Offsite Warehouse - SQF scope
Hi, I am looking for guidance in regards to SQF. I started working at a bakery some months ago and already went through an unannounced audit. The facility only has the main manufacturing site listed in the certification but they also use/rent a warehouse down the street. This warehouse is not included in the certification, it is used for dry ingredient storage, equipment and packaging materials. I was told that the company does not want to include this in the certification and it has been this way since they began having offsite storage years ago. I believe this warehouse should be included and would appreciate any guidance that can lead me in the right direction.
I guess it would depend on how your storage practices are and how your programs are written in terms of receiving. I can understand not having it under the scope as it is a separate building, but I also understand including it in the scope. Depending on the condition and practices going on there, I'd assume it would be fairly easy to add it to your scope. I personally never encountered this before, so I will let the other fine people on this forum comment.
One thing I will say, if it not included on your scope, you should be auditing and documenting the audit as it would apply to the SQF code in terms of receiving and storage regardless. An auditor will want to see you risk assessed this building and you are monitoring it in the very least.
Greetings MMQA,
My question on this is, hasn't any auditor raised a question in all these years? I mean, hasn't anyone wondered where does the bulk of packaging material or dry ingredient come from when he does a traceability test or if he sees that for example you have 10 products that require packaging but he sees packages only for 5 of them on-site??? Because if you need a storage for these then they must have quite large quantities!!!
Anyway, the right thing under SQF or any other standard is to mention and assess the warehouse, as it is a part of the company and part of the flow, especially concerning raw materials and packaging, as there might be a cross-contamination hazard.
The wrong thing to do is hide it, but it's a thing that has been going on for years and mentioning it now may raise difficult questions for all sides. Though I am against it, in this case I would suggest let the auditors find it and raise an N/C, which will put more pressure on the issue for the top management to resolve. Now, unfortunately, it would be only you against the management.
Regards!
I would think any space that holds food - raw materials (dry ingredients) used in the production of your products would need to be included in the scope of the audit. That being said, storage buildings aren't typically held to the same standard as the actual production facilities. We make food packaging and we include all of our buildings in our certification and square footage because the inspection of the finished goods storage area is a quick walkthrough and check of the pest control and internal inspection records (done monthly). We're usually in the finished goods warehouses for all of 15 minutes during our annual recertification.
From SQF Code:
The scope of certification specifies:
The site. SQF certification is site specific. The entire site, including all premises, support buildings, silos, tanks, loading and unloading bays, and external grounds are identified and included in the scope of certification.
If activities are carried out in different premises but are overseen by the same senior, operational, and technical management and are covered by the one SQF System, the site can be expanded to include those premises.
Glossary definitions:
Site: The specific location where an SQF Food Safety or Quality System is implemented by a food business involved in the production, manufacture, processing, transport, storage, distribution, or sale of food, beverages, packaging, animal feed, or pet food.
Site Audit: The on-site component of a certification or re-certification audit that reviews the site’s products and processes to determine the effective documentation and implementation of the site’s SQF Food Safety or Quality System (refer to “on-site visit”).
By not including the separate warehouse where you're conducting storage and transportation activities, you've misrepresented your site to the SQF auditor and certifying body.
In appendix 3 of the SQF Code:
2 Conditions for Use
2.3 Subsidiary companies and site addresses not included on the certificate of registration are not certified to use the SQF logo.
Your product stored under the unlisted site is not covered by your SQF certification and cannot be implied as such to your customers.
I know my CB explicitly asks for all storage and distribution sites to be listed in the application, but even looking at the SQF code it makes what your predecessors have done sound very sketchy:
PG14
Your scope has not included the storage facility, so it is a separate site as far as SQF is concerned. It has to meet all the requirements of your supplier/vendor approval process, and meet any certifications or specifications on its own. Do you claim to require all suppliers to have written HACCP or GMP programs equivalent to your own -- I'm guessing this warehouse doesn't have it own written GMP programs, etc.
I agree with most comments that the offsite warehouse should be included in the audit, yet the site has been certified for at least over 5 years and they have used that warehouse. It is used to store ingredients and packaging materials, unused and overflow equipment.
I am going to do the risk assessment and add it to our inspections, it is already under our Pest control. I will bring it up that it needs to be added to the scope.
I agree with most comments that the offsite warehouse should be included in the audit, yet the site has been certified for at least over 5 years and they have used that warehouse. It is used to store ingredients and packaging materials, unused and overflow equipment.
I am going to do the risk assessment and add it to our inspections, it is already under our Pest control. I will bring it up that it needs to be added to the scope.
I think it will show your CB you are continuously assessing and improving your FS program, making changes when you determine gaps. With inspections and pest control you should have no issues with your audits, it being storage only. I'm sure it already is, but make sure your site security is compliant there too. Good luck!