9 replies to this topic

[Stephani86]

Dear all,

greetings from Indonesia

 

I just moved to a new company which ask me to design a system based on BRC issue 6 standard.

We will be audited the end of this october.  I think this company already have  a lot of document but not organized yet.

I already have some knowledge about BRC but not deeply..

now i start with set up the Quality manual. Please help me to give example of which based template for document (Manual, Prosedure, WI  and Form ) so i can adjust all document here..

Highly appreciate your responses..

[GMO]

It's actually really easy to set up a food safety and quality management system based on BRC.

 

What I'd do is write a quality manual; number it as in the BRC but keep this document quite short, max 20 pages.  Then every time you feel like you need a supporting document (the standard normally prompts you by saying "There will be a procedure" "there will be a policy" or "by risk assessment" then reference the policy in your quality manual (without referencing the version number) but write the procedure / policy / risk assessment in a different document.

 

The reasons for doing this are as follows.  Having a quality manual ordered as per BRC makes the BRC audits easy and well organised but it is prone to change every 3 years.  This means every 3 years you will have to rejig your quality manual.  Procedures and policies need constant review so having them within your quality manual is a right pain also you might be able to use the policies and procedures you already have in place.

[scppvjune]

Hello Stephani,

First of all, I hope you already had BRC standard (BRC requirement to have copyright one on site) and already had a chance to study the requirements. Pay attention to "Documented" and "Record" - highlighted those requirements. You mentioned there are a lots of documents available, so you need to study those documents (might be with help of your colleagues who worked longer than you since I hope they will be more familiar to the existing documents than you). Then you might be able to make a matrix compare what need as documents (including records) in BRC and what you already have on site. From the matrix, I hope you just need to adjust a bit from the existing documents.

For the manual, if the quality manual is already exist, you just ensure that it reference to BRC and cover all topics (statement of intent). GMO's suggestion is good that you don't need to reference to the version of your documents, including standard, or you have to remember to update the versions whenever you update / change the version.

Do the same for WI and SOP, just adjust the existing one to reflect all requirements of BRC and create new one for what lacking from the existing one.

For records, think as auditor or judge. Records are good evidences to proof what you have done.

Ensure all staff know about the changes. BRC audit is a process audit, not paper audit. Therefore, if your documents are very good, but no implementation or incompetency staff....it is useless.

You mentioned that you will get audit in October....not only you need to work hard then.

Good luck.

[Charles.C]

Dear Stephan,

 

You omitted to mention yr technical background / experience.

I hope ypu are familiar with HACCP and that yr relevant processes are already documented and compliant within this system.

Such operational factors will strongly influence the preparation time required for any FS audit. Plus the documentation required for the BRC standard of course.

Assuming an adequate HACCP capability exists and that other necessary resources are available IMO it will be somewhat remarkable if you require less than 3 months to be audit-ready from a starting situation of unfamiliarity with (GFSI-type) Food Safety Standards such as BRC. Hopefully you will prove me wrong.

 

Many people initially do a Gap Analysis between the BRC standard and their current setup. This clarifies which items are presently lacking although it can sometimes be, initially, rather depressingly long.

 

Rgds / Charles.C

[maara91]

I also had to start from scratch and build a book following the standard. I typed the standard and that list helped me to fill in the blanks.  Here it is you may find it useful.

 

Attached Files

•  Blank BRC AUDIT LINK.xlsx   45.38KB   99 downloads

[bacon]

Yes maara91, as GMO states above, this is exactly what I have been doing for years and with different standards. A "map" of sorts that guides the you and the auditor alike. Helps one easily reference the often cross-referenced clauses in ones system (what, 239 clauses?). 

 

A month lead time to build and assess it from scratch? Redicioylus. That given, I think you may have a rather hard time to get the evidence together for section 1.0.

 

All the best of luck to you though.

Cheers,

-Baron

[bornyesterday]

I have a friend in food manufacturing who is contemplating BRC compliance and is currently going through a gap audit to sort out where his deficiencies exist.  He has been talking about "enrolment" as an option ... but he's concerned about timing and supplier perception.  What are the pros and cons to such a move?

[scppvjune]

 

I have a friend in food manufacturing who is contemplating BRC compliance and is currently going through a gap audit to sort out where his deficiencies exist.  He has been talking about "enrolment" as an option ... but he's concerned about timing and supplier perception.  What are the pros and cons to such a move?

 
Based on BRC GSFS standard, "Enrolment" is for companies who have not previously been certificated. It is an introduction program which similar to the actual full certificate audit and recognized by BRC. However, the result will be reported as scoring system instead of grading system on BRC Directory (website). At the end of the audit, if the site performed well (able to get certificate - according to the conditions to achieve grade A, B, or C), the site may request to change the status to 'certification' instead of 'enrolment'. The 'enrolment' report will be posted on BRC Directory for 12 months before automatically removed or replaced by the 'certification' audit.

[bornyesterday]

A month lead time to build and assess it from scratch? Redicioylus. That given, I think you may have a rather hard time to get the evidence together for section 1.0.

 

All the best of luck to you though.

Cheers,

-Baron

 

... I'm still digesting the "no quality manual" thought...

I suppose the checklist you've created will be the real gauge of whether your time goal is reachable..

best of luck.

[bacon]

Yes, the "check list" is a good gauge "map" of where you are and where you need to go. Although, some clauses may be more time consuming than others. List them out, what % completed and the other % not and why and what you need for each one.

 

Attached is a crude something I presented in a bi-weekly Senior Management Meeting to track progress (SQF but you'll get the point). As you will see, all this stuff is just not the QA Management's responsibility.

 

A method to get the stakeholders of food safety engaged.

 

-B  10-16-12 SQF Meeting.pdf   210.05KB   74 downloads