2 replies to this topic

[The Food Scientist]

Hi all! So I started working at a company that was ceritifed for the first time last year in SQF level 3. I noticed they do not check/monitor scales daily (perform daily calibrations). For those who have read a previous post by me about them having a score of 100, this is another thing the auditor overlooked. Nobody checks those scales, the only thing they do is that annual 3rd part calibration. Someone also told me that digital scales are not required to be calibrated. I am not sure about that (they said the FDA/dept. of Agriculture informed them that). Also I am pretty sure part of the SQF code is monitoring of calibration as part of a daily thing. Can someone provide me with any guidance about this? Thank you!

[Scampi]

You are correct........the scales need verification............yearly calibration by a 3rd party may be sufficient, but you should have calibrated (with a cert) weights in house that you can verify the scale(s) are still accurate on a schedule/frequency that makes sense for your operations

[SQFconsultant]

Hi all! So I started working at a company that was ceritifed for the first time last year in SQF level 3. I noticed they do not check/monitor scales daily (perform daily calibrations). For those who have read a previous post by me about them having a score of 100, this is another thing the auditor overlooked. Nobody checks those scales, the only thing they do is that annual 3rd part calibration. Someone also told me that digital scales are not required to be calibrated. I am not sure about that (they said the FDA/dept. of Agriculture informed them that). Also I am pretty sure part of the SQF code is monitoring of calibration as part of a daily thing. Can someone provide me with any guidance about this? Thank you!

 

A. Was the company certified "for the first time" under 7.2 or 8.0 and not knowing your product(s) I am assuming modules 2 and 11?

B. While there is a requirement under SQF for calibration records to be maintained, there is no specific SQF requirement for daily checks... but....

C. Most of our clients test their scales with calibration weights during pre-op - every working day.

D. I don't know of anyone that does not test calibrate digital scales - that statement is ja ja ja (as they say here in Panama)... or in English: Blah, Blah, Blah.

E. Calibration records are required to be maintained - every single SQF Auditor I know checks for everything related to scales.

F. Superceding rule --- normally if the SQF requirement supercedes the requirements of a regulatory agency, you go with the SQF rule, if on the other the regulatory rule supercedes the SQF rule, you go with that one - please inform the stunod person they are wrong.

G. I really don't know the circumstances under which the Auditor was working, but as former SQF Auditor with out of the gate 28 FSC's it sounds like either 1. He was paid off, 2. They gave him something, 3. They snowed him under a massive amount of nothingness paperwork and talk, talk, talk or 4. He just looked the other way.

 

H. Seriously, you should have a consultant do a remote or on-site review (compliance review - some call it GAP - I like the term compliance.)