Does the area for keeping documents and records (the office) need to be separated from the medicine storage area?

Yes, the office area used to store documents and records must be separate from the medicine storage area. This separation is mainly for several reasons. First, offices are areas with high levels of staff activity, and separating them can reduce disturbance to the medicine storage environment and the risk of potential contamination. Secondly, offices do not usually require the strict temperature and humidity controls needed in a medicine warehouse. Separating the two can reduce energy costs and management complexity. Thirdly, paper documents and office equipment present a certain fire risk, so keeping them separate from the medicine storage area is a fire-safety measure. Ideally, the office should be a separate room. If space is limited, the office area must still be completely separated from the storage area by a partition wall or clear physical barrier, and activities in the office must not adversely affect the storage environment (such as temperature, humidity or cleanliness).