4 replies to this topic

[Ericaw33]

Hi everyone, I have my annual SQF audit in January and we have added a new off-site warehouse. The warehouse in the future will be more than just storage, it will also be manufacturing. That will be a few more years down the road, so for now its dry storage. My concern is that one of the sections is not completely finished, as far as the inside of the room. The outside is sealed up and there is pest control inside and outside of the room. I have recently found out that we will not be able to finish that part of the building before my audit. What do I need to have in place, and can I close that part of the warehouse without being penalized? Any help is appreciated.

[SQFconsultant]

You say this is off-site and then say that it is used for dry storage, ok, I'm a little confused -- if this is a new building or conversion that is down the road (off-site or across town etc) I see no impact - except that you then say its used for dry storage, so if you are storing anything having to do with product that is under you current certification that facility is subject to inspection - all safeguards and everything that is a part of your current FSMS would apply.

 

So, if you are using it right now to store stuff in hopefully you get it up to speed quickly.

 

Really not enough information/clarification needed to answer in full.

 

And as an aside, if that facility is not completely finished you really should not be storing anything in it that would be a part of your current certification - I have seen companies take a loss of certification for this sort of situation - depending on what is stored it can go beyond a risk analysis.

[Ericaw33]

Thank you. So, the new building is 15 mins down the road so that's why I was saying it was off-site warehouse. We are a dry product facility and want to use it as overflow for finished product ready to be picked up by customers. There is one end of the building that is not completely finished as far as the inside, but it can be closed off if needed until it is completed. I thought at the time I submitted the audit application adding that building, it would be completed before the audit and it is now looking like it is not going to be completed. I am not sure what problems closing that section off will cause during the audit.

[SQFconsultant]

You need to amend your audit application with your CB.

 

If presently storing anything in the off-site facility - remove it.

 

And then you don't even mention the other facility until it is ready.

 

And since you are planning on doing manufacturing in that off-site facility is may be a completely new additional certification or your certification becomes a multi-site, check with you CB for all that stuff.

[jfrey123]

I wouldn't list it on scope until it's ready to be fully inspected.  You can present it as a work in progress, with closing off the unfinished area, and it might work given you're able to show the full plan of what work is being completed prior to use.  But if you're thinking of having some product in it while segregated from the worked area, it opens up concerns to food defense, environmental monitoring, sanitation, cross contamination as you've probably got a fair number of contractors walking around it doing all the active construction.  Not something I'd want to have to have documented for my SQF auditor to review.

 

It'll cost more to add it to scope once it's complete, but I think it's the safer move.  Too many findings in the secondary building will affect your certificate which affects the main operation.