What is 'documentation hijacking' and how can it be prevented?

• A. Routine update by designated owner.
• B. Archiving old SOPs.
• C. Copying SOPs for training.
• D. Unauthorized changes to SOPs; prevent with access controls, audit trails, periodic reviews, and dual approvals.

Answer: (D)

Documentation hijacking means unauthorized changes to SOPs, where someone edits procedures, steps, or approvals without proper permission. This can undermine safety, compliance, and consistency by introducing incorrect or misleading instructions, or by masking harmful changes with plausible edits. To prevent it, focus on controls that enforce who can alter documents, track every change, and ensure edits are legitimate. Access controls restrict edit rights to trusted individuals, so only authorized owners can modify procedures. Audit trails record who changed what and when, providing a traceable history that can reveal tampering. Periodic reviews verify that all SOPs reflect current practices and regulatory requirements, catching inappropriate edits early. Dual approvals or segregation of duties require more than one responsible person to approve changes, making unilateral hijacking much harder. Good version control and automatic notifications also help maintain transparency and accountability.

Routine updates by the designated owner, archiving old SOPs, and copying SOPs for training are normal parts of SOP lifecycle and training processes; they’re managed through these same controls to prevent misuse.