Temporary Repairs Policy (SQF)
During our most recent audit, the auditor asked for our Temporary Repairs "Policy". We didn't have a dedicated Policy for Temporary Repairs though I was able to show him another document where we discuss this topic.
Under SQF, are we required to have an individual "Temporary Repairs Policy"?
AFAIK, you can have this policy as a part of other document or SOP - however, you need to be sure the responsible maintenance personnel are aware of this policy (better to have either training records or corresponding checkmarks on temp. repair records)
While it can be a part of another document I would imagine the reason you got gig'd for not having a formal stand alone policy was because what you have on it was not fully acceptable/not fully explained, etc.
Most have separate stand alone doc on the temp repair policy.
11.2.1.6 Temporary repairs, where required, shall not pose a food safety risk and shall be included in routine inspections (refer to 2.5.4.3) and the cleaning program. There shall be a plan in place to address the completion of temporary repairs to ensure they do not become permanent solutions.
You should describe somewhere in your program what is and is not permitted as temporary repair, how it will be monitored to ensure it doesn't affect food safety, and how your maintenance department will continue working to permanently fix the problem.
Say you've got a duct as part of a dust collection system that runs above equipment that cracks. Best repair would be to replace the duct, but maintenance needs a couple days to source the new duct. Tape is a bad idea because it flakes off and the stickiness attracts dust and harbors bacteria, so by policy we'd want to prohibit taped repairs. They could fit a pliable sleeve or patch around the pipe and secure it with hose clamps instead, but while that is there someone should periodically inspect it to make sure the clamps haven't fallen off or the patch hasn't broken, and also check that the patch is still containing the dust properly.