BRITISH STANDARD BS 4884-2:

1993

Technical manuals —
Part 2: Guide to content

Confirmed
January 2011
UDC 655.413.004:62
BS 4884-2:1993

Committees responsible for this

British Standard

The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted by the Information and
Documentation Standards Policy Committee (DOT/-) to Technical Committee
DOT/6, upon which the following bodies were represented:

British Library
British Psychological Society
Department of Trade and Industry (Management Services and Manpower
Division (MSM))
Her Majesty’s Stationery Office
Institute of Information Scientists
Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators
Library Association
London College of Printing
Periodical Publishers’ Association
Science Museum Library
Standing Conference of National and University Libraries

The following bodies were also represented in the drafting of the standard,
through subcommittees and panels:

Consumer Policy Committee of BSI

Defence Manufacturers’ Association
Ice (Ergonomics)
Institution of Administrative Management
Institution of Incorporated Executive Engineers
Institution of Plant Engineers
Royal Institute of British Architects
Society of Authors

This British Standard, having

been prepared under the
direction of the Information
and Documentation Standards
Policy Committee, was published
under the authority of the
Standards Board and comes Amendments issued since publication
into effect on
15 June 1993
Amd. No. Date Comments
© BSI 12-1998

The following BSI references

relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee Reference DOT 6
Draft for comment 92 69131 DC

ISBN 0 580 22018 4

 BS 4884-2:1993

Contents

Page
Committees responsible Inside front cover
Foreword ii
1 Scope 1
2 References 1
3 Definitions 1
4 General 1
5 Specification 2
6 Structure of information 3
7 Categories of information 6
8 Category: purpose and planning information 6
9 Category: operating information 7
10 Category: technical description 11
11 Category: handling, installation, storage and transit information 12
12 Category: maintenance instructions 14
13 Category: maintenance schedules 15
14 Category: parts lists 16
15 Category: modification instructions 17
16 Category: disposal instructions 18
Figure 1 — Methods of structuring technical information 5
Figure 2 — Example of presentation of procedure for identification
and treatment of malfunctions 10
List of references Inside back cover

© BSI 12-1998 i
BS 4884-2:1993

Foreword

This Part of BS 4884 has been prepared under the direction of the Information
and Documentation Standards Policy Committee. BS 4884 has been revised and
now comprises:
— Part 1: Specification for presentation of essential information;
— Part 2: Guide to content;
— Part 3: Guide to presentation.
Part 2 applies to the selection and arrangement of information to be included in
technical manuals. Although its recommendations are essential to the production
of good technical manuals, it is presented in the form of guidance because some
of the recommendations require subjective judgement and some will not apply to
every manual. It should be read in conjunction with the revision of
BS 4884-1:1992 and the new BS 4884-3:1993, which is a revision of
BS 4884-2:1974.
BS 4884 is a general standard. It has been prepared to help those who:
a) produce technical manuals;
b) prepare detailed standards for technical manuals for a particular industry,
e.g. BS 7649, which gives guidance on the design and preparation of user
documentation for software products;
c) prepare specifications for technical manuals for particular products.
Anyone who acquires a product generally needs information on the correct way to
use it. A good technical manual will provide users of the product with the
information that they need in a form that they can understand. The form and
content of the manual will depend on the complexity of the product and the
circumstances in which it is supplied and used.
Technical manuals vary in scale from the full documentation necessary for the
operation and maintenance of a large industrial complex to the instructions
supplied with a domestic appliance, such as a washing machine, or the
information supplied with a consumable commodity, such as a tin of paint. They
vary in form from the traditional hard copy to computer-based presentation,
designed to be viewed on screen.
A technical manual is often essential to the safe and proper use of the product it
accompanies and is itself an essential part of the product. Its provision is
generally specified in contracts. It requires as much care in preparation as any
other part of the product.
The committee that drafted BS 4884 is aware that no single set of rules can
provide the producers of technical manuals with solutions to all the problems of
designing and writing a technical manual. The form and content vary so much
that the essential information that applies to every manual is limited. This
information is specified in Part 1. Parts 2 and 3 give guidance on the selection,
arrangement and presentation of information, that will, it is hoped, help users of
the standard to find solutions appropriate to their needs.

ii © BSI 12-1998
 BS 4884-2:1993

Users of this Part of BS 4884 are reminded that legislation applies to technical
manuals. Some products and the instructions for their use are subject to statutory
regulations that may include special requirements for health and safety. In
Particular, attention is drawn to the Consumer Protection Act 1987 [1] and the
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 [2].
A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i to iv,
pages 1 to 18, an inside back cover and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on
the inside front cover.

© BSI 12-1998 iii

iv blank

1 Scope
This Part of BS 4884 gives guidance on the selection
and arrangement of information in technical
manuals. It provides detailed information about the
content of the categories of information listed in
BS 4884-1:1992. It applies to all technical manuals,
whatever the form of presentation.
2 References
2.1 Normative references
This Part of BS 4884 incorporates, by reference,
provisions from specific editions of other
publications. These normative references are cited
at the appropriate points in the text and the
publications are listed on the inside back cover.
Subsequent amendments to, or revisions of, any of
these publications apply to this Part of BS 4884 only
when incorporated in it by updating or revision.
2.2 Informative references
This Part of BS 4884 refers to other publications
that provide information or guidance. Editions of
these publications current at the time of issue of this
standard are listed on the inside back cover, but
reference should be made to the latest editions.
3 Definitions
For the purposes of this Part of BS 4884, the
definitions given in BS 3811:1984 apply, together
with the following.
3.1
caution
information that draws attention to the risk of
damage to the product, process or surroundings
3.2
document
a combination of a medium and the information
recorded on or in it
3.3
drill
a mandatory procedure performed by several people
acting as a team
3.4
end user
a person who installs, operates, maintains or
repairs the product, not necessarily its owner or
purchaser
3.5
hard copy
a permanent and eye-legible version of a document,
e.g.print on paper
© BSI 12-1998
BS 4884-2:1993
3.6
instruction manual
a technical manual that applies to the day-to-day
use, maintenance and handling of a product
3.7
product
any material or item of any complexity, from a raw
material to a complete engineering system
3.8
services
externally provided services, e.g. water, gas
3.9
technical manual
a generic term for any document that explains how
to use, maintain and handle a product from its
delivery to its disposal, and in addition gives any
technical information that a user is likely to need
during the life of the product
3.10
user
a person or an organization that owns the product or
has overall responsibility for it
3.11
warning
information that draws attention to the risk of
injury or death
4 General
4.1 Importance of the manual
A technical manual is an essential part of a product
and its provision is often a legal requirement. Its
production will add something to the initial cost, the
sum involved depending on the amount of
information supplied and the form in which it is
provided. Although this cost will eventually be
passed on to the purchaser, the benefits that derive
from providing adequate technical information can
outweigh the additional cost of producing it.
For example, manufacturers and suppliers can
benefit from the reduced risk of people misusing
their products and of costs arising from legal
liability in such cases, from savings in time and
money spent dealing with enquiries, and from
enhanced reputation and increased sales resulting
from well-documented information.
Users can benefit from more efficient use of the
product, from spending less time on exploratory
work before using, repairing or modifying it and
from the reduced incidence of injuries and faults
that arise from lack of knowledge.
1
BS 4884-2:1993
4.2 Advertising material
It is essential that advertising material is kept
separate from technical information. If technical
information is obscured by advertising material,
users may be impeded in their search for essential
information and become irritated.
4.3 Responsibility for production
One person should be given overall responsibility for
the production of the technical manual, which
should not be regarded as a minor task that can be
delegated to anyone who has time to spare. It is a
composite skilled task that requires special
knowledge and experience. The simplest manual
usually requires a technical author and illustrator.
More complex manuals may require a range of
specialists, such as authors, designers, illustrators,
photographers and draughtsmen. The competence
of technical authors, illustrators and other
specialists should be checked before they are
employed (see 4.5).
If many different groups of people, including
specialist subcontractors and suppliers, are engaged
in the design, specification and construction of a
product, the client who commissions the product
should order, specify and finance the production of
the technical manual, even if the client will not be
the end user of the product (see 5.2).
4.4 Contract for product
The contract for the supply of a product should
either contain the requirement for the
accompanying technical manual or have associated
with it a separate contract for the technical manual.
If the production of a technical manual forms part of
a larger contract, the provisions that apply to the
technical manual should be separate from other
provisions, so that progress of work on the technical
manual and its quality can be monitored.
4.5 Contract for consultant
If a person or an organization not employed by the
product’s manufacturer or supplier is to be
contracted to provide a technical manual, those
responsible for employing the contractor should
ensure that the technical author entrusted with the
work is competent and capable of producing a
manual in accordance with the client’s
requirements. The author should be asked to submit
examples of previous work or to prepare part of the
proposed manual as a sample.
2 © BSI 12-1998
The contractor should be required to seek all
necessary information about the product and the
manufacturer should be required to supply it. If the
product contains subsystems supplied by others, the
contractor should ensure that the suppliers provide
adequate technical information with the
subsystems or should see that it is supplied.
4.6 Usability tests
The manual should be subjected to usability tests
before it is published. If it is not feasible for
manufacturers of consumer products to consult
potential users, consumer organizations should be
consulted, if there is no suitable organization, a
panel of typical users should, if possible, be asked to
check the manual’s usability.
The client should be asked to arrange usability tests
for a technical manual for a complex product such as
a large building.
4.7 Changes in product
4.7.1 During development
Those responsible for producing the manual should
be kept informed of any changes in the product as it
develops. The manual should apply to the final form
of the product only.
4.7.2 After release
Any changes made in the product after its initial
release should be reflected in the manual. There
should be provision to ensure that the manual is, if
necessary., amended each time the product is
modified.
5 Specification
5.1 General
Whether the requirement for a technical manual is
in the main contract for a product or in a separate
contract, it will require specification. Some
organizations have a general specification that can
be adapted to suit particular products. Some
manufacturers provide a specification for the
technical manual that is to be issued with a
particular product. The contract should identify the
specification that is to be used.
In large-scale production, the manufacturer
normally prepares the specification for the manual
for a product. For a complex product, e.g. a large
industrial building, the user normally prepares the
specification for the manual.
Clauses 6 to 16 should be used as a check-list in the
preparation of the specification.

5.2 Needs of end user
The specification should be drafted to ensure that
the manual meets the needs of the end user. It
should include guidance on the likely competence of
potential users, with details of training and
qualifications where appropriate. This information
may be supplied by a manufacturer who can assess
the basic knowledge required to use the manual, or
by a user who needs a manual adjusted to suit the
level of competence available. For consumer
products supplied in large volume, the
manufacturer should state the likely range of users
and their assumed knowledge and experience.
If there are likely to be several different levels of
user, each requiring different information, the
technical manual should be structured to meet their
needs. Potential users should be consulted and the
general approach decided before the specification is
prepared.
5.3 Identification of product and manual
A manual should, preferably, apply to one model or
variant only. If it is necessary, to include more than
one model or variant in one manual, the text should
state which sections of the manual apply to each
model or variant and should describe how each
individual model or variant can be identified.
If a complex product contains several subsystems or
subsidiary products, the specification should give
details of how they are to be treated within the
technical manual and how the different parts of the
product and the corresponding parts of the manual
are to be identified.
If several different kinds of manual are required,
e.g. for a car, a driver’s handbook, DIY maintenance
manual and workshop manual, they should be listed
in the specification.
5.4 Details of content
The specification should list reference documents to
be used in the preparation of the technical manual,
including national and international standards. It
should include information about the treatment of
the following:
a) terminology;
b) units of measurement;
c) signs and symbols;
d) abbreviations.
It should state the policy on the inclusion of
information about DIY repairs, taking account of
the increasing competence of many consumers to
undertake repairs if adequate instructions are
given.
© BSI 12-1998
BS 4884-2:1993
The specification should give detailed instructions
on the treatment of matters of health and safety
(see 6.5).
5.5 Specification prepared by user
If a large user organization drafts the specification
for the manuals required to operate and maintain a
complex product, the following points should, where
appropriate, be included:
a) a statement of the responsibility for the
production and provision of a technical manual,
which may be complicated if the subject is a
complex installation;
b) a programme for the preparation, submission
and acceptance of the manual, including the
supply of the draft and final versions, taking
account of the end user’s needs, including use of
the manual in training personnel;
c) reference to other kinds of document that may
be required, e.g. drawings, specifications, design
submissions and contract documentation,
distinguishing between their content and the
content of the technical manual;
d) treatment of confidential information from the
supplier that may be essential to the user but is
not supplied for unrestricted publication;
e) arrangement of information to reflect the
structure of the organization;
f) treatment of copyright material, including
ownership and safe-keeping of originals;
g) provision for updating the manual.
6 Structure of information
6.1 Order
Detailed guidance on the presentation of manuals is
given in BS 4884-3. Information should be
presented in an order that is helpful to the user. If
several different forms of manual are prepared for
one product, the order of categories may vary from
one form of manual to another, to suit the user’s
convenience.
6.2 Complex products
The structure of information in a manual for a
complex product should be designed to suit the
structure of the user’s organization and the
different needs of the different parts of that
organization. Many kinds of structure are possible.
For examples of two of the most common, i.e. system
based and function based, see Figure 1.
3
BS 4884-2:1993
6.3 Preliminary information
The preliminary information, such as title-page,
contents list and acknowledgements, should be as
recommended in BS 4884-3:1993.
Where appropriate, it should include the following:
a) a list of all the volumes that form the manual
and information about the availability of
separate parts of the manual;
b) information about methods of modifying the
manual if the product is modified and procedures
for dealing with amendments. (See also
clause 15.)
6.4 Categories of information
Categories of information should be selected from
those listed in clause 7, according to the needs of the
user. For example, in a heavy-goods-vehicle
business, different people would be responsible for
driving, servicing and major overhauls, and the
categories for their several manuals should be
selected accordingly.
6.5 Health and safety
6.5.1 Hazards
The nature and severity of any hazard that might be
encountered in the use of the product should be
assessed and described in the manual. The scope of
the assessment should encompass the life of the
product, from its delivery up to and including its
disposal, and should include the possibility of
hazards arising from faults in the product or its
misuse.
Where appropriate, information about hazards
should include details of exposure times, control
limits and legal obligations.
Information about hazards should be unambiguous,
precise and realistic. It should be given emphasis in
the text in accordance with BS 4884-3:1993.
6.5.2 Precautions
Details should be given of precautions that should
be taken to protect people against the hazards
described. References, in accordance with
BS 5605:1990, should, if appropriate, be made to
other sources of information.
Attention should be drawn to measures
incorporated in the design of the product to protect
the user from the ill effects of hazards that are not
readily apparent, such as high sound levels,
vibration and electromagnetic and other radiation.
6.5.3 Warnings and cautions
The content of warnings and cautions given in the
text should conform to BS 4884-1:1992. Their
presentation should be in accordance with
BS 4884-3:1993.
4 © BSI 12-1998
6.6 Text
Information given in technical manuals should be
expressed in a way that is likely to be
comprehensible to intended users, taking account of
their qualifications and experience. The information
given should be accurate and complete. Instructions
should be practicable and feasible. The text should
be clear and concise. Sentences should be as short
and simple as the subject allows. Paragraphs should
be short.
(For further information, see BS 4884-3.)
6.7 Terminology
Terms should be used consistently throughout the
manual. The technical terms used, in both the
specification for a technical manual and the manual
itself, should be defined if there is any risk of
ambiguity. Where appropriate, terms should be
taken from a standard glossary, e.g. BS 3811; if so,
a reference should be given.
In a short manual, any unfamiliar term should be
defined when it is first used. A longer manual
should give definitions in a separate clause. The
definitions clause should not be restricted to
technical terms; it should include any term that
might be open to misunderstanding, e.g. “client”,
“customer”, “user”, “operator”, “item”, “equipment”,
“specification”, “contractor” and “contract”. A word
in general use that has several possible
interpretations, e.g. “service”, should, if necessary,
be defined in the definitions clause and its use
restricted to the defined meaning throughout the
manual.
6.8 Abbreviations and acronyms
Abbreviations that are not in common use should be
explained. If an abbreviation or acronym that may
be unfamiliar to the user is used extensively, it
should be included in the definitions clause. If it
occurs only once or twice, it should be given in full at
the first mention, followed by the abbreviation in
parentheses, e.g. “cathode ray tube (CRT)”; it should
be included in the index, if any.
6.9 Headings
Subdivisions of the text should have informative
headings that show the structure of the manual and
guide the user through the text.
6.10 Illustrations
Illustrations such as tables, flow charts, drawings,
photographs and cartoons should be used in
addition to text, or instead of it, if they will make the
information easier to understand.
 BS 4884-2:1993

Figure 1 — Methods of structuring technical information

© BSI 12-1998 5
BS 4884-2:1993

7 Categories of information Statutory regulations, e.g. for the protection of the

7.1 List of categories
The information about a product that a user may
need can conveniently be divided into the following
categories:
a) purpose and planning information
(what it is for);
b) operating information
(how to use it);
c) technical description
(how it works);
d) handling, installation, storage and transit
information
(how to prepare it for use)
e) maintenance instructions
(how to keep it working);
f) maintenance schedules
(what is done when);
g) parts lists
(what it consists of);
h) modification instructions
(how to change it);
i) disposal instructions
(how to dispose of it).
Users of large complex products may well need
information provided in all these categories. The
extent of information required for users of other
products will depend on the nature of the product
and the conditions of its supply and use.
7.2 Order of categories
Clauses 8 to 16 detail the categories of information
in the order in which they are listed in 7.1. In
manuals, categories should be presented in the
order most convenient for the user. One or more
categories may be combined if that will best suit the
user’s needs, the structure of the organization and
its maintenance policy.
NOTE For information about the order recommended for
consumer products, see the Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI) Instructions for consumer products: guidelines for better
instructions and safety information for consumer products [3].
7.3 Manual specification
The specification for the technical manual should
list the categories to be included and the order in
which they are to appear; it should state whether
they are to be combined or treated separately.
The specification for a consumable should normally
require the following categories:
a) purpose and planning information;
b) operating information;
c) technical description;
d) disposal instructions.
environment, may affect the selection of categories.
8 Category: purpose and planning
information
8.1 Purpose of category
The purpose of the category for purpose and
planning information is to give the basic data that
the user, whether an individual or an organization,
needs:
a) to assess the fitness of the product for a
particular application and the manner of its use;
b) to plan operations in relation to the product.
8.2 Content of category
The category for purpose and planning information
should provide a general summary of information
about the product, including the following:
a) purpose, i.e. what it should be used for, with, if
appropriate, a statement about what it should
not be used for (see any relevant product liability
legislation);
b) health and safety (see 6.5);
c) its capability and performance (see 8.3);
d) the services required, e.g. power, water and
air;
e) any special requirements for the operating
environment, e.g. constant temperature for a
computer installation;
f) interaction of the product and the environment:
1) the impact of the environment on the
product, e.g. the effects of a salt-laden
atmosphere on a building;
2) the impact of the product on the
environment, e.g. noise and discharge;
g) the requirements for use.
The summary may originally form the technical
information about a product given in sales
literature, particularly for consumer products,
e.g. washing machines, and for original equipment
that is being produced in quantity for a general
market, e.g. electric motors.
8.3 Performance data
Performance data should provide information on
how the product should perform, how it should be
operated and maintained, where it can be sited and
whether it will require special arrangements for
transport, e.g. whether it is too large to go through
existing doorways.

6 © BSI 12-1998

Performance data should include:
a) maximum and minimum limits, e.g. maximum
power limits, minimum operating speeds;
b) energy consumption and conversion rates;
c) typical staffing requirements for operation,
maintenance and handling under specified
operating conditions;
d) staff, workshops, test shops, test rigs and
instruments required for operation and
maintenance;
e) dimensions, capacities and weight of the
product and its components;
f) environmental requirements, e.g. heating,
cooling, lighting and ventilation;
g) limitations on use, whether in the manner of
application or fundamental qualities,
e.g. strength and capacity;
h) reliability information including estimates,
e.g. mean time between failures and mean time to
repair (see BS 5760-0);
i) anticipated useful life of the product and its
components;
j) availability of spares, and repair and servicing
facilities;
k) guarantees, e.g. of performance and
manufacturer’s support, with start and expiry
dates, and conditions under which guarantees
apply or are nullified.
The information provided should draw attention to
any changes in application compared with earlier
versions and to the level of technical innovation,
whether new technology or well-proven technique.
Detailed information may be given to show that the
product has been designed to meet the requirements
of the product specification and to demonstrate that
it meets mandatory requirements, e.g. by quoting
product certification numbers.
8.4 Background information
If necessary, background information should be
supplied to support the information given about a
complex product, e.g. if it is to be adapted or
modified. If the information is taken from source
documents, e.g. national, industry and
manufacturer’s standards, patents and reports,
references to the source documents should be given.
If the actual performance of the product is different
from that required in the original specification,
reference to the original specification should be
given. References should be in the form
recommended in BS 5605:1990.
© BSI 12-1998
BS 4884-2:1993
9 Category: operating information
9.1 Purpose of category
The purpose of the category for operating
information is to give complete instructions for the
safe operation of the product under normal,
emergency and special conditions.
9.2 Content of category
9.2.1 Preliminary pages
If operating information is issued in a separate
volume, the preliminary pages should contain a
contents list, notes on the use of the instructions and
on symbols, abbreviations and colour codes used in
the operating information and on the product itself.
9.2.2 Subcategories
The amount of information required in the category
for operating information will vary according to the
complexity of the product and its components. For
most products, three subcategories will be required:
a) general operating information (see 9.3);
b) operating instructions (see 9.4);
c) treatment of malfunctions (see 9.5).
Operating information should be suitable for use as
a training aid and should provide material from
which further training manuals and detailed
instruction can be developed.
If different models or variants of one product are
treated in one volume, the manual should identify
the information that applies to each model or
variant of the product.
9.3 Subcategory: general operating
information
9.3.1 Purpose
The subcategory for general operating information
should serve as an introduction to the operating
procedures. It should give the general background
information that the user will need to operate the
product and should be written in terms that the
intended operator will be able to understand. It
should include information about the use and
limitations of manual, automatic and remote
controls, and about operational systems managed
by computers or microprocessors.
9.3.2 Controls
The purpose, location and effect of operating
controls and instruments should be described in a
logical order. The order should be based on the
procedure followed in preparing, starting and
running-up and shutting-down the product in both
normal and emergency conditions. It should
describe the procedure in each of the product’s
modes, e.g. manual, automatic and remote control.
7
BS 4884-2:1993
Any preset control or special instrumentation not to
be used in the operating procedure should be
identified.
9.3.3 Location plan
If appropriate, a location plan should be provided,
showing the position of plant, equipment and
controls. The detail of the plan should be checked on
site.
9.3.4 Rules and tasks
A list of rules to be observed and tasks to be
performed before, during and after operation should
be provided, with notes on any restrictions, e.g. on
running hours or operating cycles, and on the need
to avoid operator fatigue.
If team action or a drill is required, the member of
the team responsible for each task should be
identified and the task described in detail. The
specification for the technical manual should state
whether this level of detail is the responsibility of
the supplier or whether the user will provide it.
9.3.5 Avoidance of malfunction
The sequence of electrical, electronic, hydraulic,
pneumatic, mechanical or other events that occur
during operation of the controls, and their
consequences and effects, should be described, but
only to the extent required to avoid risk of
malfunction or damage. The performance limits of
components should be stated, with information
about methods of assessing when the components
are near such limits.
9.3.6 Operator tests
Details of tests that the operator should carry out to
verify the functional performance of the product
should be given. If the tests require additional
measuring or test devices to be fitted, their
connection and disconnection should be described.
Test procedures should describe the action to be
taken to make adjustments or locate trouble if rated
functional test values are not met.
9.3.7 Hazards
The description of each operational test procedure
should include information about monitoring
devices and warnings of all hazards including those
that may arise through errors in procedure, misuse
of the product, misinterpretation of monitoring
indications or system faults.
8 © BSI 12-1998
Advice should be given about the safe disposal of
any hazardous substance required for the operation
of the product, e.g. cleaning fluid, or waste matter
resulting from it, e.g. toxic waste, dust from vacuum
cleaners. The advice should include information
about:
a) possible hazards, with details of any special
environmental requirements needed to avoid
them;
b) personal protective equipment;
c) possible symptoms, with details of any medical
remedies;
d) methods of safe disposal, including packaging
and labelling;
e) risks to the environment if the rules for safe
disposal are not observed.
(See also 6.5.1.)
9.4 Subcategory: operating instructions
9.4.1 Purpose
The subcategory for operating instructions should
provide full details of the procedures to be followed
in preparing, starting and running-up the product,
in operating it under normal conditions in each
mode, e.g. manual, automatic and remote control,
and in shutting it down under normal and
emergency conditions.
Design and general operating data essential for
effective and safe operation should be included if
directly relevant to the performance of an operating
step, preferably in a note. The state of components
such as valves, interlocks, relays, switches and
indicators, should also be given where appropriate.
NOTE Statutory regulations, including approval by a
regulatory body, apply to some operating instructions.
9.4.2 Presentation
Procedures should appear in the order in which they
are to be carried out. If there are several sequences,
a flow chart or other graphic form should be used to
show the overall sequence of events.
Each procedure should normally be set out in
step-by-step sequence. A tabular form of
presentation should be used if it suits the context
Descriptions should be in the present tense and
instructions in the imperative. Check-lists should be
provided.
Illustrations, e.g. system drawings, panel layouts
and block diagrams showing automatic start
sequences, should be used to supplement the text
and should appear with the associated text.
If components, e.g. switchgear and valves, are
labelled, the names used in the text should be
identical with those used on the labels.
(For further information, see BS 4884-3.)

9.4.3 Modes of operation
If the product or its components can be operated in
more than one mode, e.g. manual, automatic, local
and remote control, separate instructions should be
given, if appropriate, for operating in each mode.
9.4.4 Procedures
The following information should be given for each
procedure in the order shown:
a) brief description, explaining the purpose of the
procedure;
b) list of major components;
c) details of the checks required to ascertain the
state of the product and its components, and to
ensure that the services and supplies necessary
for safe functioning are available and operating
efficiently;
d) step-by-step instructions for the start-up of the
product in each mode, with, if necessary, special
instructions for components returned to service
after maintenance;
e) instructions for normal running in each mode,
with operating limitations, adjustments
necessary to ensure safe and efficient operation
and the recommended extent and frequency of
running checks;
f) emergency action for all fault conditions,
including the loss of auxiliary products, with
immediate and further action to be taken in
response to alarms, warnings and cautions
(see 6.5.3) and, if appropriate, emergency
shutdown procedure;
g) instructions on the shutdown of components for
short periods if necessary during normal
operation, with information about the effects;
h) instructions for the shutdown of the product,
including services, with information about the
effect on items served by the product;
i) recommissioning procedures to be carried out in
addition to prestart checks and start-up after the
product has been out of service for major overhaul
and maintenance;
j) special instructions for action necessary to
protect the product if the building is evacuated
because of fire or other emergency.
9.4.5 Drills
Operating instructions should give details of any
procedure, whether normal or emergency, that is to
be carried out as a drill. The instructions should be
set out in a form suitable for operators acting as a
team.
If practice drills are considered necessary, they
should be given under a separate heading and
should be kept distinct from operational drills.
© BSI 12-1998
BS 4884-2:1993
9.5 Subcategory: treatment of malfunctions
9.5.1 Purpose
The subcategory for treatment of malfunctions
should give guidance to the operator on procedures
to be followed in detecting, correcting and reporting
any malfunction or failure that occurs:
a) if the product or any part of it fails to operate
correctly;
b) if the operation of the product is affected by
external hazards such as power failure, fire or
flood.
9.5.2 Alarms
There should be a description of each alarm that:
a) explains its purpose;
b) states how it is recognized by its nature or
position;
c) gives the location of detectors and indicators;
d) specifies normal and alarm settings;
e) states what should happen automatically;
f) states what action the operator should take
(see 9.5.3);
g) states what action the operator should not
take;
h) gives relevant display information, if
data-processing equipment is an integral part of
the alarm display and analysis.
Guidance should be given on how to deduce which
alarm has initiated a multiple sequence if multiple
alarms occur.
9.5.3 Action
The action that the operator should take in response
to an alarm should be described in detail, under the
following headings:
a) Immediate action: instructions on ensuring
the safety of the operator and other people,
avoiding damage to the product and, if possible,
ensuring its continued operation;
b) Further action: instructions on remedial
action that will return the product to service or
put it on standby.
9
BS 4884-2:1993

9.5.4 Fault diagnosis 9.5.5 Corrective procedures

Fault location and diagnosis should be limited to
those tasks that the operator could reasonably be
expected to do. They normally include:
a) noting malfunction of plant or components;
b) noting abnormal symptoms or indications;
c) recording operation of alarms or trips.
Aids to fault diagnosis procedures such as
functionally identified maintenance system (FIMS),
fault step diagnosis (FSD), fault step and
algorithms, or, in complex systems, fault trees and
computer-based fault diagnosis should be
considered for use within the manual.
Corrective procedures should also be limited to
those that the operator could reasonably be
expected to do. They are normally restricted to:
a) acceptance of alarm and resetting of trips;
b) starting-up of standby or alternative
auxiliaries or plant;
c) shut-down and isolation of failed or
malfunctioning components.
Precautions necessary to make any product or
component safe during corrective procedures should
be described.
The procedure for identifying malfunctions and
recovering from them should be shown. An example
is given in Figure 2.

Figure 2 — Example of presentation of procedure for identification

and treatment of malfunctions

10 © BSI 12-1998

10 Category: technical description
10.1 Purpose of category
The purpose of the category for technical description
is to give users who have appropriate background
knowledge and technical qualifications information
that should help them to understand and apply the
instructions in other parts of the manual.
For large organizations dealing with complex
products, the technical description should supply:
a) senior managers with a broad overall
assessment of the capability and complexity of
the product;
b) technical supervisors with the detail required
to decide staffing levels, to plan operating and
maintenance schedules and to train and
supervise the staff who operate, service and
maintain the product;
c) maintenance technicians with the detail
necessary to keep equipment and systems in good
working order;
d) qualified operating staff with the detail
necessary for safe operation of the product and
preliminary fault diagnosis.
In order that the purposes of the technical
description for a large organization may be fulfilled,
it is essential that the information needs of
individual members of staff are established before
the specification for the technical description is
prepared.
10.2 Content of category
The category for technical description should
provide information complementary to the
instructions for operating, maintenance, handling,
installation and disposal. For complex products, if
several elements are linked to form a system in
which they function interdependently, the technical
description should explain how the elements and
the system are linked. For all products, it should
explain how the components function individually
and how they work together. Where helpful,
illustrations should be used either to support the
text or instead of it.
© BSI 12-1998
BS 4884-2:1993
Other information in the technical description may
include:
a) features not obvious to the user, e.g. in a
building, the position of insulation, vapour
barriers, reinforcement or stressing wires, which
might otherwise suffer inadvertent damage;
b) sufficient detail to permit modifications to be
made safely and to minimize the likelihood of a
user resorting to physical investigation to find
out how the product functions;
c) technical data, preferably in summary or
tabular form, such as dimensions, clearances,
weights, computer software capabilities, main
services, environmental requirements;
d) means of verifying technical data, e.g. test
equipment, types of coupling and interface unit;
e) recommended limits, test points, software
storage capacity;
f) in user manuals for consumer products, the
background information for DIY servicing and
repairs;
g) compatibility of software and hardware;
h) details of any techniques that are likely to be
new to users.
Information that is given in basic text books should
be excluded.
10.3 Structure
The level of information provided should be decided
by the circumstances in which the product is likely
to be used and the assumed knowledge of the user.
For example, the technical detail provided for the
user of a consumer product could well be limited to
the supply requirements for external services,
advice on care and maintenance and a simplified
functional description for general interest, while the
servicing agent would need enough technical detail
for routine maintenance, fault diagnosis and repair.
Different levels of information may be needed for
different levels of repair.
The structure of the technical description should be
designed to provide information at each level
required. The information for different levels of use
should be issued separately unless it can safely be
combined in a single document.
11
BS 4884-2:1993
The following methods of structuring the
information in a technical description should be
considered:
a) to issue a separate document for each level of
use;
b) to issue a single document, arranged, to reflect
the structure of the user organization (see 10.1),
with each subsystem or function described first in
simple terms and then in progressively greater
detail.
The requirements of other categories should be
taken into account when the method of structuring
the technical description is decided. The structure
should be agreed between user and supplier,
preferably in a specification attached to the
contract, before work on the technical description
begins.
The hierarchy of subjects in the technical
description should be made obvious to the user,
e.g. by use of tabulation or a tree.
11 Category: handling, installation,
storage and transit information
11.1 Purpose of category
The purpose of the category for handling,
installation, storage and transit information is to
provide the user with all the information needed for
the initial setting-up of a product and for its safe
removal and reinstallation, if that should be
necessary. In order to avoid risk of injury to people
or damage to the product, the information should be
provided even if the supplier carries out the initial
installation.
11.2 Content of category
The category for handling, installation storage and
transit information should give the technical
information and instructions required for the
handling, reception, installation and initial setting
to work of the product and for its storage, transit
and reinstallation in another location or changed
environment.
12
It should include information about:
a) special skills;
b) services and methods of connection;
c) environment;
d) hazards;
e) safety precautions.
11.3 Reception and handling
11.3.1 Provision of instructions
A product is sometimes delivered long before it is to
be installed and has to be stored until it is required.
A product can be damaged by incorrect handling
when the contents of the package and their quality
are checked, or when it is assessed for installation.
It is therefore essential that any instructions that
are required before the product is unpacked,
including unpacking instructions, are provided
outside the packaging.
11.3.2 Content of instructions
The instructions should include information about
the following:
a) packaging, including details of measures taken
to protect and preserve the product during transit
and storage;
b) procedures for unpacking, and for the removal
and safe disposal of protective and preservative
packaging;
c) mechanical handling of the product, including
anything that requires special care or treatment,
with details of lifting points, centres of gravity,
mass, dimensions of any component that requires
individual handling, slings, spreaders;
d) assessing the product for installation.
Some of the information may also appear in the
purpose and planning information (see clause 8),
and in the maintenance instructions (see clause 12).
If such information is not given in both categories, it
should be mentioned in cross-references.
The specification for the manual should include
requirements for information that will make it
unnecessary for the user to examine the product to
assess it for installation.
© BSI 12-1998

11.4 Installation and setting to work
11.4.1 Background information
If a user who commissions a manual plans to
approve or supervise the installation of a product,
that should be stated in the contract for the manual,
so that the programme for its production provides
for the manual to be delivered before work on
preparation for installation begins. The user should
advise the supplier of any unusual or abnormal
feature of the site that will affect the handling and
installation of the product, e.g. a hot dust-laden
environment or difficult access, so that measures to
overcome the difficulty may be included in the
manual.
11.4.2 Preparation of site and services
Instructions for preparation should include the
following:
a) specification for services, including methods of
connection; permitted variation, e.g. in water
pressure, voltage and frequency of electricity;
cleaning and purging procedures; checks to be
carried out before connection;
b) detailed requirements for foundations and
other mountings, including any installation or
maintenance device;
c) information about environmental conditions to
which the product should not be exposed;
d) the limits that can be tolerated during
installation, e.g. of wind speed or temperature;
e) methods of protecting the product from
deterioration during installation, including
checks to ensure that protective measures have
been correctly applied;
f) recommendations for preventing unauthorized
access to the product during installation;
g) methods of preventing unauthorized use of the
product;
h) details of specifications that apply to
acceptance, inspection and performance tests.
11.4.3 Heavy components
If a major heavy component of a product is to be
installed separately or removed for maintenance,
information about its support and, if necessary, the
stability of the main product during its absence
should be given in the manual.
1) Some of this information may also appear in operating instructions (see clause 9); if so, it should be repeated at this point or
mentioned in cross-references, with emphasis on the importance of following the relevant instructions when the product is
installed.
© BSI 12-1998
BS 4884-2:1993
11.4.4 Setting to work
The instructions for setting the product to work
should include the following:
a) a list of tools, test and calibration equipment;
b) methods of removing transport and packing
restraints, and equipment transit clamps;
c) the initial operations required to bring the
product to full working performance, with details
of inspections and tests, methods of setting
adjustable controls and what the settings should
be1);
d) provision for the recording and completion of
test certificates for:
1) acceptance, inspection and performance test
results;
2) results of tests on associated safety
equipment;
3) final settings of all adjustable controls.
11.4.5 Reinstallation
If the procedures for reinstalling a product, e.g. after
relocation, are different from those for its initial
installation, the manual should draw attention to
the differences and provide additional instructions.
11.5 Storage
11.5.1 Forms of storage
The instructions should apply to:
a) the storage of a new product before it is
installed or commissioned;
b) the short-term storage of a product during use,
e.g. a paint brush;
c) the storage of a product after use, from the time
it is taken out of service until it is returned to use
at the same or some other location;
d) the storage of support products, especially
spare parts.
11.5.2 Storage requirements
The instructions should describe procedures for
preparing the product for use and all necessary
precautions. They should include the following:
a) a list of tools, supplies and services required;
b) provision for periodic inspection and tests;
c) limits of storage life, including the effect of the
storage environment on the recommended limits;
13
BS 4884-2:1993
d) special requirements, e.g. for storage
environment, packaging methods;
e) conditions that apply if a product may be stored
after some use.
11.6 Transit and reinstallation
The instructions for transit and reinstallation
should apply not only to the product’s initial
delivery but also to its transit for maintenance and
relocation. They should include the following:
a) a list of tools, supplies and services required;
b) a list of transit requirements;
c) procedures for preparing the product for
transit;
d) procedures for preparing the product for use
after transit;
e) the preparation of the new site (see 11.4.2);
f) if necessary, particularly if the product has
been delivered ready assembled, procedures for
the handling and transit of separate components,
e.g. to the manufacturer or a remote workshop.
12 Category: maintenance
instructions
12.1 Purpose of category
The purpose of the category for maintenance
instructions is to provide the user with the
information necessary to ensure that the product is
correctly maintained and that tasks are carried out
at the recommended intervals. The information
given should be sufficient to enable a large
organization to draw up a suitable maintenance
policy or an individual user to assess the resources
needed before beginning a particular task.
For products supplied against a user’s specification,
the specification for the technical manual should
identify the tasks that the user will undertake,
depending on the levels of maintenance required
and the skills, materials and facilities available, and
should provide for their inclusion in the manual.
12.2 Content of category
The category for maintenance instructions should
include all the tasks required to keep a product
operating to its specified performance for its
specified life.
The category should begin with a statement of the
principles of maintenance management on which
the instructions are based, including an explanation
of the scale and combination of preventive and
corrective maintenance that together form the
maintenance policy for the product.
14
If the instructions apply to more than one product or
model of a product, the products and models
included should be listed in the preliminary pages.
The headings in the text should make clear which
instructions apply to a particular model or product.
12.3 Levels of maintenance
The instructions should apply to the following levels
of maintenance:
a) tasks within the capability of the operator
during normal use;
b) tasks within the capability of someone with
adequate training, limited by the availability of
spare parts and tools, including on-the-spot
repair or replacement;
c) tasks carried out by a trained technician
working in a well-equipped workshop, including
full reconditioning.
If necessary, these levels should be further divided.
The instructions should give the level of
maintenance required for each task or group of
tasks.
12.4 Grouping
Maintenance instructions should normally be
grouped according to the kind of skill required to
carry them out, e.g. electrical or mechanical, and
divided into:
a) routine maintenance tasks;
b) tests, checks and inspections;
c) overhaul;
d) fault diagnosis and correction.
12.5 Arrangement of information
Maintenance instructions should be arranged in
logical relation to the maintenance schedules
(see clause 13).
Instructions should be presented, step by step, in
the order in which they are to be applied. If tasks are
allocated to several people, each person should
receive separate instructions, and the text should be
arranged to facilitate reproduction of instructions
for individuals. There should be cross-references,
where necessary, for use in maintenance
management.
The following should be treated as discrete subjects:
a) dismantling the product, or part of it;
b) repairing a component or fitting a new one;
NOTE To avoid ambiguity, the word “replace” should not be
used in maintenance instructions.
c) assembling the product;
d) calibration;
e) replenishment of consumables.
© BSI 12-1998

Fault-finding procedures should identify the
methodology, describe it and use it.
Provision should be made for keeping records as
recommended by the manufacturer, e.g. of bearing
clearances, degrees of corrosion or pitting in boiler
tubes.
12.6 Skills, materials and tools
The instructions should list, for each task or group
of tasks, the skills, materials and tools required at
each level of maintenance (see 12.3). The list should
include the following:
a) personnel and expertise;
b) materials, with cross-reference to the parts list
(see clause 14), including:
1) components to be renewed at specified
intervals;
2) a parts list for any component to be stripped
down and rebuilt;
c) tools, facilities, services and physical resources;
d) additional information, e.g. drawings,
standards.
12.7 Illustrations
Drawings or other illustrations should be provided
to complement written instructions (see BS 4884-3).
12.8 Hazards
12.8.1 Monitoring devices
Maintenance instructions should include
information about monitoring devices and warnings
of all hazards including those that may arise
through errors in procedure, misinterpretation of
monitoring indications or system faults.
12.8.2 Hazard warnings
The use of hazard warnings should be required for
maintenance carried out on live or running
equipment.
12.8.3 Permits
The manual should draw attention to any special
permits or clearances required before the work can
be undertaken.
12.8.4 Health and safety
Plant isolation, discharging, emptying and similar
measures essential to safe maintenance should be
given emphasis and described in detail.
Advice should be given about the safe disposal of
any hazardous substances required for maintenance
or toxic waste resulting from it. (For further
information see 6.5.1 and 9.3.7.)
© BSI 12-1998
BS 4884-2:1993
13 Category: maintenance schedules
13.1 Purpose of category
The purpose of the category for maintenance
schedules is to provide the user with the
information necessary to plan the complete cycle of
maintenance operations.
The specification for the technical manual should
require all predictable tasks performed at specific
intervals to be consolidated into the form of
maintenance schedules and, if necessary, master
schedules.
13.2 Content of category
The category for maintenance schedules should
provide lists of all maintenance tasks, performed at
specific intervals of time, distance, running hours or
completed operation, that collectively form a
complete cycle, repeated throughout the working
life of a product. They include estimates of staff-time
and resources required. Their requirements for
material and physical resources should be
compatible with the requirements of maintenance
instructions (see clause 12), and the parts list
(see clause 14).
13.3 Arrangement of information
Each schedule should list the tasks that are
performed after a specific interval, arranged
according to trade or type of skill. Schedules should
be set out in order of frequency of task, with those
containing the tasks to be performed most
frequently appearing first.
13.4 Tasks
Each task listed should be followed by a reference to
the maintenance instruction that gives methods,
procedures, skills, tools and materials. The work
content should not be described in the schedule, but
there should be an estimate of the staff-time,
resources and elapsed times required in each set of
maintenance instructions that make up a task.
If the maintenance instructions recommend
condition-based maintenance, periodic inspection or
periodic analysis of measurements, these should be
incorporated in the maintenance schedule. The
maintenance schedule should list the resources
needed for these tasks but need not include
resources for any consequent remedial tasks.
15
BS 4884-2:1993
13.5 Master schedules for complex products
For complex products, maintenance schedules
should be consolidated into a master schedule that
covers a complete maintenance cycle and gives a
summary of the staff-time, listed by skill and trade,
required throughout the cycle. Where appropriate,
tasks should be timed and planned for a specified
team.
The master schedule should provide an estimate of
the total staff-time required for predictable
maintenance. Tasks should be grouped to avoid
unnecessary downtime of the product or, if
necessary, be separated so that they are
accommodated within planned downtime, e.g.
during weekends and the annual shutdown.
If necessary, e.g. to take account of different
intensities of use of the product or the different
environments in which it is used, a series of master
schedules should be prepared, each containing a
statement of the key criterion on which it is based.
Master schedules should be arranged according to
frequency of task (see 13.3) and then further
subdivided according to skill and trade, physical
resources, implications for overall product function
and maintenance opportunity, which may be
restricted by safety considerations or the
environment.
NOTE If maintenance tasks are so complex as to become a
separate project, see BS 6046-1 for guidance in network
planning.
14 Category: parts lists
14.1 Purpose of category
The purpose of the category for the parts list is to
provide the user with a means of identifying any
part that may need to be referred to in the operation
or maintenance of the product.
The specification for the technical manual should
require the parts list to be provided as an integral
category of the manual, presented in the same style
as the other categories.
14.2 Content of category
The category for the parts list should contain the
information necessary to identify and locate all
parts, options and accessories, whether renewable
or not, with details of sources of and mode of supply.
14.3 Essential information
The following information should, if appropriate, be
provided for each part:
a) its name, in the form used throughout the
manual;
b) its British Standard number, rating or
dimension for commonplace parts such as pipe
fittings, seals and fasteners;
16
c) the maker’s or supplier’s name, if different
from a), reference and model number for branded
parts such as pumps or electrical components;
d) an illustration of the part and its position,
preferably in exploded view;
e) details of the material and minimum
procurable quantities for raw or bulked material;
f) its unit or measure of supply;
g) the source of supply.
14.4 Additional information
The following additional information should be
given where appropriate:
a) spares availability;
b) recommended spares holding;
c) level of maintenance for fitting the part;
d) alternative source of supply.
If it is impossible or undesirable to dismantle and
assemble any assembly or subassembly, that should
be stated and the constituent parts need not be
listed.
14.5 Kinds of list
14.5.1 General
If related parts are grouped together in a separate
list, details of each part should be given in the list,
even if they are repeated in other lists. The
principles of selection should be explained in the
heading or in a statement at the beginning of the
list, e.g. recommended spares holdings,
consumables.
14.5.2 Short lists
Details of parts may be abstracted into short lists of
related parts, such as the following:
a) consumable, disposable or short-life parts;
b) kits for options or maintenance operations;
c) components of assemblies or subassemblies;
d) parts that require the same special treatment,
e.g. a controlled environment, regular inspection;
e) for complex products, a list showing where
individual parts are used.
14.5.3 Recommended spares holdings
If the manufacturer or supplier issues lists of
recommended spares holdings, the reasons for
selecting the recommended levels should be
explained. The date of expiry of the guarantee of
availability of spare parts should be stated.
Information about the manufacturer as well as the
supplier should be given. Parts held in stock and
parts for which there is a refurbishing service
should be identified.
© BSI 12-1998

14.5.4 Illustrated parts list
The information given in an illustrated parts list for
a subassembly should include:
a) a master reference to a figure or illustration;
b) a line item number to identify the part in its
listing sequence;
c) the name used for the part throughout the
manual and in commercial transactions;
d) an identification number to locate the part on
the illustration;
e) a description of the part, including
specification, model and manufacturer’s drawing
number, adequate to identify the part in orders
and in sufficient detail to allow use of alternative
sources of supply;
f) the quantity required for the subassembly;
g) the unit or measure in which the part is
supplied.
14.6 Amendment and revision
If it is not practicable to inform the holders of parts
lists of modifications that occur during the life of the
list, a note should state where such details may be
obtained and when they are likely to be issued.
15 Category: modification instructions
15.1 Purpose of category
The purpose of the category for modification
instructions is to provide information that will
ensure that any modification to the product or the
manual is carried out correctly and that the
modified product operates safely and efficiently.
15.2 Content of category
The category for modification instructions should
explain how to modify the product and how to use
the modified product. Such instructions should
apply to all documentation associated with the
modification of a product after it has been accepted
for use. Modifications may be initiated by the
original manufacturer or supplier, or may be needed
to accommodate changes in the user’s requirements.
NOTE Information about changes made before acceptance
should be given in the final version of the manual; such changes
should not be presented as modifications.
Modification instructions also explain how changes
should be incorporated in the technical manual.
© BSI 12-1998
BS 4884-2:1993
15.3 Modification of product
The technical manual should list the information to
be issued to explain how the product should be
modified. This will include, where appropriate,
information about the following:
a) the mark, version or batch of the product, with
details of any test or other means of checking
which products, if any, need modification;
b) the purpose of the modification, the priority it
should be given and the need for any
retrospective action;
c) identification of the product or component to be
modified, e.g. commissioning, serial or
identification number or symbol;
d) a list of substitute and additional parts,
materials, tools and equipment needed for the
modification;
e) changes in spares provisioning and disposal
instructions for redundant components or
materials;
f) the method of modifying the product or
implementing a modification;
g) tests necessary to establish that the
modification has been incorporated;
h) details of the effect of the modification on the
reliability, operation or maintenance of the
product;
i) details of the effect of the modification on the
interchangeability of the product and its
components;
j) any hazards that may arise during modification
or result from it, with details of precautions.
15.4 Modification of manual
The technical manual should give instructions
about the treatment of any additions or
amendments to the manual. They should require
every amendment or addition to be given an
identification reference (see 15.6) and to be issued
in a form suitable for incorporation in the manual.
The manual should state that this applies to
modifications made by the user as well as to those
made by the manufacturer.
17
BS 4884-2:1993
The instructions should include provision for the
following:
a) corrections to the existing text;
b) amendments to procedures;
c) information about the methods of modifying
the product or implementing modifications,
possibly in the form of a summary of the
information listed in 15.3;
d) changes to be made to other categories,
e.g. operating information, maintenance
instructions, as a consequence of modification.
The modification instructions should include a
preprinted form for recording the incorporation of
any change to the manual, including corrections,
amendments and changes in procedures as well as
information about changes to the product.
15.5 Technical changes (bulletin)
Bulletins may be issued to users, directly or through
an agent, giving information about modifications,
including reasons for the change and other
information that would not normally appear in the
manual. Bulletins may serve as letters of
transmittal when issued with revisions.
15.6 Identification
Modification information, whether in the form of a
modification sheet or bulletin, should carry the
following:
a) the title and reference number of the manual;
b) the serial number of the amendment or
modification, to enable the user to check whether
all previous issues have been received;
c) the date of issue.
15.7 Reissue of manual
If feasible, the issue of a revised edition of the
manual is preferable to the incorporation of
extensive amendments (see BS 4884-3).
16 Category: disposal instructions
16.1 Purpose of category
The purpose of the category for disposal instructions
is to provide information that will enable the user to
dispose of a product or component without risk of
injury to people or damage to the environment.
18
16.2 Content of category
The category for disposal instructions should set out
action to be taken on completion of the useful life of
a product or component. It gives advice about such
matters as disposal and demolition, with warnings
of any hazards.
16.3 Hazards
16.3.1 Hazardous substances
Disposal instructions should include a
comprehensive list of hazards that could arise from
the disposal of a product or component, including
information about the following:
a) hazardous waste;
b) toxic substances, including those that may be
concealed in the sealed components of a product,
e.g. asbestos in buildings, chlorinated diphenyls
in electrical equipment;
c) contamination during use, e.g. machinery not
hazardous in itself but contaminated by the
hazardous substances it handled or produced.
The user should be informed of the presence of
hazardous substances, the risks they present and
any special precautions to be taken during their
disposal.
16.3.2 Demolition
If a product requires demolition, e.g. a chimney or
prestressed or post-stressed structure, information
about acceptable procedures should be provided.
16.3.3 Employment of specialist
If the hazards associated with any procedure
require specialist disposal or demolition, this should
be stated.
16.4 Health and safety
Attention should be drawn to substances and
procedures that can be injurious to health unless
adequate precautions are taken and to the need to
observe legal obligations relating to health and
safety at every stage.
© BSI 12-1998
 BS 4884-2:1993

List of references (see clause 2)

Normative references

BSI standards publications

BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION, London

BS 3811:1984, Glossary of maintenance management terms in terotechnology.

BS 4884, Technical manuals.
BS 4884-1:1992, Specification for presentation of essential information.
BS 4884-3:1993, Guide to presentation.
BS 5605:1990, Recommendations for citing and referencing published material.
BS 5760, Reliability of systems, equipment and components.
BS 5760-0:1986, Introductory guide to reliability.

Informative references

BSI standards publications

BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION, London

BS 6046, Use of network techniques in project management.

BS 6046-1:1984, Guide to the use of management, planning review and reporting procedures.
BS 7649:1993, Guide to the design and preparation of documentation for users of application software.

Other references
[1] GREAT BRITAIN. Consumer Protection Act 1987. London: HMSO.
[2] GREAT BRITAIN. Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. London: HMSO.
[3] DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY (DTI). Instructions for consumer products: guidelines for
better instructions and safety information for consumer products. London: HMSO, 1988.

© BSI 12-1998
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