Writing Sample
Anatomy of a Rewrite
Most of the procedures I get handed were written once, by somebody who already knew how to do the job, for a binder nobody opens. Below is a typical one, and the same procedure after I rewrote it. The interesting part isn’t that it looks tidier. It’s what the original left out.
As found
Case Sealer Jam Procedure
If a jam occurs in the case sealer the operator should stop the machine and the jam should be cleared. Care should be taken as there may be sharp edges and the machine may restart. Make sure the machine is off before reaching in. Remove the carton and any tape or debris that may be present and check that the belts and rollers are not damaged. If the jam happens repeatedly maintenance should be notified. The machine can then be restarted and production resumed. Note that PPE is required at all times in this area.
Rewritten
- Document
- SOP-PKG-014
- Revision
- 3
- Effective
- 12 Aug 2026
- Owner
- Packaging Supervisor
- Review
- Annually, or after any near-miss
Purpose
Clear a carton jam at the Line 2 case sealer and return the line to production without exposing anyone to moving parts.
Who performs this
Any trained Line 2 operator. Jams that recur within a shift are handed to Maintenance — see If it jams again the same shift below.
Procedure
- Press the red E-stop on the operator panel. Watch the belt and confirm it has stopped moving.
- Turn the disconnect to OFF. Apply your lock and tag.
- Release the tape head latch and swing the head up until it locks open.
- Lift the jammed carton out toward the infeed end. Pulling it toward the discharge drags it across the blade.
- Clear loose tape, cardboard and dust from the belt, the side guides and the blade housing.
- Check the drive belts and rollers for cuts, fraying or exposed cord.
If you find damage: stop here. Leave your lock on, tag the machine out of service and notify Maintenance. Do not restart the line.
- Lower the tape head until the latch clicks shut.
- Remove your lock and tag. Turn the disconnect to ON.
- Reset the E-stop and press CYCLE. Run one empty carton through and confirm the seal is centered and fully adhered before restarting production.
If it jams again the same shift
Stop clearing it and report it. Two jams in a shift usually means a worn blade or a misaligned infeed guide, and each clearing puts a person back inside the machine.
Records
Log every jam in the Line 2 shift log: time, carton count, and whether Maintenance was called.
Revision history
| Rev | Date | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 12 Aug 2026 | Added the damage check at step 6 after a near-miss on 4 Aug. |
| 2 | 03 Mar 2026 | Moved lockout ahead of any reach-in. Added acceptance check. |
| 1 | 19 Sep 2025 | Initial release. |
What I changed, and why
Nine edits. Only two of them are about wording — the rest are about what somebody actually needs in front of them at 2am with a line down.
I split it into one action per step
“The operator should stop the machine and the jam should be cleared” is two jobs in one sentence, and neither has a verb aimed at the reader. Somebody following this with gloves on and a line stopped behind them needs to know exactly where they are in the sequence.
I named the actual hazard
“Care should be taken” isn’t a control, it’s a wish. The real hazard here is specific and not obvious: the conveyor restarts by itself when the photo-eye clears. That belongs in a box at the top, in the words the operator would use.
I moved lockout ahead of the reach-in
The original mentions turning the machine off after it has already told you to clear the jam. Order isn’t a formatting question here. It’s the difference between a procedure that protects somebody and one that documents what went wrong afterwards.
I answered “what if it’s broken”
The original says to check the belts and rollers, then says nothing about what a damaged belt means. A check with no branch is decoration. Now there’s one outcome for damage, and it stops the line.
I gave the operator a way to know they’re finished
“Production resumed” isn’t a test anybody can pass. “Run one empty carton and confirm the seal is centered” is. Acceptance criteria are what stop a half-fixed machine going back into service.
I said who does what
The original used “the operator” and “maintenance should be notified” without saying where the handover sits. I drew that line explicitly: operators clear a jam, Maintenance owns a repeat.
I explained the repeat-jam rule instead of just stating it
“Notify maintenance if it happens repeatedly” gets ignored, because clearing it again is faster. Saying why — that each clearing puts a person back inside the machine — is what makes the rule survive a busy shift.
I added document control and revision history
Without a number, a revision and an owner, nobody can tell whether the copy taped inside the panel is the current one. It’s the first thing an auditor asks for, and the first thing that’s missing.
I deleted the PPE line
“PPE is required at all times in this area” is true, and it isn’t a step. Rules that apply everywhere belong on the wall. Every sentence in a procedure that the reader doesn’t need right now makes the sentences that matter harder to find.
About this sample. I invented the equipment, the document number and the dates for illustration. It’s written to show how I structure a procedure, not to be followed on a real machine.
Client work is confidential and stays that way — which is why this is a sample I wrote from scratch, rather than a former employer’s document with the logo taken off.
Send me one of yours
Pick a procedure you already use. One page is plenty. I’ll rewrite it the way you see above and send it back with notes on what I changed and why.
No charge, and no meeting attached. I won’t use it for anything else. If you’d rather sign an NDA first, send me yours and I’ll sign it.
Send me a procedureOr book 30 minutes
Ben Crawford, RBC Knowledge Group LLC. North Little Rock, Arkansas. 501-235-0696