SOP template: standard operating procedure for maintenance
Updated · Reviewed by Israel Margulies, founder and CEO of High Point GPS
A standard operating procedure (SOP) template for maintenance work: what the procedure covers, the safety steps and PPE, the tools and parts, the steps in order with a check for each, and who approved it. Fill it in once per job type, then use it every time the job is done.
An SOP turns the way your best technician does a job into the way everyone does it. It cuts mistakes on jobs people do rarely, makes training faster, and gives you something to point to when a step is skipped. Write it for the person doing the work: short steps, one action each, in the order they happen.
Keep SOPs under version control. Give each one a number and a revision, write the date it was approved, and review it when the machine, the parts or the rules change. An out-of-date SOP is worse than none, because people trust it.
Standard operating procedure
Fields: SOP title · SOP no. · Revision · Effective date · Owner · Approved by · Applies to (machines or areas) · Estimated time
Log columns: Step · What to do · Check or measurement · Done (initials)
Before you start
- Purpose and scope written
- Hazards and PPE listed
- Lockout/tagout needed? Procedure referenced
- Tools, parts and materials ready
- Permits needed (hot work, confined space) issued
After the job
- Machine tested and working
- Area cleaned and guards back on
- Readings and parts recorded
- Problems or changes to the SOP noted
Fill it in the right way
- Pick one job that is done the same way every time, such as a 250-hour service or a filter change.
- Write the purpose, the machines it covers and the hazards, including any lockout or permit the job needs.
- List the tools, parts and materials so they can be gathered before the job starts.
- Write each step as one action, in order, with the check or reading that proves it was done right.
- Have the person who does the job most often try it from the sheet and fix anything unclear.
- Approve it, give it a number and revision, and set a date to review it.
Tips
- Write steps people can follow without asking: "Torque the wheel nuts to the maker's spec in a star pattern", not "tighten wheel".
- Put the safety steps where they happen in the job, not only in a list at the top.
- Photos of the right result beat long descriptions.
- When the same mistake happens twice, the SOP needs a new check, not a reminder email.
Do it in FleetZap
- In FleetZap, a procedure can be attached to work orders, with pass/fail, reading, photo and signature steps; required steps block closing the job.
- PM work orders arrive with their checklist, so the SOP is on the technician's phone when the job opens.
- Work orders keep the steps, parts, labor, photos and comments for each job, so the record is there when someone asks later.
FleetZap Maintenance
Work orders, PM, parts, compliance, assets and KPIs. Explore FleetZap Maintenance.
Frequently asked questions
What is an SOP in maintenance?
A written, step-by-step procedure for a maintenance task, so it's done the same safe, correct way every time, whoever does it.
What should an SOP include?
A title and number, revision and approval, scope, hazards and PPE, tools and parts, the steps in order with checks, and a sign-off.
What's the difference between an SOP and a work instruction?
An SOP covers a whole process, often with several tasks and roles. A work instruction covers one task in detail. Many maintenance teams keep one SOP per job type and work instructions for tricky steps.
How often should SOPs be reviewed?
At a set interval, often once a year, and whenever the equipment, parts, rules or a near miss show the procedure needs changing.