Proof of Competency for Long Term Employees

Employee training and proof of competency is stated in BRC Packaging High Risk Issue 4 as follows:

5.2.9 Personnel carrying out print quality control shall be appropriately trained, aware of the importance of consumer safety information and adequately supervised.

6.1.1 All personnel, including temporary personnel, shall be appropriately trained prior to commencing work and adequately supervised throughout the working period.

6.1.2 The company shall routinely review the competencies of staff and provide relevant training as appropriate. Records of training shall be maintained.

My question is how do you show records of competency for long term employees? A large number of the people at our facility have been doing their job properly for many years. What is the most effective way to demonstrate to the auditor that they are competent at their responsibilities?

Thank you in advance,

Sean

You can collect the data on the personnel's performance evaluation and make a record or summary to check that they are consistently performing their function properly. If you have KPI-based evaluation, it will be better.

Develop skill matrix based on qualification and experience.

Demonstrate their strengths and compare these with juniors.  

Conclude their skills and record

Great question. I agree a skills matrix is a great idea, but behind each of the squares in the matrix there should also be a Standard Operating Procedure.  These can be simple one page procedures with a photo and some bullet points.  I guarantee if you do not have documented SOP's the work will be carried out in different ways by employees and perhaps then you will get different results in terms of efficiency, waste and quality.  Capture best practice with SOP's and standardize work.  This also helps immensely when training new employees.

Regards,

Simon

I the food safety Standard the following is stated:

1.2.2 "....Where documented work instructions exist for activities undertaken....."

6.1.1 "Documented specifications and work instructions shall be available for the key processes in the production...."

7.1.3 The site shall put in place documented programmes covering the training needs of relevant personnel....identifying the necessary competencies for specific roles..."

If all these things are in place, it's a fairly simple task to come up with a checklist or something similar. You observe the long term employees. Are they following the work instructions? Are they working safely?

If so, sign them off as being competent. If they are NOT showing competency, you need to do refresher training, coaching, etc. and document that.

Marshall

I have a set of questionnaires for various areas used as an assessment of skills and knowledge for the task in hand.

On a matrix, keep the questionnaire records. Swap/change questions each year. Done