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The second major reason for not using standard procedures is the perception that “all
employees know how to do their job.” Over the years, hundreds of maintenance man-
agers have reported that standard maintenance procedures are unnecessary because
the maintenance craftspeople have been here for 30 years and know how to repair,
lubricate, and so on. Even if this were true, maintenance craftspeople who have been
in the plant for 30 years will retire soon. Will the new 18-year-old replacement know
how to do the job properly?

18.11.2 Creating Standard Procedures
Creating valid standard procedures is not complicated, but it can be time and labor
intensive. When you consider every recurring task that must be performed by all
functional groups within a typical plant, the magnitude of the effort required to create
standards may seem overwhelming; however, the long-term benefits more than justify
the effort. Where do you start?

The first step in the process must be a complete duty-task analysis. This evaluation
identifies and clarifies each of the recurring tasks or duties that must be performed
within a specific function area, such as production or maintenance, of the plant. When
complete, the results of the duty-task analysis will define task definition, frequency,
and skill requirements for each of these recurring tasks.

With the data provided by the duty-task analysis, the next step is to develop best prac-
tices or standard procedures for each task. For operating and maintenance procedures,
the primary reference source for this step are the operating and maintenance manuals
that come with the machine or production system. These documents define the
vendors’ recommendations for optimum operating and maintenance methods. The
second source of information is the actual design of the involved systems. Using best
engineering practices as the evaluation tool, the design will define the operating enve-
lope of each system and system component. This knowledge, combined with the
vendors’ manuals, provides all of the information required to develop valid standard
operating and maintenance procedures.

The content of each procedure must be complete. Assume that the person (or persons)
who will perform the procedure is doing it for the first time. Therefore, the procedure
must include enough definition to ensure complete compliance with best practices.
Because each procedure requires specific skills for proper performance, the procedure
must also define the minimum skills required.

The level of detail required for a viable standard procedure will vary with the task’s
complexity. For example, an inspection procedure will require much less detail than
one for the complete rebuild of a complex production system; however, both must
have specific, clearly defined methods. In the case of an inspection, the procedure
must include specific, quantifiable methods for completion. A procedure that says
“inspect V-belt for proper tension” is not acceptable. Instead, the procedure should