Executing a 5S Launch

If you’re considering implementing a 5S system in a facility, it is essential to take the time to do it right. When done properly, the 5S system can be an effective way to clean and organize a workplace, allowing it to run more efficiently. If the 5S launch isn’t well thought out,  it can lead to disaster.…

Tony Ferraro | September 4, 2013 | 5S, Lean, Lean Manufacturing | 5S, Facility Efficiency, Lean, Lean Manufacturing | 3 min read

The Benefits of Equipment Inspections

Individuals or departments which are responsible for the overall maintenance of a facility are often stuck in an undesirable position. They are typically extremely busy responding to requests from other departments to fix machines or perform other tasks. In addition, they are often constrained by budgets which don’t have too much wiggle room. What this…

Tony Ferraro | September 1, 2013 | Safety | 3 min read

Learn from Six Sigma

Six Sigma has been used by countless organizations to improve the way they are doing business on a daily basis. The methodology can be applied to organizations of all types and sizes, ranging from the largest multi-national corporations to manufacturing facilities and even an individual family. Organizations have used Six Sigma as a reliable part…

Tony Ferraro | August 26, 2013 | Six Sigma | Continuous Improvement, Facility Efficiency, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma | 2 min read

Let’s Discuss (VOC) Voice of Customer

Most companies have some sort of VOC program in place, though how effective it is will vary greatly from company to company. The VOC, or voice of customers, is an essential tool companies can use to determine whether their customers are satisfied with the products or services they are delivering. There are a variety of…

Tony Ferraro | August 25, 2013 | Continuous Improvement | 2 min read

Six Sigma Belts and Their Meaning

Six Sigma is a process which is used by many companies throughout almost every industry. The goal of the Six Sigma process is to improve the way things are done, and to allow the same processes to be completed using fewer resources such as time, space and money. There are four different levels of Six Sigma training,…

Tony Ferraro | August 22, 2013 | Six Sigma | Continuous Improvement, Facility Efficiency, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma | 2 min read

Connection Between 5S and Lean

In order to have a good understanding how 5S and lean concepts are connected, is important to first take a look at them separately. 5S is a way of measuring the implementation of lean manufacturing techniques. It is the foundation which is used to support lean manufacturing strategies from the beginning until full implementation. Lean manufacturing,…

Tony Ferraro | August 21, 2013 | 5S, Lean, Lean Manufacturing | 2 min read

What is Kanban?

Kanban is a process management technique which can be used for a wide range of different things. It was developed using the Toyota “just-in-time” system, but it isn’t restricted to just manufacturing scenarios. In its simplest form, Kanban can be seen as a production system where new requests come in at one end and completed products come out…

Tony Ferraro | August 19, 2013 | Kanban, Lean Manufacturing | Barcoding, Facility Efficiency, Kanban, Lean, Lean Manufacturing | 2 min read

Symptoms of Bad Management

When people think of bad managers they often first think about employees complaining about their boss. Of course, bad managers will often have problems with the people who report to them, but that is not the only way to identify problems with a manager’s way of getting things done. In fact, it is not even…

Tony Ferraro | August 16, 2013 | Continuous Improvement | 3 min read

Using Accountability to Drive Safety

When individuals are injured, or accidents occur in a facility, there is almost always a lot of blame going around. If asked, the individual involved with the accident will typically blame the company for not keeping the facility safe enough. If the safety manager of the facility is asked, they may comment on what the…

Tony Ferraro | August 10, 2013 | Safety | 3 min read

Healthcare and Workplace Injuries

When most people think of hospitals and doctors’ offices, they think of a place to go to get better from an illness or injury. When employees go there, however, they might think of it as a dangerous place where they might actually sustain a serious injury. A recent study found that healthcare workers are more…

Tony Ferraro | August 6, 2013 | Kaizen, Safety | 2 min read

Are We the Biggest Threat to Workplace Safety?

Workplace safety has never gotten more attention, or resources, than it does today, but in many industries there are still a high number of injuries and even fatalities each year. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that workplaces are changing quite quickly, which opens up the risk of new types of hazards…

Tony Ferraro | August 6, 2013 | Safety | 3 min read

The Effects of Workplace Engagement

According to surveys performed by Gallup, only about 13% of all employees in the world are engaged in their jobs. This is a shockingly low number, considering how much effort many employers put into increasing their employee engagement levels. Most employers know that having actively engaged employees will help them with their bottom line, but…

Tony Ferraro | August 1, 2013 | Continuous Improvement | 3 min read

4 Tips to Improve Workforce Efficiency within Your Warehouse

Improving workforce efficiency is an important task of any warehouse manager. According to a recent survey most managers recognize the fact that their facility is not running at optimal efficiency, but they feel there is little they can do about it. While most warehouse managers may know that their facility is not running as it…

Tony Ferraro | July 26, 2013 | 5S, Continuous Improvement, Kaizen, Safety | 2 min read

Human Errors Cause Equipment Failures

No matter what industry one is working in, all facilities are run by a combination of people and machines. While this is the only way to get work done, it is also the source of endless problems. One of the biggest problems, and the most expensive, in a facility is when there are equipment failures…

Tony Ferraro | July 25, 2013 | Safety | 2 min read

Noise in the Workplace

When working in a facility with many people and machines it is almost impossible to keep it even reasonably quiet. In many facilities the noise levels are so high that it can cause hearing problems to those who are exposed to it on a regular basis. What makes nose so dangerous is the fact that…

Tony Ferraro | July 24, 2013 | Safety | 2 min read