Ideally, you should have a records officer or records manager at each
location, but in reality you don't find this to be the norm. Even if you
did, and I've said this many times, they may have the responsibility, but
they don't have the authority to destroy the organizational records (or at
least not all of them ... if they say they do ... they are blowing smoking
.. lots of smoke).
I'm a firm believer that the records managers/officer should be the one
guiding the program with the tools to management their organizational
records. Tools: Policy and Procedures, program development, training,
etc., not the actual grunt work.
They may have a good handle on that are in their control, i.e., perhaps
off-site storage, but the people who are in the trenches who may be called
"coordinators" really don't have the authority to destroy records. While I
haven't met a lot of "coordinators" I'll bet you a cool one at the
conference that they don't have or wouldn't take on the responsibility of
destroying records. They would get someone to buy off (sign) the
destruction notice.
Pacific NW... we are ahead of the norm for rainfall this year. Showers
today and more expected for the next couple of days.
Robert W. Dalton, CRM
Dalton Consulting
University Place, WA
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Steve Morgan
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 4:18 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [RM] Documenting destruction of records
If it's that big of a company, ideally, there should a "records
officer" at the different locations. While I was in the NW, years ago,
a Records Manager was a third party defendant in a case where records
were destroyed too soon because the company was too big . That's when I
decided to get something in writing, stating I couldn't be held
responsible in case of a lawsuit.
How's the weather up Pacific NW these days? I was up there for 27 years
until 5 years ago.
Steve Morgan
C.J. Segerstrom & Sons, Records Manager
(714) 438-3228 phone
(714) 546-9835 fax
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of bobd
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 3:56 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Documenting destruction of records
Robert W. Dalton, CRM
Dalton Consulting
University Place, WA
[log in to unmask]
Steve Morgan wrote:
I have to agree with Stephen. All records, except for duplicates, to be
destroyed need to go through your records department. Not only for
documentation purposes but, there are a couple of other reasons as well:
1. To be sure that the records being destroyed, in fact, ARE the correct
records that are to be destroyed.
2. To be sure they are following the most recent retention schedule as
opposed to an outdated one.
Duplicate copies should be written into the retention schedule as well &
pointing to the office of records of the originals. I am of the belief
that ALL records, except duplicates, need to go the RM department for
final disposition.
..................................
I cannot agree with Steve on this issue. Maybe if you have a really
small company and have total control of the records you might be able to
accomplish the task of destroying all records in accordance with the
company retention policies, however, if you are a multi-national company
with many locations and/or a large company at one site, you would be
hard pressed to be the single source of document destruction for all
records within your organization.
I believe we have discussed this before, but we (Records Managers)
should not be the
"records police" The responsibilities the management of your
organizational records should be incorporated into your policies and
procedures. My recommendation for the management of the records would
be at the department level with guidance from the records management
department.
Just my thoughts on a dreary Friday afternoon here in the Pacific NW
Robert W. Dalton, CRM
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