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What is document
control?
The primary purpose of document control
is to ensure that only current documents
and not something that has been
superseded are employed in the
environmental management system.
Document control ensures that current
documents are approved by the competent
persons, distributed to the places where they are used, and that
old and obsolete versions are
removed.
Four specific tasks must be
addressed under the Document
Control section of the regulation:
1. Define the scope of the document control system (which
documents mustbe controlled?)
2. Develop a document authorization or approval system3. Ensure
that only current versions of documents are used at the
workstation
where they are employed
4. Out of date documents that need to be archived must be
suitably identifiedIf the organisation is already using an ISO 9001
quality management system, existing
document control procedures may well be sufficient, providing
that they take account of
the extra documentation applying to environmental
management.
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Guide to controlling and maintaining lean
documents and worksheets
1. IDENTIFY WHICH DOCUMENTS NEED TOBE CONTROLLED
2. DEFINE AN APPROVAL SYSTEM
3. ASSURE APPROPRIATE DISTRIBUTION
4. REMOVE OLD AND OBSOLETE
DOCUMENTS
1. Identify which documents need to be controlled
Your first task is to think thoroughly which documents need to
be
controlled.
Obviously, the most important rule of document controlling is
that only current
procedures and work instructions are used. You may find that
other documents are less
vital and it may not be worth the effort of controlling
them.
You may even decide to have different levels of document control
for different types ofdocuments, e.g. formal approval and
controlled distribution for procedures and work
instructions, controlled distribution for your list of legal
requirements, etc.
2. Define a document approval system
An approval/authorization system ensures that distributed
documents are
appropriate for persons receiving them.
A responsible person must approve these documents.
Think about how to show this approval: On paper documents it may
be a
signature; electronic documents may only be posted if they are
approved.
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3. Assure appropriate distribution
Make sure that everyone who needs the document gets a copy.
Distribution may be physical (paper documents) or electronic.
When posting the
document on an intranet ensure that everybody who needs to have
the new documentknows about the posting (e.g. through an
email).
4. Remove old and obsolete documents
This is easy if you are using electronic documents but is more
complicated
with paper documents.
You may oblige the receiver of new documents to send back
obsolete ones. If for some
reason you need to retain obsolete versions of documents, mark
them to avoid unintended
use. Many organisations use stamps: OBSOLETE DOCUMENT.
