legal requirements

[tqmsys]

I am approximately 80% completed on a material traceability and weld trace tracking system , I have a question in regard to legislation requirements on how long material trace and weld trace is to be stored for, currently we store the information for 7 years then the information it is destroyed (deleted). What are the legal requirements in this regard to different countries? And different within disciplines ?

 

[unclesyd]

I think you have asked one of those questions that is answered by it varies by local.
If you read the analysis of the World Trade Center you can't help but notice that there were hardly any records available especially the materials supplied by various contractors.
Where I worked we always kept the equipment package for a piece of equipment until it left the site. This package contained all the design, in our case the ASME, material approvals along with all the as built details and a picture or two. As I understand it now they only keep the ASME U-1 sheet, the acceptance test and a rubbing of the nameplate. All other information is digitally stored to be purged if the equipment leaves the site.

I just talked with a local fabricator and they keep records of fabricated equipment for 8 years. The owner told me that this stems from the time that equipment was essentially designed for an 8 year life. He is working on having all his data on a particular piece of equipment put on Cd's. The owner does some litigation work and the oldest records he has seen involved in litigation were 18 yrs old. In our area there is no requirement that he and I could recall.

People like the National Board kept some records of recorded equipment for quite a while. I know we retrieved information that was over 20 years old

I think one would have to check with the local jsrisdiction or governing agency to get any idea of a time frame.

 

[tqmsys]

Thank you for your quick reply,

I have been stressing the need to my clients of the ability to supply a full MDR for any object manufactured that is dispatched, (mostly oil and gas works, spooling in particular), the system stores everything electronicly and has a option to archive to DVD. However there is currently no real clear cut definition in this regard, so I suppose my clients can if they wish claim this as a clear marketing advantage to there clients, in the fact that they can retrieve the information as part of there quality system. They can also delete the information also if required, not really a issue the decision is up to the client, I am really checking to see if as a supplier of the technology I have any responsibility in this regard.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Paper records are decent for archival purposes; all you have to do is keep them dry, and find the ones you want. Their accumulated bulk is the only practical reason for purposely destroying them.

Other media present a different problem; even if you have retained and protected the media, the equipment to read it may be long gone.

How many of us are still equipped to read 5-1/4" floppies, 8" floppies, or floppy tapes?




Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[tqmsys]

you are correct I still have 8" and 51/4 floppies in storage,as well as tape and punch cards (VAX 11/750)- gee I must be old. LOL

 

[tqmsys]

on this point - in some cases I still refer to them, as history has a way of repeating itself, and they make good reference material, for example WPS, WPQR's should be kept on file for ever for reference it may save time and money.

 

[darryl3]

The customer's requirements for retention should be considered first.

Enviromental, SOX, Federal Safety and Legal requirements should be considered. Depending on the product and its impact this may vary greatly. Oversea's requirments may be harder to determine but also are less actionable.

Old test data should be destroyed for legal reasons. Old Work Processes should be retained for recall.

7-10 years is standard.

 

[tqmsys]

Thank you for all your replies, I think I will give my customers the options to archive and or delete, after all it is there final responsibility all I do is provide the service how they use it is after all there responsibility.