Magazine Article Reprints

Useful articles from industry publications on topics such as safety, productivity, eliminating waste and improving profits.

LABELING

Selecting The Proper Labeling Material

Using the right label material for the application is important. When people wonder why their labels aren't staying stuck, it is usually because they did not use the right tool for the job—they used the wrong labeling material.
By Steve Hudgik

The Visually Instructive Plant

Signs and Labels for a Safe Workplace. We all know how important a safe and productive workplace environment is. But did you know you can increase productivity, streamline processes and improve safety compliance through proper facility identification?
Reprinted with permission from Facility Safety Management

Cable Labeling: A Simple but Essential Task

Labeling the network cabling is just common sense. Regardless of the size of the installation, all Category 5 cables have to be labeled within 16 inches of the end.
By Catherine Varmazis
Reprinted with permission from Cabling Installation & Maintenance

Lost in the Translation

Not being able to read a warning sign at a construction site or telltale on a piece of machinery can have deadly consequences.
By Roger Brooks, Jr.
Reprinted with permission from Occupational, Health & Safety Magazine

Drug Tracking With Bar Code Labels

Studies of VA hospitals found more than a 75% improvement in errors related to wrong medication, patient, or timing. Bar-code systems will be vital in protecting patients from mistakes, since about half of adverse reactions happen because someone is given the wrong drug.
Reprinted with permission from Information Week

SIGNS

Investing In An Updated Hospital Signage Program

When it comes to signage, those constructing or renovating a healthcare facility must balance the need for a sense of calm with the need for a clear understanding of how to navigate as efficiently as possible through the facility.
Reprinted with permission from Facility Care Magazine

Developing Effective Warnings for the Workplace

One of the most difficult tasks facing employers is to identify the hazards associated with the products and equipment used by their employees. Such careful considerations will not only provide a safe work environment for the employee, but protect the employer as well, in that costs associated with workplace injuries (loss of productivity, worker's compensation) and litigation will be minimized.
By Deane Cheatham, Eric Shaver, and Michael Wogalter.
Reprinted with permission from Occupational, Health & Safety Magazine.

GENERAL

Code Compliant

(pdf file that requires Adobe Acrobat) The 1999 National Electric Code and what it means to you.
By George Doll.
Reprinted with permission from Sign Business Magazine.

LEAN MANUFACTURING CASE STUDIES

Kato Engineering - Lean Office

Kato determined that it was time to apply lean office transformation to enhance the company's lean factory initiative and pave the way for a successful enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation.
By Neal C. Benson & Timothy J. Hutzel
Reprinted with permission from: the Society of Manufacturing Engineers

Lean Manufacturing at Mathers Controls

Mathers Controls introduces a new product, and uses lean manufacturing to increase capacity and reduce capital costs by 78%.
Reprinted with permission from: National Institute for Standards and Testing - Manufacturing Extension Partnership

CGL Manufacturing - On The Right Track

Faced with the unwelcome prospect of losing business, CGL Manufacturing set out to learn about going lean with an eye to driving out waste and reducing costs.
by Duff McCutcheon
Reprinted with permission from Advanced Manufacturing

LEAN MANUFACTURING LABELING

"Lean" On Your Maintenance Materials

How a maintenance department can benefit from implementing lean manufacturing techniquies. Publisdhed in Plant Services Magazine.
By Steve Stephenson, Managing Partner at Graphic Products, Inc.

KAIZEN

Kaizen at Fleetwood

Fleetwood's Plant 77 found a way to re-energize production when Operations Director Steve Hulft discovered Kaizen—the Japanese methodology for promoting continuous improvement by reducing waste.
By Vanessa R. Franco with Robert Green
Reprinted with permission from: Quality Digest

Kaizen at Sony in Terre Haute, Indiana

An operation at a plant in Terre Haute, Indiana, that required 13 operators to produce 369 products per man-hour, cut labor needs to three operators while boosting throughput to 2,715 products per man-hour in just over one year.
By Michael Mitchell and Scott Fairbanks
Reprinted with permission from: Manufacturing & Technology News

Getting Back to Basics

What is Kaizen and continuous improvement and why is it important? The answers are found in the following simple example.
By Tom Dossenbach
Reprinted with permission from Wood & Wood Products

SAFETY

Safety Alerts for Supervisors

Short articles reprinted from Safety Alerts for Supervisors Newsletter describing safety mistakes.
Reprinted with permission from Safety Alert for Supervisors various issues.

Continuous Communications Preventing Accidents in Confined Spaces

Given today’s economy, any safety product that proves it can be purchased for dollars saved from increased productivity, while providing a safer work environment, must be taken seriously. Electronic voice communication in confined space is a win, win situation.
Reprinted with permission from Facility Safety Management.

ASSE: Modify Workplace Safety for Older Labor Force

As the 'baby boomer' generation ages, the workforce is also shrinking, the American Society of Safety Engineers is urging business to modify their workplace safety efforts to accompany a changing workforce.

Protective Apparel and Safety Accessories for NFPA 70E

If providing protective equipment and safety accessories that satisfy NFPA 70E sounds a bit complicated, imagine the complexity facing Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) professionals as they analyze all available personal protective equipment (PPE) options for their companies’ workers.
Reprinted with permission from Facility Safety Management.

Lock Out/Tag Out - Safety Measures That Require Constant Vigilance, Prevent Injury

At first glance it might appear that Lock Out/Tag Out is a relatively easy safety measure to enforce. Lock Out refers to locking access to a hazardous machine and/or space. Tag Out is a lesser measure that implies a sign, which provides a specific directive that a certain area or machine is dangerous and should be avoided without authorization.
By Thomas G. Dolar.
Reprinted with permission from Facility Safety Management Magazine

The Seven Potentially Deadly Sins of Safety

Though the list is 17 centuries old, experience indicates we in safety have a long way to go to solve the seven potentially deadly sins of safety.
By Gary W. Helmer.
Reprinted with permission from Occupational, Health & Safety Magazine

Building a Facility Maintenance Crew Safety Culture

If the current business climate pushes companies to focus primary energies on costs and benefits, statistical trends, efficiency, productivity and quality, then shelving or decreasing emphasis on safety and health issues may occur. However, this is not an option. More than ever, protecting the well being of each individual must remain the primary concern.
Reprinted with permission from Facility Safety Management Magazine

Manufacturing Automation Safety

In the manufacturing world, although safety is always stressed as the most important part of the manufacturing process, situations arise whether due to downtime, production stress, poor maintenance procedures or poor engineering design that tend to raise the safety issue.
Reprinted with permission from Facility Safety Management Magazine