Non-Conforming Product/Equipment Hold and Release
Does anyone have the hold and release procedures in one document? We currently have 3. One for non-conforming product, one for non conforming equipment and then one for release. I did not write any of these, I'm just trying to fix them because we had a little product hold issue and I found that our SOP was not strong enough.
Our hold for product starts with receiving and goes all the way through finished product and rework, but it lacks instructions on labeling, specific ways to quarantine and all the steps needed to get through release.
Our release SOP is even worse because it doesn't even address quarantined product at all, just product/ingredients that have made their way through to shipping.
I feel it is severely lacking, (we usually take more steps than what any of these imply) however, I'm struggling to keep them as 2 separate procedures when they go hand in hand. I know they are separate codes but can they be combined? Our hold procedure already has language about release in it. Does it need to be removed? I keep viewing in in so many different ways that my head is now hurting. None of my searches have shown me how to improve upon what we already have.
We have been through initial SQF audit and one re-certification and no one has said anything about it but I'm not satisfied with it. I won't even get started on simplifying the forms until I have satisfactory procedures.
How do you all approach non-conforming product hold and release?
Do not feel confined in the process writing. If you need to have four processes to address non-conformance and release, have four. If you can support your systems with a single, use a single. What needs building into every process is efficiency and ease of use. My litmus test is that if you were to all the sudden to leave, can your successor read and understand what the company is doing. If the answer is yes, it is a well written. If no, more work needs doing. Ultimately it is about meeting the criteria of the standard and making the process easy for the workers / managers to understand.
Good Luck!