Why Checklists Drive Plant Efficiency: Proven Benefits and Practical Implementation

For decades I’ve championed the use of checklists for equipment changeovers and startups in manufacturing plants. I’ve debated, reasoned, pleaded, and even shed real tears to convince colleagues of their value.

When the New England Journal of Medicine published a study showing that hospitals employing checklists in operating rooms see significantly lower mortality rates, I was both encouraged and surprised. It made me wonder: why do so many plants still resist this proven tool?

There’s a deep‑rooted human resistance to checklists. “We’ve done this a thousand times; we know it.” Even the most experienced operators can forget a tightened bolt or a calibrated clamp when distracted. A missed item can cost at least ten minutes of lost startup time, lead to equipment damage, or, worse, create safety near‑misses.

Memory is unreliable across all ages—everyone forgets keys or where they left something. Yet, in aviation, pilots routinely rely on checklists from their first flight. Mike Thomas, a former Navy pilot turned trainer, says: “Checklist use is a core part of flying, not a luxury.” The same principle applies to plants: when operators are trained to use a checklist, adoption follows naturally.

Challenges arise when a task has been performed for years before a checklist exists. Even if operators help develop it, shifting to a new habit is difficult. The solution is to embed checklist use into the job description—just like wearing safety glasses or performing lock‑out/tag‑out—while ensuring it’s practical and genuinely helpful.

Key strategies that have worked in our experience:

• Make checklist use mandatory, but couple it with training that shows operators how to integrate it into their workflow.
• Provide durable, laminated checklists with grease pencils for quick marking.
• Conduct post‑changeover review meetings to identify bottlenecks and refine the checklist—focus on improvement, not blame.
• Keep ownership of the checklist within the team; when operators feel ownership, adherence increases dramatically.
• Continuously update the checklist to reflect process changes and lessons learned.

Successful adoption requires ongoing effort from supervisors and managers, who must truly believe in the checklist’s value. When they do, operators see the time savings and reduced risk—ten minutes lost to a missed bolt can be recovered instantly, and equipment runs smoother.

About the Author

John Crossan is a consultant who spent 30+ years at Clorox, improving operations across 30 plants in the U.S. and Canada. He previously held roles at Johnson & Johnson and Burndy Corporation. Contact him at john@johncrossan.com or visit www.johncrossan.com.