Establishing a records storage and security guidelines. A case study: National Forestry Authority

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to establish records storage and security guidelines using National Forestry Authority registry as a case study. The study concentrated at four objectives that is to identify the types of records kept at National Forestry Authority, to examine the methods used to store and safeguard the records at National Forestry Authority, to identify the challenges faced in storing and safeguarding records at National Forestry Authority and to establish solutions for the existing records storage and guidelines at National Forestry Authority. A case study approach of the qualitative research design was adopted to collect data. The sample size for this study comprised of 17 sample elements that is 02 records staff who (records officer and records assistant) and 15 records users that visit the registry on various occasions. The sampling method used to select samples was the purposive non-probability sampling method whereas Interview, document review and questionnaire methods were used for data collection We found out that National Forestry Authority doesn’t have any written guidelines to assist the interns, volunteers and new records staff in executing their daily work. This has led to records management issues like poor handling and retrieving techniques and inappropriate filing techniques which result into misfiling, delayed retrieval of information, misplacement of records and unauthorized access to records, inadequate storage space because records delay in the registry before appraisal takes place. For that case therefore, we came up with a well-designed handbook which is well structured and contains the records storage and security guidelines for national forestry authority. The researchers decided to structure the guidelines in a handbook because a handbook which promotes consistency and management credibility thus work will be completed in a consistent manner, it will act as the supervisor's reference document making monitoring and supervision simple, it will be an excellent resource for orientation of new employees, interns and volunteers to NFA and many others