Lean Concepts and Safety, Essay Example

Majority of companies that are aspiring for competitive advantage in the market place have embraced lean concepts in their decision making processes. The demand for resources and personnel available to companies are changing tremendously thus necessitating the need to “do more using less” and increase value and productivity in the organization. Lean concept is best applicable in manufacturing and therefore managers and supervisors need to integrate the concept which subsequently makes their daily operations to be less complicated and become more successful (Babe, 2011).

Manufacturing industries are exposed to risks of injuries among employees and thus there is need for integration of safety in lean production which in most industries has been implemented separately for a long time. Safety manager must be a part of the process of introducing lean concepts into its operations so that the issues of safety can be integrated in the process. Workers must be kept safe while performing their duties. This objective can be achieved through integration of Safety Integrated Process Improvement, SI-PI in the processes of the firm (Babe, 2011). Companies must appreciate the importance of collaboration between the process of production and the safety of workers if they are to be more competitive with foreign manufacturers. The safety manager must therefore take an active role in policy formulation to introduce lean concepts into the operations of the company for better representation of workers in his/her department (Brewer & Kennedy, 2008).

Process design in any organization should therefore give priority to good practices and procedures of safety. The lean project manager therefore must understand the contribution of the safety manager as an important part of the process introduce lean concepts into its operations in order to be more competitive with foreign manufacturers (Brewer & Kennedy, 2008). A safe working environment is an important success factor in the organization.

References

Babe, G. S. (2011). The CEO of Bayer Corp. on creating a lean growth machine. Harvard Business Review (July/August): 41-45.

Brewer, P. & Kennedy. F. (2008). Creating a lean enterprise: The case of the Lebanon Gasket Company. IMA Educational Case Journal 1(4): 1-8.