I'm not sure that the very broad categories (personnel, equipment
history, etc.) would quite fit..... The retention requirements can vary
quite widely.... from hazardous material and associated medical
"personnel records" through personnel appraisals, etc.  Of course, I'm
not in the "business" right now of setting retention periods, so I don't
look at differing legal requirements on an ongoing basis. 

Where "legal" issues are concerned, I'd tend to worry a bit about those
records that fall under attorney/client privilege...where fiscal records
are concerned, would we see a real need or benefit to retaining budget
workpapers for as long as "we" are mandated to retain balance sheets and
income statements?  Where manufacturers are concerned, equipment records
could potentially cover equipment used by the firm, or equipment
manufactured ....and subject to potential future lawsuits by consumers,
etc.

What concerns me sometimes is what I hear from SNIA contacts, they'd
prefer to see no more than five records categories and five associated
retention requirements.  

Perhaps this is something that could stand some additional research,
since most of the arguments and disagreements focus either on the
limitations of technology, or on rather anecdotal "evidence" (personal
opinion and testimony not quite backed by statistical information or
research)....... 

Just a few thoughts.... but, when it comes to defining how narrowly or
how broadly to define records series and how to best apply differing
retention requirements (imposed by government agencies), it appears that
we don't have a RIM consensus on what our best practices might be.

Doug Allen, CRM, CDIA+

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