This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
Supply House Times logo Supply House Times
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Supply House Times logo Supply House Times
  • Home
  • Magazine
    • Issues
    • Digital Editions
    • Archives
    • Ad Index
    • B.I.G Book
    • Rep Locator
  • Market Sectors
    • Plumbing
    • Bath & Kitchen
    • Industrial PVF
    • Radiant/Hydronics
    • HVAC
    • Fire Protection
    • Solar Thermal/Geothermal
    • Technology
    • Codes
    • Company News
    • ASA News
    • Women in Industry
  • Columnists
    • Mike Miazga: From the Editor
    • Dan Holohan: Heating Help
    • Hank Darlington: Showrooms
    • Jim Wheeler: HVAC
    • Bruce Merrifield: Distribution
    • Dirk Beveridge: Innovation Strategies
    • Michael Mercer: The Dr.’s Office
    • Letter from ASA President
    • Safety Columnists
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Gallery
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • Podcasts
    • YouTube Channel
    • eBook
  • Special Editions
    • Premier 150
    • PVF Outlook
    • PB Outlook
    • Radiant Comfort Guide
    • Radiant & Hydronics Report
    • Green Plumbing & Heating
  • Products
  • More
    • Industry Calendar
    • Classified Ads
    • Industry Links
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • eNewsletters
    • Showrooms
    • Supply House Times Store
  • Bath & Kitchen Pro
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Home » Safety standardization
PlumbingMarket SectorsIndustrial PVFColumnistsHVACSafety Columnists

Safety standardization

Safety
August 12, 2015
Bill D'Amico
KEYWORDS PHCP Distributors / safety / warehouse
Reprints
No Comments

By definition, standardization is the process of developing and implementing standards to help optimize process repeatability, quality and most importantly safety. It’s an easy concept to understand but difficult to achieve. Many factors contribute to making standardization a challenge.

  • Clinging to long-standing cultures that hinder adoption to corporate philosophy.
  • Acquisitions that bring different approaches inconsistent with corporate policy.
  • Following an acquisition, line managers having grown accustomed to doing things their way usually experience difficulty adapting to a uniform set of practices unlike their own.
  • Higher priority standardization issues that directly impact production, profits and operations. Admittedly, safety is normally not a critical driver in the standardization process for most organizations. 
  • Strong leadership, although critical in driving standardization, cannot guarantee success. A systematic and planned approach is required. Three vehicles crucial to driving an effective standardization implementation include:
  • An internal auditing program;
  • A lean program; and
  • Effective communication.

 

Internal auditing program

This is the most effective tool in the arsenal for standardizing across multiple facilities. The most successful auditing programs address OSHA regulatory and compliance requirements as well as corporate’s safety plans, policies and programs. A comprehensive internal audit checklist allows a company to audit each facility to the same standards. Most audits incorporate, as a minimum, the following safety elements:

  • Training and training comprehension;
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE);
  • Maintenance (hoists and lifts);         
  • Machine/tool guarding;            
  • Hazard identification and elimination;             
  • Employee rights and responsibilities;
  • Gas cylinder storage and handling;
  • Forklift operations;
  • New hire orientation; 
  • JSA and LOTO development;
  • Incident investigation;           
  • Housekeeping/5S;
  • Contractor management;
  • Visitor guidelines and emergency preparedness; and
  • Hazard awareness and hazard communications.

When overseas, exceptions may be required if conflict exists between OSHA and in-country regulatory and compliance requirements. These audits should be performed by the same person(s) in order to minimize auditor inconsistencies. An added benefit to internal auditing — you get what you inspect not what you expect. Any organization attempting to achieve OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program certification would also benefit from having an internal audit program.

 

A lean program

Regardless of the moniker, a lean program is an underutilized tool for standardization. Historically used to eliminate waste, drive process improvement and enhance customer satisfaction, successful companies implement safety as part of their formal lean program. Typical functional areas incorporated in a lean program include:

  • Standard work flow;
  • Quality;
  • Kanban;
  • Equipment;
  • Supply chain;
  • Teamwork (safety); and
  • 5S (housekeeping).

 

Under each of these functional areas and similar to the internal audit program, a checklist of requirements must be effectively
demonstrated by each activity. The most effective lean programs create three or more increasing levels (bronze, silver, gold, platinum) of difficulty in each functional area to help drive continuous improvement. 

Incorporating teamwork and 5S allows an organization to formalize safety training, housekeeping, incident investigation, contract management, etc., as mandatory criteria. Incorporating safety into the lean program elevates safety management into the hands of plant leadership and not solely on the shoulders of the plant safety specialist.

 

Effective communication

There is no standardization tool more valuable than effective communication. A communication plan articulates expectations, reinforces policy and provides a vehicle to ensure expectations are met. It also sends a consistent and frequent message that is never misunderstood.  Suggested communication methods include:

  • Monthly conference calls with all facility safety leaders; using a reporting template provides consistency, allows reporting of critical metrics, acts as a vehicle to address safety issues of note and keeps the attendees focused on the pertinent information.
  • Weekly electronic communications serve the purpose of emphasizing policy changes, reinforcing initiative and articulating priority tasking of the group leader. Weekly communications also provide sufficient frequency to drive the standardization issues.
  • Individual site visits, independent of the annual audit.
  • An annual summit meeting provides a forum for the group leader to introduce new strategy and recognize top performers and for the team to collectively exchange information on best practices. Teamwork, synergy and camaraderie are invaluable to developing a strong organization.

 

Combined with a healthy dose of effective leadership, these three drivers — an internal auditing program, a lean program and effective communication — will propel any multisite organization to achieve its safety standardization goals.

sht-subscribe

Recent Articles by Bill D'Amico

D'Amico: What world-class safety looks like

Behavior-based safety program

No substitute for leadership

OSHA program helps companies reach greater safety heights

Related Articles

Eye on safety: Safety and pizza

Eye on safety: Holistic safety

Eye on Safety: Recognize safety at your company

Eye on Safety: Fire safety best practices

Related Products

Supply House Time Manufacturers Reps Directory

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • Print & Digital Edition Subscriptions
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

First Supply acquires lighting store

Ferguson Ventures invests in Whisker Labs and Ting technology

dodge outlook 2020 report

Construction starts to slip back in 2020

First Supply acquires lighting store

NIBCO completes acquisition of Milwaukee Valve

Wilo acquires US pump manufacturer American-Marsh Pumps photo 1

Wilo acquires US pump manufacturer American-Marsh Pumps

First Supply acquires lighting store

ASA member sales up 6.4% from last year

SHTPremier150-360


sht-young-execs-360

Events

June 5, 2019

Do You Know Everything You Need to Know About North American Drinking Water Laws?

On Demand Protecting drinking water is of paramount importance.  The last decade has seen the enactment of safe drinking water laws that safeguard our water for consumption.  These laws can lead to confusion in determining which applications are regulated and which materials are safe to be installed in these applications. 

January 22, 2020

Reduce System Downtime with Differential Pressure Measurement

Pressure gauges reduce operator headaches by providing information necessary to keep a process operational.  Installing gauges on either side of an orifice allows operators to identify unexpected increases or decreases in pressure and schedule maintenance with minimal system disruption.  Now, one differential gauge can replace the need to install pressure gauges on either side of an orifice, simplifying pressure measurement.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Valve Handbook, 3rd Edition

Valve Handbook, 3rd Edition

Revised to include details on the latest technologies, Valve Handbook, Third Edition, discusses design, performance, selection, operation, and application. This updated resource features a new chapter on the green technology currently employed by the valve industry, as well as an overview of the major environmental global standards that process plants are expected to meet.

See More Products

SHT-Meet20Women-360

Supply House Times

Supply House Times December 2019 Cover

2019 December

Check out the December issue of Supply House Times featuring our 2019 PVF Ring of Honor Inductee, Midland Industries. Other features include the 2020 B.I.G. Book, the newest PHCP-PVF products, and much more.

View More Create Account
  • Additional Links
    • Ad Index
    • List Rental
    • Order Reprints
    • Web Exclusives
    • Supply House Times Store
    • Bath & Kitchen Pro
    • Contact Us
    • eNewsletters
    • Privacy Policy
  • Want More?
    • Connect
    • Industry Links
    • Survey And Sample
  • Plumbing Group
    • Plumbing & Mechanical
    • PM Engineer

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing