# Retention of Final Wet-Sealed Documents



## klk (Jul 27, 2017)

My company has developed a new document retention policy that requires us to scan original wet sealed documents and destroy the originals.  Our state's requirements for wet sealed documents states that scanned versions of wet sealed documents are not considered originals (they are copies). But they don't have any specific retention requirements, so they refuse to comment on my company's proposed document retention policy.

Does anyone have experience with this or could point me in the direction of an online resource I could forward to my managers? I'm inclined to fight to keep the original stamped documents, at least until the projects have been constructed and started up, but I'm facing an uphill battle unless I can find valid justification for keeping them.

Thanks in advance!


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## ptatohed (Jul 28, 2017)

I think we have a 7 year retention policy for the mylars, starting after the completion of construction.  But, honestly, since the advent of scanning and uploading to GIS, no one ever looks at the original mylar as-builts ever again, once they are scanned.  Without breaking any company policies or state laws, my vote is to scan and trash.  I think this is the future.


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## youngmotivatedengineer (Jul 28, 2017)

A few things to think about: Is the person who signed/sealrd the plans still around to seal a new set if needed? Efficiency of electronic files us based on labeling system. If files aren't identified properly, it could be a nightmare trying to find specific files. According to my boss, in NJ he is personally liable for the projects until the day he dies regardless if he retires or closes the company so we have jobs dating back 30 years. We recently took our flat files and rolled them up ( secured with zip tie) and put in off site storage.


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## ptatohed (Jul 29, 2017)

youngmotivatedengineer said:


> A few things to think about: Is the person who signed/sealrd the plans still around to seal a new set if needed? Efficiency of electronic files us based on labeling system. If files aren't identified properly, it could be a nightmare trying to find specific files. According to my boss, in NJ he is personally liable for the projects until the day he dies regardless if he retires or closes the company so we have jobs dating back 30 years. We recently took our flat files and rolled them up ( secured with zip tie) and put in off site storage.


This is exactly why I prefer "scan and can".  You take these as-builts and put them in offsite storage where you pay unnecessary amounts of money which only increases as time goes on as you keep sending more and more plans/docs to storage.... all for stuff no one will ever look at again.  Scan your stuff, preferably get it into GIS or some other efficient retrieval system, and cream the originals (after fulfilling any company, state, or federal - if any - retention period).


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