Shift Handover Template

The shift handover template covers five critical information areas. **Production Status**: current order progress (percentage complete, units remaining), the production schedule for the incoming shift, and any schedule changes or reprioritizations. **Equipment Status**: machine conditions, any equipment running in degraded mode, pending maintenance requests, and alarms or warnings that appeared during the shift. **Quality Alerts**: active quality holds, non-conformances under investigation, special inspection requirements, and any parameter adjustments made during the shift. **Safety and Environmental**: safety incidents or near-misses, active lockout/tagout procedures, environmental monitoring status, and any temporary safety measures in effect. **Pending Actions**: items requiring follow-up by the incoming shift, expected material deliveries, visitor or contractor activities, and escalated issues awaiting response. The template uses a standardized format with checkboxes for common items and free-text areas for detailed notes, ensuring both speed and completeness.

Begin completing the handover form 30 minutes before shift end, while information is fresh. Walk through each section systematically — do not rely on memory for critical items. For the production status section, reference the current schedule in LinePlanner or your scheduling system rather than writing quantities from memory. Note any deviations from the plan and the reasons behind them. For equipment status, check the machine HMI for active alarms and recent fault history. For quality, reference the shift's quality data and any open non-conformance reports. The outgoing supervisor should physically walk the incoming supervisor through the production area during handover, pointing out anything unusual — a walk-and-talk handover catches things that written forms miss. Both supervisors sign the completed form, acknowledging the transfer of responsibility. Store completed forms for reference and trend analysis. LinePlanner's real-time production calendar serves as a living complement to the handover form — the incoming supervisor can see the current status of every order at a glance.

The most effective handovers combine a written template with a face-to-face conversation and a physical area walk. The written form ensures nothing is forgotten; the conversation provides context and emphasis; the walk provides direct observation. Schedule a 15-minute overlap between shifts specifically for handover — rushing handovers to save time almost always costs more time later through errors and miscommunication. Standardize the handover time and process so it becomes a non-negotiable routine. Audit handover quality periodically by having a manager observe the process and review completed forms for completeness. When incidents occur, check whether the root cause traces back to a handover gap — this data motivates continuous improvement of the handover process. For digital-first teams, consider a digital handover form that integrates with your production scheduling system, automatically pulling in current order status, equipment alerts, and quality data to reduce manual data entry and improve accuracy.