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Exclude an area of the facility from the scope of certification?

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sqflady

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Posted 24 December 2014 - 05:03 PM

Hello and Happy Holidays!

 

We are in the process of preparing for SQF.  We recently had a gap audit and the auditor recommended we exclude a garage area from the scope of certification.  Can anyone help me with how to go about this? 



SpursGirl

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Posted 24 December 2014 - 05:29 PM

Can you provide some more details as to what happens in this area?

 

If you store or handle any materials (food, packaging, chemicals) in the area which are related to the products you intend to be covered under your SQF certification you will have a nigh on impossible task to exclude this area from your audit.

 

S



RG3

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Posted 24 December 2014 - 05:30 PM

Well first you would need to bring that up at the Stage 2 audit. The auditor should ask if you want any area excluded, if not bring it up before he starts the audit. Perhaps a good opportunity is while going over the scope of the audit. But before all of this you will need to do a risk assessment to justify your reason for excluding it from your audit.

 

2.4.2

"SQFI recognizes that not all food businesses are the same, even though the PRP modules are sector-specific. For example, a confectionery business (food sector category 17, module 11) may or may not include cold storage, depending on the type of confectionery product. Thus some elements from the PRP modules may be excluded from audits by explaining via risk assessment documented in the food safety manual the reason why they are to be excluded.
In the same way, some businesses may implement an alternative method of control to replace one or some of the elements in a PRP module. Where this applies, it must be justified via risk assessment to demonstrate that control is still in place. The supplier’s procedures must reflect the alternative control method."



sqflady

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Posted 24 December 2014 - 06:26 PM

It is a garage area that the owner uses to park his vehicle.  It is in poor condition.  No product or packaging is stored there.  It just happens to be attached to our facility. 



SpursGirl

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Posted 30 December 2014 - 08:23 PM

I would say that the structure as used as a garage it should be excluded from the scope of your accreditation.

 

However..........

 

When you say 'attached' to the building and it is in 'poor condition' is there any risk to the integrity of your processing facility? For example are ther any holes/cracks/damage to allow pest ingress from the garage structure into the processing facility? Likewise any dampness to adjoining wall that could allow seepage into the processing facility? If the structure poses arisk to your processing facility you will need to rectify these in time for your audit.

 

S



Jeffrey Ort

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Posted 25 January 2015 - 06:59 PM

It is possible for exclusion if you are able to provide the correct risk analysis that there is no chance of contamination due to the excluded area and it has no impact on the facility. If it is simple an attached garage where there is no juncture directly into the building, it may be an easier task, but if opens directly into the facility, then you need to have a monitoring program showing that you are proactive in the review of the area.





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