Prozanta Template
Shift handover
A structured handover that ensures no information is lost between shifts
Date:
Outgoing shift:
Incoming:
How to use this template
A structured shift handover ensures that information about production, machine condition, open problems and safety incidents is not lost between shifts. Verbal handovers are the single biggest source of lost information in process industry — a completed handover sheet is a contract.
When do you use it?
At every shift change — evening shift to night shift, night shift to day shift, and so on. Filled in by the outgoing shift, reviewed verbally together with the incoming shift, and both sign. No handover = no taking over operations.
Time & participants
- 10-15 min total
- Outgoing shift leader fills it in at the latest 15 min before leaving
- Incoming shift leader reviews it and asks questions
- Optional walk on the floor for open items
Step by step
- Fill in section 1 (Shift status) with actual figures — plan vs. actual, quality, safety and staffing.
- Note machines with a deviation, fault or ongoing action in section 2.
- List all ongoing orders and what the next shift must do to finish them.
- Open items that aren't solved are carried into section 4 with priority and owner.
- Write important messages for the next shift in section 5 — e.g. planned visit, changed procedures.
- Both shift leaders sign — the incoming one confirms they have received and understood the handover.
Watch out
- Never verbal-only handover — "it's probably under control" is the cause of most misunderstandings.
- Open items must not disappear: carry them explicitly to the next sheet's section 4.
- Safety incidents — including near-misses — must always be noted and sent to the safety officer the same day.
Example
Section 2: Machine 3, status "Fault" — hydraulic hose leaking. Maintenance called at 18:45, awaiting spare part. Next shift: leave the machine until the spare arrives — produce on M2 in the meantime.
Recommendation: archive handover sheets for 3 months to trace recurring problems.
1. Shift status
Production vs. plan
Plan:
Actual:
Deviation:
Quality
Complaints:
Scrap:
Cause:
Safety
Incidents:
Near-misses:
Reported:
Staffing
Plan:
Actual:
Cause:
2. Machine and equipment status
| Machine / Equipment | Status | Note / Action started |
|---|---|---|
| OK / Fault / Stop | ||
| OK / Fault / Stop | ||
| OK / Fault / Stop | ||
| OK / Fault / Stop | ||
| OK / Fault / Stop |
3. Ongoing orders and processes
| Order / Task | % Complete | Next step for the incoming shift |
|---|---|---|
4. Open items and escalation
| # | Description | Priority | Who acts | Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | High/Med/Low | |||
| 2 | High/Med/Low | |||
| 3 | High/Med/Low | |||
| 4 | High/Med/Low | |||
| 5 | High/Med/Low |
5. Important messages for the incoming shift
Write here...
Outgoing shift leader
Name: Sign:
Time:
Incoming shift leader
Name: Sign:
Time:
Prozanta · prozanta.dk
Shift handover
Version: ______ Archived: Y/N