Assessment of Safety Procedures in Industries and Development of a Framework for Improving their Usability

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are always considered a guide for performing tasks in industries. The present study aimed to identify the effective factors in increasing the usability of safety SOPs.

In this observational-analytical study, guidelines, books, and studies in the SOPs were used to identify factors that improve their usability. These factors were assigned to four main groups. A Delphi study was conducted to investigate and ensure the effectiveness of these factors. Data analysis, including validity and reliability, was performed in SPSS software (version 22).

In this study, which aimed to design and develop a tool for increasing the usability of SOP, 22 factors were identified and categorized into four main groups. After the Delphi study, the content validity ratio (CVR) for the designed instrument was 0.83, the content validity index (CVI) was calculated at 0.955, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was obtained at 0.819.

In this study, 22 factors in four main groups were identified to be effective in increasing the usability of safety SOPs. Their effectiveness was evaluated and proven. According to this study, all procedures in the industry should be developed in a specific framework, their applicability should be examined in a specific period of time, and if necessary, they should be reviewed and amended.