Shift Start Checklist

Complete before the shift begins. Not during it.

Companion to: Fix the System, Chapter 26. Who uses it: the maintenance supervisor and shift lead. When to use: the 30 minutes before each shift. Laminate and post at the supervisor station. One check per shift.

Shift: ☐ Day ☐ Afternoon ☐ Night Date: _______________________ Supervisor: _______________________

BEFORE THE SHIFT (30 minutes prior)

Handover received

• Outgoing supervisor handover notes reviewed
• Rollover jobs from previous shift identified and noted
• Any parts on order or pending delivery flagged
• Operations commitments carrying over noted
• Any safety or equipment status items noted

Job assignments ready

• First job assigned to every technician coming in (name, WO #, location)
• Job packets assembled and in rack / slots before crew arrives
• No technician will need to ask "what am I on?"

Parts staged

• Parts for first-hour PMs physically confirmed at job site or storeroom staging area
• Any missing parts flagged and plan noted (expedite, substitute, defer)

Schedule reviewed

• Today's must-complete jobs identified (1–3 maximum)
• Schedule board updated

FIRST 15 MINUTES

• Handover complete — outgoing supervisor released
• Every technician has their first assignment before they ask
• Any overnight break-ins or priority changes communicated

MINUTES 15–45 (Floor Walk)

• Supervisor physically on the floor — not at desk
• First jobs confirmed as started for each technician
• Early snags identified and actioned or escalated
• Triage gate applied to any break-in requests received in this window

90-MINUTE MARKER

Answer these three questions from your own observation — no CMMS lookup:

1. What is every technician working on right now? _______________________ 2. Is anyone behind, and why? _______________________ 3. What is the biggest risk to completing today's schedule? _______________________

If you cannot answer all three: you need more floor time this shift.

END OF SHIFT (Last 30 minutes)

• Rollover jobs documented in handover notes with current status
• Parts needed for next shift's first jobs staged or flagged
• Handover notes written and ready for incoming supervisor
• One item the next shift must complete identified and noted

Rule: If the first job assignments are not ready when the crew arrives, the shift has already started behind.

From Fix the System by Ivan Getov. Companion to Chapter 26: Keeping the Shop Moving. getov.xyz/toolkit/fix-the-system/ch26/shift-start-checklist. Free. No email required.