ISO 9001 Preservation and Storage Procedure Template

Introduction

In the modern world, the quality of the products that a company delivers determines its success. The ISO 9001 standard is a globally recognized quality management system (QMS), which helps companies operate more efficiently. One of the key aspects of ISO 9001 is the preservation and storage of products after production and before delivery to customers. This article will discuss the requirements and benefits of preservation and storage per ISO 9001:2015. Furthermore, the article will also provide a procedure template, which your company can use as a reference.

ISO 9001 Requirements for Preservation and Storage

The ISO 9001 standard is designed in a way that makes it possible to create a process-oriented QMS. This approach highlights the importance of preserving materials before, during, and after the production process.

ISO 9001:2015 Requirements (Clause 8.5.4 – Preservation)

Clause 8.5.4 of ISO 9001:2015 states that: “The organization shall preserve outputs during production and service provision, to the extent necessary to ensure conformity to requirements.”

The clause mentions that the organization has to preserve its outputs during the production and service provision process. The term “outputs” refers to products and services resulting from the organization’s processes. Therefore, it includes raw materials, resources, goods, and even the information resulting from the processes. On the other hand, preservation refers to any activity performed to protect outputs during production from damage, deterioration, contamination, or other forms of loss. Finally, the phrase “conformity to requirements” means that the organization has to ensure that the outputs are suitable for their intended purpose and conform to the requirements of customers, products, processes, and the applicable statutes and regulations.

Moreover, this clause is also connected to several other requirements, including the control of nonconforming outputs (clause 8.7), monitoring and measurement (clause 9.1), and control of documented information (clause 7.5).

Benefits of Meeting ISO 9001 Preservation and Storage Requirements

There are several benefits that an organization can reap from developing a good procedure for preserving the products. First, this procedure will help the company to maintain the quality of the products during the production process. Second, it will also reduce the possibility of deterioration and loss of the goods. Third, the quality of the delivered products will increase, thus satisfying the customers and helping the company to build a good reputation. In addition, the firm will reduce the amount of reworked products and scrap. On the other hand, the company will have to invest effort and money in ensuring that the procedure is implemented and followed correctly.

What Should a Good Procedure for Storage and Preservation Include?

A high-quality procedure should contain the following elements:

1. Purpose and scope of the procedure.
   
   

2. Responsibilities of different units and personnel.
   
   

3. Definitions of terms used in the procedure.
   
   

4. Detailed procedure steps, including:

   • Identification.
     
     

   • Handling.
     
     

   • Packaging.
     
     

   • Storage.
     
     

   • Protection.
     
     

   • Delivery/dispatch.

5. Documentation and records.
   
   

6. Monitoring and measurement.
   
   

7. Procedure review and improvement.

Purpose and Scope

In this section, the organization should clearly describe the purpose of the procedure and the scope of application. The goal of the procedure can be stated as following: “This procedure defines the methods for preserving and storing all products, materials, and information outputs to ensure their conformity to specified requirements and prevent damage or deterioration.”

Next, the company should state the scope of application. For example, the firm can specify that the procedure applies to all materials, products, and documentation, including production, warehouses, and dispatch units.

Responsibilities

The organization can list down the different responsibilities and assign them to the particular departments or personnel. For example, the quality manager can be assigned the responsibility of ensuring that the procedure is implemented correctly. Some of the many responsibilities that the company can consider include:

• Management representative – responsible for the overall quality management system.
  
  

• Quality manager – responsible for implementing, auditing, and reviewing the procedure.
  
  

• Production manager – responsible for ensuring that the production process meets the procedure requirements.
  
  

• Warehouse/logistics manager – responsible for preserving the products.
  
  

• All other personnel – responsible for implementing the procedure.

Definitions

The procedure should provide definitions of the terms and concepts that the company will use throughout the document. The definitions can include:

• Preservation – activities performed to protect materials, products, or documents from damage or deterioration.
  
  

• Storage – the action or manner of storing goods securely and safely.
  
  

• Output – product or service resulting from the organization’s processes.
  
  

• Nonconforming output – output that does not meet the specified requirements.

Procedure Steps

This section should contain a detailed procedure. The procedure can be divided into several steps, such as identification, handling, packaging, storage, protection, and delivery/dispatch.

1. Identification

In this step, the organization has to describe how different materials, products, and documents will be handled, identified, and tracked. The company can identify different materials using material numbers and tags indicating the material’s status (e.g., accepted, quarantine, rejected). On the other hand, products can be identified using part numbers or other methods that the organization can use to ensure traceability.

2. Handling

Handling refers to the way that different materials, products, and documents will be transported from one location to another. The company can use different handling methods for different materials and products, depending on their nature and size. Moreover, the organization has to ensure that materials and products are handled carefully to avoid damage. The handling process will involve different resources, including forklifts or other tools and equipment and human labor. When handling products, the workers have to use personal protective equipment (PPE).

3. Packaging

Next, the company has to ensure that products are packed in suitable packing materials to protect them from damage during transportation and storage. Additionally, materials and products should be properly labeled and tagged to indicate their nature, destination, and other important information. The company should also use appropriate packaging, including bags or any other packaging materials that will protect the products during transport and storage.

4. Storage

This step will indicate the storage requirements for different materials, products, and documents. The organization has to specify the storage conditions and environment, including temperature, humidity, and others, depending on the materials and products. The firm should also indicate how materials and products will be secured to avoid theft or damage. Besides, the company should describe the location and layout of the storage area and explain how different products and materials will be organized. For example, the manufacturer should specify whether the products will be stored in racks or on the floor. The organization should also mention the products’ shelf life and storage duration, including the re-inspection dates and other requirements.

5. Protection

In this step, the company has to indicate how different materials, products, and documents will be protected from damage, deterioration, contamination, and other issues during the production process. The materials and products that the organization will handle will require different levels of protection, depending on their nature and other requirements. For example, some materials and products might be sensitive to static electricity, and the manufacturer should take measures to avoid static discharge. Additionally, materials and products should be protected from corrosion, such as rust, and other issues.

6. Delivery/Dispatch

In the final step, the procedure should indicate how the products will be delivered to the customers. First, the products will undergo final inspection to ensure that they conform to the required specifications and quality standards. Next, the company will pack the products according to the delivery requirements. The organization has to ensure that the products are loaded onto the delivery vehicles carefully to avoid damage during transportation.

Documentation and Records

This procedure should indicate what documentation and records the organization will use and retain. The documentation can include material receipt inspection reports, storage location records, inventory records, and others. The records that the company should consider including in the procedure are as follows:

• Material receipt inspection records.
  
  

• Storage location records.
  
  

• Inventory records.
  
  

• Environmental monitoring records.
  
  

• Documented information and records of nonconforming outputs.
  
  

• Other relevant records.

The company should also retain the above records for a certain period, depending on the requirements.

Monitoring and Measurement

This section should describe how the organization will monitor and measure the performance of the procedure. For example, the company can conduct internal audits to evaluate the effectiveness of the procedure. In addition, the firm can analyze customer complaints and feedback, including any issues that the customers might report concerning the quality of products during transportation and delivery.

Review and Improvement

The organization should establish a procedure for the continuous improvement of the procedure. The review and improvement process should entail the frequency of reviews and the methods that the organization will use to review and improve the procedure.

Implementing ISO 9001 Preservation and Storage Procedure in Your Company

This procedure is only as good as the implementation and execution. Therefore, the company should not use the procedure template as it is but rather customize the document according to the needs of the business.

Customizing the Procedure Based on the Needs of the Business

Although the procedure template provides a detailed procedure for the preservation and storage of different products, the company has to customize the document based on the nature of its products and other requirements. Therefore, the firm should consider the different materials and products that it will store.

For instance, if the company deals with highly sensitive materials and products, it should consider including those unique storage and protection requirements in the procedure. In addition, the organization should ensure that it considers the applicable regulations and legal requirements, including those that specify the storage and preservation of different materials and products.

Training and Awareness

The company should ensure that the personnel handling the materials, products, and documents are aware of the procedure and understand their roles and responsibilities. Therefore, the firm should provide training to the relevant personnel on a regular basis.

Integration with the Overall Quality Management System

The procedure should be integrated with the overall quality management system of the organization. For example, the procedure can be related to the control of nonconforming outputs (Clause 8.7), Purchasing (Clause 8.4), design and development (Clause 8.3), and management review (Clause 9.3).

Continuous Improvement

The procedure should also entail a system that the organization can use to continuously improve the procedure based on the gaps that the firm can identify.

Benefits of a Good Preservation and Storing Procedure

There are numerous benefits that the company can gain from having a good preservation and storage procedure. First, the organization will be able to meet the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard. In addition, the procedure will help the company to deliver high-quality products to the customers, thus increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty. Finally, the procedure will also help the organization to comply with the relevant regulations and legal requirements.

Conclusion

Overall, the document is crucial for an organization that wants to implement a quality management system that is in line with the ISO 9001:2015 standard.