Contributing to the creation of standard operating procedures (SOP)
Overview
This standard covers the competences required to contribute to the creation of standard operating procedures (SOP) for work activities.
This will involve gathering information of the method used when performing the operation/process. You will list the preparations required from start to finish, the quality and safety standards to be maintained, the drawings, tooling, fixtures, gauges, and other items that are used during the operation or process. You will need to highlight `key points' in the document, using drawings, photographs and/or sketches, as appropriate.
You will be required to make recommendations to the production and revision of standard operating procedures for a range of activities, such as cleaning of equipment, maintenance of equipment, health and safety practices and procedures, process procedures, manufacturing operations and quality improvements.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the activities undertaken, and to report any problems that you cannot solve, or that are outside your responsibility, to the relevant authority. You will be expected to take responsibility for your own actions within the activity, and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out.
Your underpinning knowledge will provide a good understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to the techniques and procedures used. You will need to understand the principles and procedures for creating standard operating procedures, and their application, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the activities to the required criteria.
Applying safe working practices will be a key issue throughout.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
- gather information of the current operation or process
- identify tools, equipment, fixtures, documentation and standards required
- contribute to recommendations to the production and revision of standard operating procedures (SOP), and monitor their use against the operation or process requirements
- confirm that the procedure defined will meet quality, productivity, health, safety and environmental requirements
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- how to work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations and guidelines
- the various documents used in creating standard operating procedures
- where to find the SOP documents to be used in your organisation
- the information that will be required to create a SOP
- how SOPs are structured, and the importance of their use
- methods of communicating to ensure that all the required information for the SOP is captured
- the operation/process to be captured in the SOP
- the link between SOPs and quality and continuous Improvement
- the eight wastes and how to eliminate them
- how to simplify work done, by eliminating waste and the potential for human error
- Takt time
- the extent of your own authority, and to whom you should report in the event of problems that you cannot resolve
Scope/range
Scope Performance
- Contribute to recommendations for the production of a standard operating procedures for one of the following:
- cleaning of equipment
- maintenance of equipment
- health, safety and environmental practices and procedures
- process procedures
- manufacturing operations
- quality improvements
- improvements to customer satisfaction
- Contribute to recommendations for the production of standard operating procedures that minimise all of the following:
- time
- effort
- waste