What it means
At the end of a shift, the outgoing crew tells the incoming crew what happened and what's still open. That covers equipment down, jobs half done, hazards on site, permits in force and anything unusual.
It can be a conversation, a written log or both. Written beats memory, because tired people forget. The incoming lead should be able to read it, ask questions and sign for it.
The risky items are the ones nobody mentions: a locked-out machine, a leaking line, an open hole, a vehicle with a defect. The handover is where they get said out loud.
Why it matters
Many incidents happen right after a change of crew, when the new people don't know what the last people knew. A short, specific hand-off closes that gap.
What it looks like on a site
- The outgoing lead and the incoming lead walk the area together when it matters.
- A log lists open work, equipment status, hazards, permits and locks in place.
- The incoming lead reads it, asks about anything unclear, and signs.
- Safety items go first, before production numbers.
- Past logs are kept so patterns show up, like the same machine going down every Friday.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current rule and your own procedures. Back to the glossary