What is Checklist ?

Checklist is a comparative method. Comparative techniques are based on hazard identification by comparing with standards. The various methods are checklist, safety audit, hazard indices and preliminary hazard analysis.

Purpose

For to the point identification of hazards

Applicability

In design construction, commissioning, operation and shutdown phases.

Data required

Checklist is prepared from experience/ standard/ Rules/ Acts procedure manual/ knowledge of system or plant.

Results

Qualitative type and leads to “yes-or-no” decision with respect to compliance with the standard procedure.

These are simple and quick means of applying the experience to designs or situations to ensure that the features appearing in the list are not overlooked. Checklists are used to indicate compliance with the standard procedure. It is intended for standard evaluation of plant hazards and a convenient means of communicating the minimal acceptable level of hazard evaluation that is required for any job generally leading to ‘yes-or-no’ situation. 

A processor system checklist can be applied to evaluating equipment, material, or procedures and can be used during any stage of a project to guide the user through common hazards by using standard procedures.

Checklists are complementary to the process of inspection and make it possible. More optimal, quick and thorough inspection. Based on their expertise and experience, there are so many checklists built in different ways and ranging from plant to plant and individual to person. Volumes are occupied by industry, factory, operation, machinery, instruments and machine-wise checklists and those for good housekeeping. Therefore, some sample points are given below and other checklists are given in the respective chapters (for textiles, chemicals, housekeeping etc.).

A broad view of plant inspection checklist:

  1. Environmental factors: Parts that are most likely to develop hazardous or unhealthy conditions due to stress, wear, effects, vibration, heat, corrosion, response, misuse or negligence, etc.
  2. Machinery: pinch points, grab points, shear points, squeeze points, points of run-in, points of service, etc. Transmission control viz. Shafts, belts, levers, pulleys, electrical control, insecure mechanisms for starting or stopping and protecting machines.
  3. Tools: an inappropriate instrument for the job, an instrument in an unsafe condition or put in an unsafe position, dangerous or faulty hand tools and machine tools.
  4. Work Area: Flooring-uneven, obstructed, slippery, cramped spaces, traffic visibility, unsafe work field. Piles. or overhead stuff, bad lighting, glare, too hot, too cold temperature, exposure to gases, dusts, fumes, vapors, etc., hazards from nearby operations; flying or dropping objects, electrical, chemical, hazards of radiation and trip-fall, office, aisle, platforms, stairs, railings, spillage, exits, doors, roofs, roadways, yards, etc.
  5. Material handling: existence of heavy, unwieldy, rough, sharp, hot, corrosive, explosive, poisonous etc. products or objects, unsafe handling of equipment-lifts, hoists, chain pulley blocks, containers, conveyors, trucks, cranes, derricks, elevators, chains, ropes, slings and methods of handling.
  6. Unsafe work practices: operating without permission, operating at unsafe speed, removing or in effectuating guards, using faulty or unsafe tools, handling materials unsafe, standing or working under suspended load, open hatches, shafts or scaffolds, walking on railroad tracks, inappropriately driving vehicles, etc., fixing or adjusting equipment in motion, under heat, electrically chained.
  7. Equipment: pressure vessels, rotary and vibratory equipment, pumps and generators, tanks, scrubbers, flares, effluent treatment plants, safety equipment, repair equipment, personal protection equipment, fire-fighting equipment, manufacturing and associated equipment, electrical equipment, power or energy equipment, storage equipment, etc.
  8. Specific points: Special control points should be included here, depending on the specialization of the facility, procedure, content, etc., and points not classified elsewhere. Special checklists for plant layout points, machine guarding, housekeeping, lighting, ventilation, fire, handling of materials, and various processes. Machinery, textiles, chemicals, etc.

The checklist is frequently a form for approval by various staff and management functions before a project can move from one stage to the next. It serves both as a means of communication and as a form of control and can highlight a lack of basic information or a situation that requires a detailed evaluation. 

Checklists are qualitative in nature; limited to the experience base of the author of the checklist, hence, should be audited and updated regularly. It is a widely used basic safety tool and can be applied at any stage of a project or plant development. Accordingly it is named as Process checklist, System checklist, Design checklist, etc.