Guidance: When do I need to write a procedure or work instruction?

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A procedure sets out the authority, responsibility, and accountability for completing various workplace tasks. It is wide in its scope and covers multiple tasks. A safe system of work (SSOW, or work instruction) is narrower in scope and more prescriptive in nature. An SSOW tends to describe a step-by-step process for completing a task.

What are the features of a procedure? 

A procedure: 

• Identifies the person(s) responsible for the tasks.
• Identifies any permissions the person is required to seek before completing the task and who those permissions should be obtained.
• Identifies who is accountable for ensuring the tasks are completed. 
• Identifies how progress is reported to top management. 
• May provide links to documents, templates, and SSOW, which should be followed or completed when undertaking the task. 

When should you use a procedure? 

A procedure is suitable for describing a range of responsibilities in a given area, particularly where large teams are present who all share related responsibilities.

Examples include: 

• The normal operating procedure.
• The emergency action plan. 
• The process of producing, approving, reviewing, and evaluating risk assessments. 

What are the features of a safe system of work?

A system of work or work instruction: 

• Gives specific instructions to be followed by the person completing the task. 
• Is typically written in chronological order. 
• The language is tailored to the target audience (appropriate technical jargon may be used in place of plain language). 

When should you use a safe system of work? 

A system of work is suitable for tasks where some residual risk remains after more effective controls have been exhausted and multiple ways of completing a task remain available. The system of work identifies the safest way for the responsible person to complete the task and sets out a step-by-step guide to help that person complete the task in accordance with that method. 

A system of work: 

• Identifies the residual harm which remains after more effective controls have been exhausted. 
• Identifies a prescribed set of steps for the user to follow. 
• Prescribes any personal protective equipment, signage, or spatial precautions to be taken when completing the task. 
• Highlights contingencies in the event the sequence is ineffective or important steps are ineffective. 

Citation: Jacklin, D. 2021. When do I need to write a procedure or work instruction? Water Incident Research Hub, 28 December.