Joint Visit Checklist
Download your joint visit checklist
Please fill out the form below to access your free joint visit checklist download.
About this joint visit checklist
A joint visit checklist keeps site visits consistent when two people (or teams) are visiting together — for example an area manager and an operations partner, or operations and safety. It replaces “we covered most of it” with clear preparation, in-the-moment checks, escalation criteria, and a clean close-out.
Use it to align on purpose, verify standards on the floor, and leave the site with actions that have owners and due dates. Stop guessing. Start knowing.
What this joint visit checklist covers
- Preparation checks (agenda, evidence, previous actions, risks)
- Arrival and opening conversation (safety brief, scope, timings)
- In-process checks on the floor (critical standards, evidence, risks)
- Action setting during the visit (owners, due dates, support needed)
- Escalation criteria (when to stop, escalate, and record decisions)
- Close-out actions (summary, follow-up plan, sign-off)
Who it’s for
This checklist is for operations teams running joint visits across multiple sites — especially where consistency matters and local variation creeps in. It works well for retail, hospitality, and transport and logistics, but the structure applies to any frontline environment.
How to use it on the day
- Before you arrive: align on the objectives, review past actions, and agree what evidence you need to see.
- On site: start with a safety brief and confirm timings so the right people are present at the right moments.
- On the floor: record what you observe and what the evidence shows. If it isn’t visible, it isn’t verified.
- During the visit: agree actions immediately, assign named owners, and set due dates while you’re together.
- Close-out: summarise findings, confirm next steps, and capture sign-off to remove ambiguity.
Escalation criteria to avoid surprises
Joint visits often fail when escalation is unclear. This checklist includes simple triggers for escalation — immediate safety or compliance risks, critical control failures, repeat issues, and severe customer impact — so decisions are made early and recorded properly.
Make joint visits measurable in Ocasta
Run the joint visit checklist in Ocasta to standardise what gets checked, capture evidence and actions in one place, and spot patterns across sites without chasing updates. You get a clearer view of risk and performance, and sites get fewer mixed messages.
Disclaimer: This checklist is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal, regulatory, health and safety, or professional advice. You are responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable laws, standards, and internal policies.
Included questions
Here's what's included in this joint visit checklist:
Visit details and purpose (5)
Capture the basics so everyone knows why you’re visiting, what good looks like, and what must be covered.
-
Text
What is the visit date?
Use local date format (DD/MM/YYYY).
-
Text
Which site are you visiting?
Store, branch, depot, or location name.
-
Dropdown
What type of joint visit is this?
Choose the closest match so reporting stays consistent.
-
Text
What are the visit objectives?
List the 1–3 outcomes you want by the end of the visit.
-
Text
What does ‘good’ look like today?
Define the standards or behaviours you expect to see (keep it specific).
Preparation checks (7)
Get aligned before you arrive — avoid turning the visit into guesswork.
-
Yes/No
Are all attendees confirmed and briefed?
Include the site manager and any specialist joining the visit (e.g. HR, L&D, loss prevention).
-
Yes/No
Is the agenda shared with timings and focus areas?
Share before the visit so the site can prepare evidence and the right people.
-
Yes/No
Have you reviewed previous visit actions and closure status?
Bring forward any overdue actions to verify on-site.
-
Yes/No
Have you reviewed the latest operational metrics for this site?
Focus on the few measures that indicate risk or performance drift.
-
Yes/No
Have you noted any known risks, incidents, or exceptions since the last visit?
Include complaints, safety events, system outages, or staffing gaps.
-
Yes/No
Is the required evidence list prepared?
Examples: logs, training records, temperature sheets, maintenance records, cash controls, cleaning schedules.
-
Yes/No
Are your tools ready (access, PPE, device, connectivity)?
Arrive able to record evidence and actions without delays.
Arrival and opening conversation (5)
Start the visit consistently, set expectations, and remove surprises.
-
Text
What time did you arrive on site?
Record actual arrival time for traceability.
-
Yes/No
Did you meet the site lead and confirm who is responsible during the visit?
Confirm decision-maker availability for escalations and sign-off.
-
Yes/No
Was a site safety brief completed before starting?
Include local hazards, restricted areas, and emergency procedures.
-
Yes/No
Did you reconfirm the agenda, scope, and timings with the site team?
Agree what will be checked, who will join, and when the close-out will happen.
-
Text
What is the site context today?
Note staffing, peak periods, known issues, and anything that may affect performance.
In-process checks on the floor (7)
Verify standards in real conditions. Capture what you see, not what you hope is happening.
-
Yes/No
Are critical standards being met right now?
Focus on safety, compliance, and customer-impacting basics first.
-
Vibe
How consistent is process execution across the team?
Use your judgement based on observed work, not reports.
-
Yes/No
Have you spotted any risks that could impact customers today?
Examples: availability gaps, poor handover, long waits, unclear signage, failures in service basics.
-
Yes/No
Have you spotted any safety or compliance risks?
Examples: blocked exits, unsafe storage, missing checks, incomplete logs, unsafe behaviours.
-
Yes/No
Have you checked the evidence for the key controls you reviewed?
Confirm records exist, are complete, and match what you see on the floor.
-
Text
What good practice did you see that should be shared?
Capture specifics so others can copy it.
-
Text
What issues did you find (facts only)?
List issues clearly. Avoid assumptions — focus on observable gaps and evidence.
Alignment and actions during the visit (5)
Turn findings into clear actions while you’re still together.
-
Yes/No
Were actions agreed on-site (not left for later)?
Agree actions while the context is fresh and the right people are present.
-
Yes/No
Does every action have a named owner?
Avoid ‘the team’ as an owner — make responsibility explicit.
-
Yes/No
Does every action have a due date?
If it matters, it needs a deadline.
-
Text
What support does the site need to complete actions?
Examples: parts, training, approvals, extra labour, system access, supplier support.
-
Text
What is getting in the way of consistent execution?
Look for root causes: unclear comms, missing knowledge, time pressure, broken tools, conflicting priorities.
Escalation criteria (6)
Know when to escalate. This keeps risk visible and avoids ‘we’ll sort it later’.
-
Yes/No
Is there an immediate safety, legal, or compliance risk?
If yes: stop the activity if needed and escalate immediately via the agreed route.
-
Yes/No
Has a critical control failed or been missed?
Examples: mandatory checks not completed, secure processes bypassed, key logs missing or falsified.
-
Yes/No
Is this a repeat issue from previous visits or actions?
Repeated non-conformance needs a different response — escalate for additional support or accountability.
-
Yes/No
Is the customer impact severe or likely within 24 hours?
Examples: inability to trade, major service failure, reputational risk, product availability breakdown.
-
Dropdown
Which escalation route did you use (if any)?
Select the route that matches your operating model.
-
Text
Escalation notes
What was escalated, to whom, when, and what response was agreed?
Close-out and sign-off (6)
End the visit with clarity: what you found, what happens next, and who owns it.
-
Yes/No
Was a close-out conversation completed with the site lead?
No close-out means people fill the gaps with assumptions.
-
Text
What are the top findings (good and not good)?
Keep it short and specific so it can be shared.
-
Yes/No
Were actions, owners, and due dates reconfirmed at close-out?
Make sure there’s no confusion about who is doing what next.
-
Text
What is the follow-up plan and date?
Examples: remote check-in, next visit, evidence submission date.
-
Signature
Site lead sign-off
Confirms the visit summary and actions were reviewed together.
-
Signature
Visitor sign-off
Confirms the visit record is complete and accurate.