Records Management Standards and Procedures
B.C. Ministry of Forests [GIF 1K]
Chapter 7 - Offsite Transfer/Final Disposition

Section 7.3 - Records Culling/Purging

Effective: March 31, 1995
Updated: September 15, 1997

General

Annual culling/purging of records ensures that offices store only active records and that all other records are transferred to semi-active storage and/or destroyed in accordance with approved and/or pending ARCS and ORCS schedules. This subsequently ensures that records systems are maintained in an efficient and cost effective manner.

Guidelines: Culling/Purging

Ministry offices should complete a cull/purge of records annually. This may be done at fiscal year end (March 31) or at calendar year end (December 31).

NEWFiles may be purged manually, or by electronic reports.

Retention schedules must be applied to each record, not the file. To meet this requirement, use filebacks within the files (i.e., one fileback for each calendar or fiscal year, depending on the schedule).

Filebacks must be labeled with the classification material, including primary/secondary, date range, and schedule being applied.

Filebacks in the files that contain information outside the retention schedule must be removed (e.g., file 10005-01 has a schedule of CY+4y for the active period; in 1997, the file would be culled to the end of calendar year 1996).NEW

Only material that has met or surpassed the approved active retention period may be sent for offsite storage and/or approved for destruction. Transfer and disposition of records must be guided by the Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) and non-OPR retention schedules as approved by the Legislative Assembly.

Procedures

Preparing Culled/Purged Records for Transfer

Offices must ensure that transferred records can be easily retrieved. This has become particularly important since implementation of Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy legislation. Attention to detail when preparing records for transfer will ensure that they can be easily retrieved. Follow these procedures:
  1. Complete all forms accurately and thoroughly (refer to 7.6).
  2. Assemble transfer supplies. The following is a checklist:
  3. NEWIf you are using an automated system, print a culling report or a detailed file listing.
  4. Consult ARCS/ORCS schedules to determine the applicable retention period for each file (the automated records management system listing will display the retention periods) and note on the file listing.NEW
  5. Sort the files into ARCS or ORCS. Within each category, sort records scheduled for:
  6. Box records ready for destruction separately from records going to semi-active storage.
Note: Semi-active records should be boxed with a maximum 7-year date span in a box.

References


NEW NEW indicate most recent changes

B.C. Ministry of Forests [GIF 1K]
[ Prev page | Next page | Table of Contents | Search this document ]
[ ISB Home | MoF Home | B.C. Home ]

Information Management Group, B.C. Ministry of Forests

Comments to: RMHELP
This page last updated: November 18, 1997.
URL: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/tasb/manuals/recman/rm7-3.htm