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Procedure Writer's Checklist

#☐ChecklistReference
1☐Are terms familiar to the procedure user located in an appendix?Section 3.1.1, Guideline 1
2☐Are definitions of industry-specific terms that are not familiar to the procedure user included within the procedure between sections?Section 3.1.1, Guideline 2
3☐Are technical requirements and exceptions/limits of procedure applicability included in a limitation section?Section 3.1.1, Guideline 3
4☐Are limitations written in the passive voice, with no action required?Section 3.1.1, Guideline 4
5☐Are hazards within each precaution written in the passive voice, with exposure reduction methods for each hazard written in the active voice?Section 3.1.1, Guideline 5
6☐Are specific limits included on controlled parameters as well as appropriate corrective actions to return parameters to the normal control band?Section 3.1.1, Guideline 6
7☐Are materials necessary for each task and their locations listed as a preface at the beginning of the procedure as well as within the procedure steps?Section 3.1.1, Guideline 7
8☐Are procedures written at the lowest practicable reading level without compromising the intent of the procedure?Section 3.1.2, Guideline 1
9☐Are procedure steps with a required sequence of performance numbered consistently and consecutively, with steps without a required performance bulleted?Section 3.1.2, Guideline 2
10☐Is a font size of at least 12 pt used? When modified for those with vision impairments, is a font size of at least 18 pt used?Section 3.1.2, Guideline 3
11☐Are serif fonts used for paper presentation and sans serif fonts used for electronic presentation?Section 3.1.2, Guideline 4
12☐Is positive phrasing rather than negative phrasing used when possible for action steps?Section 3.1.3, Guideline 1
13☐If there is a conditional element in a step, is the step started with the conditional term?Section 3.1.3, Guideline 2
14☐If a step does not contain a conditional statement, is the step started with an action verb?Section 3.1.3, Guideline 3
15☐Are procedural steps written in an active voice?Section 3.1.3, Guideline 4
16☐Are common and simple words and sentence structures used when possible?Section 3.1.3, Guideline 5
17☐Are steps requiring complex decision making or assessment of multiple conditional actions presented in a flowchart or decision table format?Section 3.1.3, Guideline 6
18☐Are procedural steps not requiring many conditional assessments presented as a text list rather than a flowchart?Section 3.1.3, Guideline 7
19☐Does each step include only one action when possible?Section 3.1.3, Guideline 8
20☐Are initial lines used in infrequently performed procedures for which workers may be unfamiliar with the procedural steps?Section 3.1.3, Guideline 9
21☐Are checkboxes used for frequently performed task procedures to ensure procedure use?Section 3.1.3, Guideline 10
22☐Do the procedures for novices include more detailed information?Section 3.1.3, Guideline 11
23☐Do the procedures for experienced workers include less detailed information?Section 3.1.3, Guideline 12
24☐Are relevant operating limits, consequences of deviation, and limit exceedance actions included in tabular format in the procedure appendix?Section 3.1.4, Guideline 1
25☐Are operational limits included on checklists and log books?Section 3.1.4, Guideline 2
26☐Are prerequisites listed in the written procedure prior to the procedure steps, with checkboxes added to them?Section 3.1.4, Guideline 3
27☐Do the initial start-up procedures include target levels, milestones, consequences, and remedial methods?Section 3.2.4, Guideline 1
28☐Are relevant visuals used to complement written information when practicable for infrequently performed procedures?Section 3.2.4, Guideline 2
29☐Do the normal operations procedures include logs for operators to record elements of the monitoring process?Section 3.2.1, Guideline 1
30☐Is more detailed information provided within the steps for temporary operations?Section 3.2.2, Guideline 1
31☐Are normal shutdown procedural steps written only using information that is necessary to perform the shutdown safely?Section 3.2.6, Guideline 1
32☐Are emergency procedures written using steps that are as concise as possible?Section 3.2.3, Guideline 1
33☐Do emergency procedures contain information or decision-making aids for use when unexpected problems occur?Section 3.2.3, Guideline 2
34☐Are hazards that potentially exist during the emergency shutdown process identified and necessary precautions provided/prescribed in the procedure?Section 3.2.7, Guideline 1
35☐Do start-up after shutdown procedures describe process excursions that may occur and the appropriate corrective actions?Section 3.2.5, Guideline 1
36☐Do the limits in the procedure include equipment identification, limit description, and numerical limit values with units?Section 3.3.1, Guideline 1
37☐Are the consequences of divergence from limits included in the procedure with the limits themselves?Section 3.3.2, Guideline 1
38☐Are preventative and corrective actions to be taken in response to limit divergence included in the procedure with the limits themselves?Section 3.3.3, Guideline 1
39☐Do hazard precautions only include information required by workers to perform the task safely?Section 3.4.2, Guideline 1
40☐Are precautions necessary to control or prevent EH&S hazards included?Section 3.4.2, Guideline 2
41☐Is “danger” used to indicate severe hazards, with either “warning” or “caution” used to indicate mild or moderate hazards?Section 3.4.2, Guideline 3
42☐Are hazards, consequences, and prevention strategies applicable throughout the procedure presented immediately before all procedure steps?Section 3.4.3, Guideline 1
43☐Is precautionary information relevant to particular steps placed immediately before those steps?Section 3.4.3, Guideline 1
44☐Is each hazard statement numbered consistently and consecutively as if it were a step?Section 3.4.3, Guideline 2
45☐Are borders around hazard steps avoided?Section 3.4.3, Guideline 3
46☐Are hazard icons with hazard statements avoided?Section 3.4.3, Guideline 4
47☐When hazard pictograms are used, is the hazard statement shaded using a color that contrasts the font color?Section 3.4.3, Guideline 5
48☐Are workers provided a page at the end of the procedure to note any procedure-related problems or suggestions?Section 6.1, Guideline 1
49☐Are procedures updated when there are changes to the process that make any steps invalid or unclear?Section 6.2, Guideline 1