will work together, are less likely to have items left out. Grouping items which can be done at the same time or place, or by the same person, often improves efficiency. A group may have a checkbox to indicate completion of the group. This is more likely to be helpful if there are several groups. Where reasonably practicable the items to be checked by a specific person can be grouped on the list. This makes it easier for them to keep track of what they have done and must still do. In some cases it may help to split them off as a separate checklist Items should not be over-detailed in description nor ambiguous. A checklist should not try to define or describe procedures which should be familiar to the checker, though critical steps may usefully be listed in order when order is important. Ordering of the list should be logical. Where chronological order is important, it should be indicated by order on the list. Where items to be checked are spatially distributed, an order minimising travel or search time is efficient. The most convenient and reliable checklists are normally completed from top to bottom in a single session. It should be easy to recover from any interruption without risking missing an item or redoing a check unnecessarily. The physical checklist must be convenient to use on site. It should not require special effort to read, or protect it from the environment. In some cases it may be useful to cross-reference to the standard procedure, particularly for training and audit purposes. Some checklists must be signed off and kept as evidence, others may be re-usable. This may affect the format and materials. Checkboxes at the beginning of each item are easier to find and follow to the next incomplete check. A keyword at the beginning of the text will help ensure that the correct box is ticked When several checklists are used, due to complexity of the task, or the need for several people to make checks at different places, a master checklist indicating the completion of each subordinate checklist may be used. If instructions are necessary, they should be included. If not, they should be left out as they will distract the user Design of checklists The design of a checklist should fit the purpose of the list. If a checklist is perceived as a top-down means to control