SQF level 2 transition to level 3

The company I work for is currently working toward a level 3 SQF certification. My thoughts are that we already have most of the prerequisite programming in place, it's more a matter of documenting this properly. Does anyone know how a registrar would feel if we plagiarize the format of our HACCP Plan to encompass the Quality implementation, or if that's even a valid means of going forward?

The company I work for is currently working toward a level 3 SQF certification. My thoughts are that we already have most of the prerequisite programming in place, it's more a matter of documenting this properly. Does anyone know how a registrar would feel if we plagiarize the format of our HACCP Plan to encompass the Quality implementation, or if that's even a valid means of going forward?

Hi ehamilton,

I'm not a user of SQF so users are welcome to correct me.

The answer to yr query may depend on what you mean by "plagiarize".

For example, from memory of earlier SQF threads here, the methodology to determine  CCQPs  can be peformed analogously to that for CCPs  in the HACCP (Safety) Plan. i think it actually recommends this approach  in the Guidance (2.4.4.1?) ? Is this what you meant ?

The SQF Auditing Guidance in 2.4.4 is quite impressive IMO even though i don't agree with HACCP being non-safety driven.

When developing a "Food Quality Plan" for SQF Level 3 these are the steps that I have used in the past (5 facilities certified)

Using a  HACCP Step and Principles as follows;

1. Assemble the Food Quality Plan Development team (FQPD)

2. Describe Quality Characteristics of your product

3. Identify Intended Use - quality focus here (eg. Dropping a case of product may cause product breakage)

4. Use HACCP Flow Diagram and list potential and known quality threats at each process step. ( known quality threats are identified in Quality Complaint Trends and Held or On Hold Product Reports)

5. Determine Critical Quality Points

6. Determine Critical Quality Limits

7. Establish Monitoring procedures

8. Establish Deviation procedures

9. Establish Verification procedures

10. Establish Record Keeping 

Hope this helps..

C

Charles C., Thanks for the response, and yes, that is what I was referring to. Using our HACCP outline as a template with the focus being on quality in this instance, as opposed to safety.

Also though, in determining verbiage and scope of outline. I'm not saying a word for word transliteration, but when presented with a complete body of work to tailor, it seems a waste to start from scratch.

Hi ehamilton,

 

I'm not a user of SQF so users are welcome to correct me.

 

The answer to yr query may depend on what you mean by "plagiarize".

For example, from memory of earlier SQF threads here, the methodology to determine  CCQPs  can be peformed analogously to that for CCPs  in the HACCP (Safety) Plan. i think it actually recommends this approach  in the Guidance (2.4.4.1?) ? Is this what you meant ?

The SQF Auditing Guidance in 2.4.4 is quite impressive IMO even though i don't agree with HACCP being non-safety driven.

When developing a "Food Quality Plan" for SQF Level 3 these are the steps that I have used in the past (5 facilities certified)

 

Using a  HACCP Step and Principles as follows;

1. Assemble the Food Quality Plan Development team (FQPD)

2. Describe Quality Characteristics of your product

3. Identify Intended Use - quality focus here (eg. Dropping a case of product may cause product breakage)

4. Use HACCP Flow Diagram and list potential and known quality threats at each process step. ( known quality threats are identified in Quality Complaint Trends and Held or On Hold Product Reports)

5. Determine Critical Quality Points

6. Determine Critical Quality Limits

7. Establish Monitoring procedures

8. Establish Deviation procedures

9. Establish Verification procedures

10. Establish Record Keeping 

 

Hope this helps..

C

C.,

     Thank you so much for your input. Very informative and well stated. This will do much as a checklist for the internal audit prior to taking this, in my mind, very large step. I have an idea of what they'll be wanting to see, but the implementation of such is another matter altogether. If something is overlooked, much rides on it.

Hi ehamilton,

Also though, in determining verbiage and scope of outline. I'm not saying a word for word transliteration, but when presented with a complete body of work to tailor, it seems a waste to start from scratch.

Indeed, in the Quality Manual Business, especially ISO 9001, this is a well-documented technique which i (and many other people) have used "elsewhere".. Known, i believe, as Reverse Engineering.