dry warehouse and one is a cold storage owned by a sister company and the other side of that building is our R&D plant (about 17,000 sq ft. The R&D plant has its own break room,rest rooms, boot/coat room, dry warehouse, low risk room and a high risk room. We R&D all kinds of cooked meats. My question is does this R&D plant need to be part of our BRC audit? I know the processing, maintenance and dry warehouse will be. I also understand that the cold storage will be even though it isn't part of our company but it is within 30 miles and we use it for all of our raw material and finished product storage. If more information is needed please let me know. Thank you for your help in advance. Have a great day.

[trubertq]

In my humble opinion.... yes it would be as it is where you carry out new product development so there are issues with introducing hazards onto the site like allergens etc... That area needs as much regulation if not more than the other areas.

The cold storage is a pre -requisite so it would have to be included whether it is owned by you or not.

[Charles.C]

Dear S Maddux,

I predict you will find that from a BRC point-of-view the requirement is simply HACCP driven. If there is any risk of interaction from the R&D location to the (audited) product as received by an onward customer, it will be of "interest". This could involve things like xcontamination from people, environment, actual materials etc.

Rgds / Charles.C

[fstRicky]

I also understand that the cold storage will be even though it isn't part of our company but it is within 30 miles and we use it for all of our raw material and finished product storage. If more information is needed please let me know. Thank you for your help in advance. Have a great day.

This is not true. According to V6 Item 1.3 " the storage facilities that are under the direct control of the production site". So if you are not directly resposible for the management of the storage facility it shouldn't be part of the audit.

Where is the 30 miles figure from?

R

[Foodworker]

If the storage warehouse is not part of your company, ie it is not under the same ownership as you and does not operate the same Quality Management System, it should not be part of your audit. The areas of doubt that I would have are that you describe it as a 'sister' company and whether it can be defined as being part of the same manufacturing process.

Check the provisions of Appendix 7 of the Standard (This is also where the 30 mile bit comes from) to see whether it will apply to you.

If it does not meet these criteria then it should be covered as part of the Management of Service Suppliers (Section 3.5.3)

Appendix 7 also applies to the R&D facility and in fact specifically includes the example of a 'Head Office' product development activity.

It is possible to complete the audit of the R&D without visiting the facility provided that satisfactory communication links with relevant people and documents can be established. You should speak to the auditor prior to the audit to ask what information and evidence he/she will want. If the links cannot be established, a visit will be required.

Edited by Foodworker, 11 September 2012 - 08:53 AM.