This book addresses the value of written procedures in reducing accidents caused by human error. The new edition, based on Guidelines for Writing Effective Operating and Maintenance Procedures, builds on that foundation by incorporating Risk Based Process Safety concepts, modern terminology, current industry expectations, and advances in procedure development and use along with practical procedure formats, checklists, and references. It addresses both the content of procedures and the systems required to manage them, including development, review, approval, implementation, use, monitoring, validation, and lifecycle governance. It also broadens the books focus on operating and maintenance procedures by covering emergency operating procedures, safe work practices, special circumstances, and procedure integration across the facility lifecycle.
The book emphasizes how procedures support robust operational discipline and effective abnormal situation management. It treats procedures as active tools for safe work rather than static documents, with attention to digital/e-procedures, procedure access, graphics and pictures, safe operating limits, response actions, procedure information in BPCS screens, checklist completion, and error proofing. It provides guidance on aligning procedures to user needs, selecting appropriate formats, handling complex and non-sequential steps, developing review processes with the right disciplines and experience levels, and auditing whether procedures are used effectively. The result is a practical guide for organizations seeking a step change in procedure quality, usability, consistency, and safety performance.
