Andon & Escalation Runbook for Operators

Purpose

This runbook gives operators a short, reliable playbook to follow when an Andon is triggered. Its goals are to keep people safe, contain problems fast, capture clear evidence, and escalate consistently so maintenance, quality, and leadership can act without delay or confusion.

Scope

Applies to all production lines, cells, and operator-led workstations. Use for equipment faults, quality defects, material shortages affecting output, and any condition that meets your local Andon trigger definitions.

Quick Action Summary (What to do now)

1. Ensure safety: Stop operations if necessary. Remove people from immediate danger.
2. Contain (5 minutes): Try immediate, temporary fixes to keep product safe and prevent escalation.
3. Escalate if unresolved: Follow the escalation path and hand off a clear, timestamped record.

Trigger Definitions (use these to classify the event)

• Safety Hazard (Red): Any risk of injury or fire. Stop immediately and call emergency procedures.
• Quality Defect (Red/Amber): Product out of spec or recurring rejects that could ship to the customer.
• Equipment Fault (Amber): Motor faults, sensors, jams that stop or slow the line.
• Material / Supply Shortage (Amber): Missing component that halts production.
• Operator Assist / Process Question (Green/Amber): Non-stopping assistance request, e.g., quick setup help.

First-Responder Actions (do these immediately)

1. Confirm the type of trigger using machine lights or the Andon message.
2. Ensure people are safe. If safety hazard, follow emergency and LOTO rules first.
3. Note the time the Andon triggered (start the clock).
4. Try a quick containment action that can be completed in under 5 minutes (see checklist).
5. If containment fixes the issue, record actions and reset the Andon per local procedure.
6. If not fixed within the containment window, escalate immediately with the evidence capture fields filled in.

5-Minute Containment Checklist (operator)

Complete these items in order. Record times for each step.

• Stop and secure the operator area (safety first).
• Confirm defect or fault: visual check, sample parts, quick measurement.
• Attempt one safe, reversible action to contain (e.g., clear jam, replace consumable, re-tighten connector).
• Remove any affected product from flow (quarantine area) to prevent further processing.
• Notify Team Leader via the standard channel and state: line, station, brief problem, what you tried, and time started.
• Record whether the issue is resolved. If yes—note resolution time, reset Andon, and continue. If no—prepare to escalate.

Escalation Path & Timings (use as a strict guideline)

Escalate progressively when the issue remains unresolved. Use your local contact roster to call or message. Record every escalation with time and name.

1. Tier 1 — Team Leader / Line Lead (Immediate — within 5 minutes): On-call for quick support and decision to call maintenance or quality.
2. Tier 2 — Maintenance Technician (If unresolved by 10 minutes): For mechanical, electrical, or system faults not fixed by operator actions.
3. Tier 2b — Quality Representative (If product out of spec or repeated defects): Pause line decisions require Quality input.
4. Tier 3 — Shift Manager / Production Supervisor (If unresolved by 20 minutes or impact grows): For line-stop decisions, production re-planning, or customer impact assessment.
5. Tier 4 — Engineering / Reliability (If root-cause suspected or problem repeats): For persistent faults, design issues or cross-line problems.
6. Safety Officer / Emergency Services (Anytime safety risk identified): Contact immediately per site emergency protocol.

Note: Escalation contacts should be kept updated on the line roster and posted at the station. Where possible use automatic paging or phone escalation after the defined time thresholds.

Evidence Capture Template (copy into your log or the incident form)

Resetting the Andon

• Only the person who confirms the root cause fix (Team Lead, Maintenance, or Quality as appropriate) resets the Andon.
• Document the reset time and who authorized it.
• If further follow-up is required, tag the event for RCA and assign an owner before reset.

Feedback Loop into Daily Huddle

Each Andon event should be summarized for the next daily huddle using this format:

• Single-line description (line, station, trigger, downtime in minutes)
• Containment actions taken and immediate outcome
• Escalation outcome and assigned owner for RCA
• Status (Open / In Progress / Closed) and expected closure date

Tracking these summaries by frequency and downtime helps the team see repeat problems and prioritize improvement work.

How to Avoid Noisy Dashboards and False Escalations

• Do not silence alarms unless a documented temporary workaround is approved by maintenance and recorded.
• Confirm the trigger before escalating for non-safety events—use the 5-minute containment to validate rapid false positives.
• Classify repeated operator-assist requests separately for training or procedural fixes (don’t treat them the same as equipment faults).

Common Mistakes

• Failing to record times—makes follow-up and measurement impossible.
• Resetting Andon without assigning an RCA owner—problems repeat.
• Escalating too early for minor issues that an operator could safely resolve in the containment window, which creates noise.

Quick Operator Communication Script

When calling a Team Lead or Maintenance: “This is [Name] on Line [#], Station [#]. Andon triggered at [HH:MM]. Trigger type: [equipment/quality/safety]. I attempted [containment action] at [time]. Status: [fixed/not fixed]. Please advise or respond.”

Annex — Local Contact Roster

Maintain and post a current contact list by shift: Team Leader, Maintenance (on-call), Quality, Shift Manager, Safety Officer. Update monthly.

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