Keeping it clean and lean

Fit-for-purpose products, including wipers and cloths, boost efficiency, and savings can be made through point-of-use dispensing, inventory and disposal. Furthermore, the right Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and task-specific solutions can cut costs while reinforcing health and safety.

 

Lean management can be most effective when applied to large surfaces for example in automotive, aerospace and food processing industries. Preparation and cleaning of large surfaces requires all kinds of resources and supplies and so by re-evaluating your chemical/solvent application process, even the smallest incremental saving can grow to a significant amount over time. Fit-for-purpose wipers and cloths for example, deliver enhanced efficiency through better chemical application, dispensing, disposal and storage.

Hours spent in non value-added tasks can potentially increase in proportion and affect production schedules. For example, at an aircraft maintenance facility in Dubai, a Boeing 777 requires a team of 26 to 30 people for a full strip-and-repaint project. This is turned around in 12 to 13 days in a hangar that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and if 10% of a worker’s time is spent in retrieving tools and other industrial supplies during this process, that is approximately 250 hours of non value-added time wasted over the entire 12-13 day time period.

 

Larger surfaces can bring a higher probability of defects. And with a large number of workers involved in the processes, the probability of human error also increases. 

Most of the time, more solvent than required will be applied. However, if too little solvent is used then the surface may not be sufficiently cleaned of contaminants and may create increased potential for defects. 

 

Spray bottles and buckets make it hard to establish a standard. This can lead to over-processing (motion waste) and solvent waste, which can then be exaggerated when working on a large surface. Any activity involving sanding, chemical application for anti- corrosion, surface preparation and priming/painting highlights potential waste and risk. 

 

While there may be few alternatives  to solvents and chemicals, even a small reduction in their use over can soon add up to  a considerable saving and reduce potential occupational exposure to such hazardous materials. 

 

Some Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are potentially hazardous. Direct skin contact with solvents may result in skin damage, which can mean workers being removed from the task. Reducing occupational exposure by reducing the amount of solvents used will support improved working conditions and worker safety.

French research shows that 46% of industrial workers are exposed to at least one chemical in their daily work and 21.6% are exposed to at least three, protection is critical.

 

Developing worker capability and delivering proper training is essential to the efficient and safe use of chemicals. The wrong kind of application tools and methods can lead to increased waste. Using open buckets to dispense solvent can lead to increased solvent waste (evaporation) and motion waste, and a potential increase in hazards (spills, splash, VOCs). Dipping a cloth, rag or paper-based wiper into a container leads to excessive absorption. 

Chemicals are applied at almost every stage, and analysing both how the work is done and the industrial supplies used to help with the work can uncover hidden opportunities for efficiency and safety improvements.

 

Lean management of little things such as industrial supplies and chemical application can significantly affect wastes, worker safety and profitability.

Worker safety in regard to chemical exposure, ergonomics, cuts/abrasion and trips and falls can considerably impact your production goal. Wastes in motion, correction, inventory, ‘rubbish’, and over- processing can also affect KPIs in on-time delivery, by increasing production time and reducing capacity. This affects profitability and worker safety, which ultimately can lead to lost business, lost revenue and lost customers. 

 

As the size of the surface increases, so does the size of the impact. Workers dealing with large surface tasks will be exposed to potential hazards for longer periods of time. Dispensing chemicals from local sources and using closed containers, matched with application-specific PPE, can reduce motion waste and exposure to hazards both chemical and physical. 

 

The challenges already outlined are often accepted as ‘part of the job’.  However it’s beneficial to take a closer look at these specific areas and challenges, and engage with suppliers to find better processes and solutions.

 

There is a great opportunity to improve the productivity, profitability and safety record on your site, and to achieve improvement goals and targets for these KPIs. Your colleagues in Purchasing and Production are key stakeholders who can support and implement change with you.

 

• Find solutions that have minimal impact on current habits/practices/processes
• Try not to change a worker’s routine without clearly explaining your reasons
• Look at change from the workers’ viewpoint  
• Make the job easier, so workers can go home without feeling unduly stressed 
• Appeal to their pride  – most people want to  do a better job
• Make sure workers embrace change – underscore their value to the company and help them feel more engaged
• Bring in suppliers that understand your processes and pain points, and can provide fresh eyes  to identify new  processes/products
• Ensure involvement by employees in problem- solving with suppliers

 

If you’re trying to increase worker health, safety and productivity you’ll always be on the lookout for new opportunities. As part of its Efficient Workplace Programme, Kimberly-Clark Professional offers a Waste & Hazard Walk. View a virtual waste and hazard walk at: www.kcprofessional.co.uk/solutions/leanwastewalk.