Changes made by hand to approved documents must be:

When changes are made by hand to approved documents, it is essential that these alterations are initialed and dated. This practice ensures accountability and traceability of the modifications. By initialing the changes, the individual makes it clear that they acknowledge and take responsibility for the updates. Dating the changes provides a timeline for when the modification occurred, which is vital for maintaining the document’s integrity and history. This procedure helps organizations track document revisions and ensures that any adjustments made are properly documented and can be audited if necessary.

The other choices do not align with the standard practice of modifying approved documents. For instance, signing and submitting changes to management or having a second-party review may not be practical for minor modifications. Additionally, while maintaining a separate log could be beneficial for tracking changes, it is not a specific requirement solely for hand-written alterations on approved documents. Initialing and dating serve as direct and efficient methods for documenting changes made by hand, reinforcing the credibility and accuracy of the document revision process.