WRITING PROCEDURES FOR EVERYONE

    Operating procedures are perhaps the most important documents in industry.  They represent the written instructions about how to keep a plant running.  So why are so many of them so poorly written.  Believe it or not, the very standards that were meant to help solve this problem are indirectly to blame.  As a supervisor sits down to write a procedure, often times one thought looms: "This has to be able to pass an audit".  Whether it be an ISO9000, QS9000, or an internal audit, the writer will pull out the requirements for a procedure and begin to write.  Here is where the first rule of writing is violated: REMEMBER YOUR AUDIENCE!  Right from the beginning, the writer is constructing a procedure for a well educated auditor or director rather than for a high school educated operator.  Unfortunately, the operator is who runs and repairs the equipment, not the auditors.
    So what makes a good procedure?   A good procedure is accurate, up to date, easy to understand, and emphasizes safety.  Your company will have requirements for all controlled documents.   For example, headers and footers will often have to contain certain information such as department, page numbers, document numbers, revision numbers, and possibly other information.

ACCURACY

   A good way to ensure accuracy is for the procedure writer to actually perform the procedure and write down every action in detail.   Later, if necessary, this information can be molded to better fit the procedure.   From this point forward, we will use dish water preparation as an example.

1.  Remove any dirty dishes from the sink on the left and the sink on the right
2.  Turn on the cold water by turning the water control knob on the right, clockwise about half a turn.
3.  Using the available cloth, wipe both sinks thoroughly with cold water until they are clean and free
     of any food matter.
4.  Turn off the cold water by turning the water control knob on the right, counterclockwise until the water
     stops running.
5.  Insert both drain stops into the sink drains.  One into the sink on the left and one into the sink on the right.
6.  Add about one tablespoon of detergent to the sink on the left.  One tablespoon is dispensed by inverting
     the bottle and squeezing for about 2 seconds.
7.  Turn on the hot water by turning the hot water control knob on the left, clockwise, one full turn.  Turn the
     cold water control knob on the right about half a turn clockwise.
     ***Caution:  Be careful when only the hot water is running.  The water may cause skins burns.
8.  When the sink on the left is about half full, stop both water flows by turning both water control knobs
     counterclockwise until the water stops.

Although it may seem trivial to write with such detail, it is far more costly and dangerous to be missing any details.  In this first step of procedure writing, you cannot write too much!

CONSISTENCY

   Notice in the step by step recording that the cold water knob is always referred to as the "water control knob on the right" throughout the instructions.  It would be easy to begin referring to the knob as the "cold water knob" after a while.  This creates inconsistency in the procedure.  An operator could easily confuse the knobs if they are not well marked, whereas there is no confusing "water control knob on the right" with only two knobs.  This is extremely important in a chemical environment, imagine what turning the wrong valve can do then.  These are the types of things to avoid to keep your procedures consistent throughout.

UP TO DATE

   As time goes by, it is necessary to update procedures as they change.  For example, let's suppose that in our dishwashing procedure, management issues a memo stating that the dishes should be washed at a higher temperature.  The engineers do the testing and discover that if the cold water control knob is twisted a quarter of a turn rather than half a turn, the desired washing temperature is reached.  The procedure must be updated accordingly.  It is also good practice to perform periodic procedure reviews to keep your procedures up to date.   Remember that if a procedure is not up to date, it may also not be accurate, and an inaccurate procedure is worthless!

EASY TO UNDERSTAND

   Making a procedure easy to understand can be accomplished by remembering your audience at all times.  There is no need for scholarly writing in a procedure.  "Approximately" should be "About".  "Subsequently" should be "After".   "Copious amounts" should be "Lots".  Also, note that when recording the actions that "half turn" was used rather than "180⁰".   Say what you mean and what should be done.
    Now you have to decide what form to use for the procedure.  Some directors and companies prefer the same format throughout the company or department.   This is often a mistake.  Some procedures lend themselves to one format while others are better suited for a different format.
    When a procedure requires only one operator, the list method is usually sufficient.  The recorded actions shown previously fit this format.  Listed by number, the instructions are described sequentially.  An outline format with heading and sub-headings would also work well here.  But, what if you're writing a procedure that requires two operators.  The list method and outline method supply no means of describing who is to do what.  For this type of procedure, the playscript format works much better:

   OPERATOR 1:       "Instructions here"
     OPERATOR 2:        "Instructions here"
     OPERATOR 1:       "More instructions here"
        ETC.

    One of these three methods should cover nearly all possible procedures.  There are other formats used, but these are, in my opinion, the best.
    Another means of making a procedure easier to understand is to include a drawing.  Diagrams are indispensable in helping operators understand what needs to be done.  Diagrams also help bring a sense of reality to a procedure when an operator is reading the procedure and cannot be standing at the site of the apparatus.

EMPHASIZE SAFETY

   Safety should be emphasized in any procedure where there is a risk to the worker.  Safety precautions can be introduced separately at the beginning of the procedure, emphasized in the body of the procedure, or both.   If you need help in preparing the safety precautions for your procedure, consult the company's safety director.  Material safety data sheets (MSDS) can also be cited at the end of your procedures.

COMPLETED DISHWATER PREPARATION PROCEDURE

January 1, 1999           ST Chemical Corporation                 Page 1 of 1
Houston Texas Plant                                                               PC18698

Procedure for Preparing Dishwater

Safety Precautions:  Always use caution when working with hot
                                    water as skin burns can result.

1.  Remove any dirty dishes from the sink on the left and the sink on the right
2.  Turn on the cold water by turning the water control knob on the right,
      clockwise about half a turn.
3.  Using the available cloth, wipe both sinks thoroughly with cold water until
      they are clean and free of any food matter.
4.  Turn off the cold water by turning the water control knob on the right,
      counterclockwise until the water stops running.
5.  Insert both drain stops into the sink drains.  One into the sink on the left
     and one into the sink on the right.
6.  Add about one tablespoon of detergent to the sink on the left.  One
     tablespoon is dispensed by inverting the bottle and squeezing for about
     2 seconds.
7.  Turn on the hot water by turning the hot water control knob on the left,
     clockwise, one full turn.  Turn the cold water control knob on the right
     about half a turn clockwise.
     ***Caution:  Be careful when only the hot water is running. 
                           The water may cause skins burns.
8.  When the sink on the left is about half full, stop both water flows by turning
      both water control knobs counterclockwise until the water stops.

Revision No. 1             ST Chemical Corporation             PC18698