Requirement vs. Convenience
It has been a real eye-opener coming from a world of basic technical writing, where the use of the documents is either advised or optional, to a world where documents could mean the difference between life and death. User manuals, white papers, and web site content are all common fare in the realm of technical writing – common, but essential to the operation of many modern businesses. Though they are essential, they lack the urgency inherent with procedures in high-risk industries.
Meet the Author - Adam Hendrickson
Don’t misunderstand me. I am by no means belittling the importance of technical documents outside of operating procedures. Each technical document has its own use, as well as demand, in various markets. However, it was a drastic shift in dynamics coming from industries where misplacing or choosing not to use an instruction manual might just make assembling your IKEA end table a little more difficult, resulting in some extra parts and a less-stable surface.
Working with major refineries and petrochemical plants brought a new set of challenges. With stringent regulatory requirements and high-risk tasks being performed daily, procedures take on a new light. In this industry, technical documents become crucial. Without well-written, human-factored procedures there is a potential for disaster in companies, both financially and in terms of personnel safety.
“...injury and death lurk around every corner for operators”
It became immediately apparent when I first started writing operating and emergency procedures, that it was a completely different beast to slay. The shocking reality is that, without human-factored high-quality procedures, operators and other workers in these industries are in danger of damaging equipment, losing process (costing major companies millions of dollars), or worse. It is a sobering thought that, even more impacting than the loss of money and an unsatisfactory bottom line, injury and death lurk around every corner for operators.
Fewer Shots on Goal
The potential for disaster makes procedures an important line of defense. Sadly, it is a line of defense that it is often overlooked. Too often do I see companies that are content with inadequate procedures. Maybe they haven’t had an incident in a long time, building a false sense of security, or they claim that veteran workers understand the system better than a procedure can direct. Whatever the excuse may be, this apathy could potentially lead to catastrophe.
On April 23, 2004, such a catastrophe struck Formosa Plastics in Illiopolis, Illinois. A massive explosion proved fatal to several employees. The Lead Investigator of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board stated that the systems and procedures put in place “were insufficient to minimize the potential for human error.” [CSB Reference] That speaks volumes to the importance of properly written operating procedures.
The necessity to minimize human error is a lot of pressure to writers in this industry and one that should be taken very seriously. I can’t speak for other procedure writers out there, but the urgency fuels my passion to constantly improve procedures and the way I write them. I strive to incorporate best writing practices that will reduce the risk of human error. That said, we are all fallible humans and there is no way to completely remove the risk of human error. But it rests on all of us in this industry to take steps toward ensuring the safety of our workers.
Technical documents, for me, are no longer an object of convenience; they are crucial in the quest to make sure that workers are able to go home to their families at the end of their shifts. From the perspective of a writer, it rekindles the desire to put forth my best work and constantly improve. The words that I put in a procedure and the way they are presented could make a difference, however small it may be.