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:
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.
