Improving Productivity, Quality & Safety

Installing Granite Tile - Improving Productivity At Home

2009-01-24T09:06:00.001-08:00

It used to be that do-it-yourself granite tile installation was impossible, or difficult at best. The problem is that tile does not come with finished edges. Because each installation is a custom installation, granite tile (or marble, stone or other natural material) can not be pre-finished. That means for the do-it-yourselfer the tile had to be hand finished, and the quality of the result was a problem. That took A LONG TIME. And why install luxurious granite counters and not have high quality, finished edges?

A new company, Easy Granite Tile, has solved both the productivity and quality problems. They provide custom granite tile that can be easily ordered on the internet. They have developed a unique tile online calculator that will determine the amount of tile needed, the amount of edging required, and the total cost. It is fast and easy.

Once you've seen what is needed you can place your order online. Easy Granite Tile will express ship a sample of the tile you've selected so you can be sure the color and quality are what you want.

The they'll make the tile for your kitchen. But even in this process there is a difference. When you hire a professional to install your tile, the edges will still be finished by hand. Quality can vary. Easy Granite Tile has developed an automated system of tile edging that creates perfect tile edges every time. You'll get superior quality, and you can install it yourself.

Visit their web site today and learn how you can enhance the value of your home, and do-it-yourself!

Workplace Safety Blog

2009-01-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

There is a safety blog that looks at safety news from a slightly different perspective. I'm not sure how to describe it. It often features tools for improving safety training, most of which are free. It sometimes has political news related to safety. But in general it seems to provide news that is related to breaking trends in workplace safety.

This blog is a part of the Safe Workplace web site. Use this link to go to the Safe Workplace Blog.

Five Steps To A Visual Workplace

2008-02-08T10:34:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to the Five Steps To A Visual Workplace.

On this one page you see what it takes to create a visual workplace such that even new employees know where they are, what is around them, and what they need to do. A visual workplace provides the information people need, right at the point of need.

Preparing For A VPP Audit

2008-02-01T05:14:00.000-08:00

OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) recognizes workplaces that have outstanding safety practices and records. However, even for workplaces with top notch safety records, becoming a member of VPP requires years of effort, including documentation of training and work practices.

One of the major steps in attaining VPP status is the VPP audit. One of the key things a VPP audit will look for is the comprehensive and consistent use of labels and signs--what is called visual communication. Not only the labels and signs required by code, but having a complete visual communication system in place such that everyone can immediately know where they are, what is around them (including hazards), and if action is required, what they need to do.

Most of us are familiar with the need to label pipes and valves such that wherever you are standing, if a pipe is visible you can see a label that identifies the contents, direction of flow and hazard level. However, a visual communication system takes this a step further. For example, the information on each valve would also describe when the valve should be opened or closed.

Be prepared for your VPP audit by setting up a VPP Labeling Cart that has all the supplies needed to make the labels and signs your facility needs. A VPP cart should include a label printer, such as the DuraLabel PRO, a PC to keep track of the labels and signs in your visual communication systems, all of the needed labeling supplies, including sign blanks and valve tags, and any other materials or supplies that might be needed such as plastic ties, scissors, a knife, tape and other tools.

What Is A Visual Workplace?

2008-01-31T11:02:00.000-08:00

A new set of web sites (the owner's call them a web site suite) aimed at lean manufacturing topics has just come online. They are based on the concept of the visual workplace.

What is a visual workplace?

A visual workplace has to do with having everything in the workplace marked and labeled such that a new employee can find something as easily as an experienced employee. This does not mean that there is a label on EVERYTHING. What it does mean is that needed information is provided right at the point of need, usually by using a label or sign.

Visit the www.LabelPrinter.com web site to learn more about a visual workplace.

Three subdomains are a part of the www.LabelPrinter.com "web site suite". They each focus on a specific lean manufacturing method: kaizen, 5S and kanban. Coverage of additional lean methods is promised for the future.

Man Injured By Falling Beer Can

2007-11-30T06:57:00.000-08:00

There is an interesting post on the Safe Workplace blog about a man who went to a grocery store to purchase a four-pack of beer. One of the beer cans slipped free from the plastic ring, falling and hitting the man. He is now suing the grocery store, brewer and beer distributor for the resulting serious injury. The suit includes costs for hospitalization, nursing home care, permanent loss of income and much more. You've got read this one.

OSHA Unveils a New Publications Web Page

2007-11-21T11:59:00.001-08:00

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today unveiled a new Publications page on its Web site at www.osha.gov that allows visitors to access OSHA's resources in an efficient and user friendly way.

"The OSHA Publications page is one of the most popular pages on the agency's Web site. In fact, the agency's Publications page receives more than 300,000 visits per month," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. "The page was redesigned in an effort to make the site's content easier to access, while maintaining OSHA's commitment to providing valuable safety and health materials."

OSHA undertook the redesign to give the Publications page a more user-friendly look and feel, and to make the page the comprehensive resource for the agency's extensive number of safety and health products. Visitors may now search by the publication number or keyword; from an alphabetical listing; by industry or topic, and by type of publication. In addition to new releases, the revamped page highlights publications "Recommended by OSHA" that may interest visitors and "Most Frequently Viewed OSHA Publications."

The new design is based on feedback from OSHA customers. Visitors may order up to 25 copies of up to five publications using the new ordering capability. This feature is similar to "shopping carts" found on commercial Web sites and helps visitors keep track of the publications they are ordering and the number of copies ordered.

OSHA Statement On 2006 Occupational Injuries and Illnesses with Days Away from Work

2007-11-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao issued the following statement regarding data published on Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Requiring Days Away from Work in 2006, http://www.bls.gov/news.release/osh2.nr0.htm. The report, announced by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), provided detailed information on the continued decline in the rate and the number of workplace injuries and illnesses in private industry that required recovery away from work.

"This report shows that, from 2005 to 2006, there was a six percent reduction in the rate of lost time injuries and illnesses, as well as a four percent reduction in the overall number of those injuries and illnesses, both of which represent significant improvements. We now also have new data on selected injury and illness rates by occupation, gender and age group that helps us identify those employers and employees who most need our assistance.

"The U.S. Department of Labor's programs to keep America's working men and women safe and healthy are achieving the desired results — more men and women are going home safe and whole at the end of the workday. However, we will not rest on this positive news; we will continue to work to ensure the safety and health of the nation's employees through compliance assistance; partnerships and cooperative programs; and strong, fair, and effective enforcement."

Rakes and Pains

2007-11-13T12:11:00.000-08:00

Leave raking injuries behind with these safety tips

Press Release From AAOS

Autumn leaves look beautiful on trees, but less so once they fall. That is because leaves on the ground mean it is time to start raking. This outdoor task is often more physically demanding than people realize, so the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) recommends that people take precautions when raking.

Even though raking does not utilize power tools or sharp blades, it can still cause injuries. According to 2006 U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission statistics, more than 76,000 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms, doctors’ offices, clinics and other medical settings for injuries related to non-powered garden tools, including rakes.

"Many people consider raking just another chore, but it requires a lot more reaching, bending and lifting than most odd jobs," says Daryll C. Dykes, MD, PhD, orthopaedic surgeon and spokesperson for the Academy. "Raking should be treated like any other vigorous exercise. People should pay close attention to their arms and backs, being careful not to reach or stretch too far."

The Academy offers the following recommendations to prevent injuries while raking:

With any physical activity, it is important to warm up your muscles for at least 10 minutes with light exercise and stretching, especially when it is cold outside. You should also stretch your muscles after raking to relieve tension and prevent soreness.
Use a rake that feels comfortable for your height and strength. Wear gloves or use rakes with padded handles to help prevent blisters.
Avoid using old rakes that have gotten rusty or that have loose or broken parts.
Do not let a hat or scarf block your vision. Watch out for large rocks, low branches, tree stumps and uneven surfaces.
Try to vary your movements, alternating your leg and arm positions often. When picking up leaves, bend at the knees, not the waist.
Exercise care walking on wet leaves, which can be very slippery. Avoid falls by wearing shoes or boots with slip-resistant soles.
Avoid overfilling leaf bags, especially if the leaves are wet. You should be able to carry bags comfortably, so make sure they aren’t too heavy or large.
Do not throw the leaves over your shoulder or to the side. This requires a twisting motion that places undue stress on your back.

For more information on exercise- and sports-related injury prevention, visit:
http://www.orthoinfo.org/category.cfm?topcategory=Injury%20Prevention

Graphic Products' Sponsors Shingo Sweepstakes

2007-11-08T06:55:00.000-08:00

Graphic Products, a leading supplier of label and sign printers, is one of the sponsors of the Shingo Sweepstakes, a lean manufacturing sweepstakes that started on November 6th and runs through the end of April 2008. $25,000 in prizes will be given away.

No purchase is required to enter the sweepstakes.

The purpose of the sweepstakes is to promote lean manufacturing and the Shingo Prize. The Shingo Prize is regarded as the premier manufacturing award recognition program for North America. The Shingo Prize promotes world-class business and manufacturing processes that will enable organizations to achieve perfection in quality, best cost, and 100 percent on-time delivery to fulfill the customer experience. It also promotes the sharing of "True North" core business and manufacturing processes for continuous improvement. The Shingo organization recognizes research and applied materials that support the vision and mission of the Shingo Prize. The Shingo Prize achievement criteria provides a framework for identifying and evaluating world-class manufacturing competence and performance.

Graphic Products is not in the business of selling lean manufacturing products. But, having seen the benefits of lean manufacturing they have been offering resources to help their customers improve business performance through lean manufacturing techniques. Graphic Products offers a number of free lean manufacturing guides. No purchase is required to request any of these guides:

5S Quick Start Guide

5S Standard Color Coding Guide

Kanban Quick Start Guide

Kaizen Quick Start Guide

2007 America’s Health Rankings Show a Decline in the Overall Health of the Nation

2007-11-06T12:05:00.000-08:00

The following is a press release from American Public Health Association.

Analysis shows Vermont, Minnesota and Hawaii are nation’s healthiest states; Mississippi and Louisiana rank as least-healthy states

WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 5, 2007 – The overall health of the nation declined over the past year, despite progress made in several key health indicators, according to a report launched today by United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association (APHA) and Partnership for Prevention. The 18th annual edition of America's Health Rankings: A Call to Action for People & Their Communities measures the overall healthiness of states and the nation using a comprehensive and longitudinal set of related health determinants and health outcomes. The report indicates that the overall health of the nation declined by a rate of 0.3 percent since last year.

While this report, and others, show there have been modest gains in reducing the rates of cancer and cardiovascular mortality, these improvements continue to be dwarfed by increasing obesity, increasing numbers of uninsured people, children in poverty and the persistence of risky health behaviors, such as tobacco use and violent crime -- all of which have a significant impact on the overall healthiness of the nation.

"Even though specific mortality rates have improved, this report shows there are still many people who, through unhealthy personal behaviors, adverse community environments and difficult access to care, are vulnerable to a future life of poor health -- which is essentially preventable," said Reed Tuckson, M.D., member of the board of United Health Foundation. "The consequence of this reality manifests itself in a poor quality of life, people living with chronic disease, compromised productivity and significant escalation in the costs associated with managing chronic illness."

This lack of progress is in sharp contrast to the nation's average annual improvement of 1.5 percent between 1990 and 2000. In fact, since 2000, there has been a virtual stagnation in health improvement. The failure to demonstrate progress is particularly worrisome given that the U.S. continues to trail other nations in important health indicators such as infant mortality and healthy life expectancy.

Once again, this year's report provides a ranking of the healthiness of each state. Vermont surpassed Minnesota as the healthiest state in the nation this year, with Minnesota (2), Hawaii (3), New Hampshire (4) and Connecticut (5) rounding out the top five.

The data also notes that Mississippi ranks as the least healthy state, with Louisiana (49), Arkansas (48), Oklahoma (47) and Tennessee (46) completing the bottom five. The publishers of the report note that every state – no matter its ranking – has its own set of unique challenges to confront and successes on which to build and from which other states can learn.

A National Health Analysis

This year the report analyzes a comprehensive set of 20 related health measures, such as smoking, binge drinking, violent crime, infectious disease, high school graduation, health status and several measures of mortality. The analysis of this comprehensive set of factors allows for a more complete and holistic view of the health of the nation than only death-related statistics. The following is a snapshot of the national findings:

Since the first report in 1990, America’s Health Rankings, using a consistent set of measures, has shown an 18.4 percent improvement in the nation's overall health. This national success can be attributed mostly to:

The reduction of several health determinants, such as infectious diseases, smoking, infant mortality, cardiovascular deaths and violent crime.
Fewer children living in poverty.
More ninth graders graduating high school within four years now than in 1990.

Over the last six years, however, the nation’s health has virtually stagnated. Several reasons for the stagnation are obesity, a growing number of uninsured and persistent lack of progress in key health measures such as tobacco use, violent crime and children in poverty. Within the national environment, some states have addressed key health issues and improved, however others have not and are declining.
Obesity has increased from 11.6 percent of the population in 1990 to more than 25 percent today. More than 55 million Americans are obese and as a result are at significant risk for other diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans who are uninsured has increased from 13.4 percent in 1990 to 15.8 percent of the population today. Up .5 percent from last year, an alarming 47 million Americans are living without health insurance. Tragically, more than nine million of the uninsured are children. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), people without health insurance are sicker and die sooner. IOM attributes 18,000 deaths per year to people under age 65 due to lack of insurance coverage.

The United States Compared to Other Nations

This year's report also looks at the U.S. compared to other nations. According to the 2007 Commonwealth Fund findings, the U.S. spends twice as much on health care than Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Despite this expenditure of health care assets, the U.S. continues to fall behind in several important indicators of health. For example:

Although the U.S. can now celebrate its highest life expectancy in history (77.9 years), 43 other countries still have life expectancies that are higher than the U.S., including Japan, Sweden, France, Canada, Italy and Australia. In fact, a baby born today in Japan has a life expectancy of 82.0 years and a baby born in the U.S. has a life expectancy of 77.9 years. If we look at a broader measure and compare healthy life expectancy – that is number of years of active, healthy life expected at birth – a baby girl in Japan can expect 78 years whereas a girl born in the U.S. can expect only 71 years of healthy life at birth. Once again, U.S. citizens continue to demonstrate unacceptably high burdens of illness.

"The health of the American people is not just about length of life, but it is also about quality of life," said John Clymer, president of Partnership for Prevention. "We must look to each other, but also to these other nations as examples to aid us in our efforts to improve health."

State-by-State Analysis

Several states exhibited noteworthy gains in overall health improvement. For example:

South Carolina had the highest overall health improvement with a 6.3 percent increase. Montana followed with a 4.6 percent increase, and Maryland and New Mexico both had a 4.5 percent increase in health status.
Vermont moved to the top of the list of healthiest states after a steady climb in the rankings for the past seven years. This is notable because it demonstrates that progress can be made. Vermont has made significant progress in several key areas:

The prevalence of smoking declined from 21.5 percent in 2001 to 18.0 percent in 2007.
Children in poverty declined from 16.1 percent in 2001 to 8.9 percent of persons under age 18 in 2007.
In 2001, Vermont ranked only 29th in prenatal care – now it ranks 2nd.

Nebraska’s return to the top ten (it last appeared in the top ten in 1992). Nebraska notes a continued improvement in high school graduation rates – now the highest in the U.S. Nebraska also has experienced reductions in the last few years in the occupational fatality rate and violent crime.
After four years in the bottom ten, Georgia moved up to 40th place. Georgia has experienced a decline in the infectious disease rate, number of poor physical health days and prevalence of smoking.

Health Disparities among Populations

Given that America’s Health Rankings™ is specifically intended to provide opportunities for focused analysis and action to meet high priority local problems, documenting disparities in health status between populations has been, and continues to be, a major feature of the report. Once again, state-specific concerns are noted and national trends also are documented.

Disparities continue to exist in measures such as premature death (premature death measures the loss of life before age 75 in a population). The premature death rate for Blacks is almost 1.5 times than the rate for Whites.
Disparities also are growing between the Hispanic and non-Hispanic populations.
According to the National Healthcare Disparities Report, Hispanics receive poorer quality care than non-Hispanics and data indicates that this trend is getting worse, not better.
In terms of preventive care, the Hispanic population has the lowest percentage of people accessing regular dental care and colon cancer screenings – two key indicators of a population’s ability to stay healthy.

"Eliminating disparities in health requires a greater emphasis and focus on the root causes of poor access to care; differential access to quality medical care; and the social determinates that lead to unhealthy living conditions," said Georges C. Benjamin, M.D., FACP, FACEP (E), executive director of APHA. "Eliminating these disparities is a mechanism to improve the overall health status of the nation and advance our health rankings as compared to the rest of the world."

To view the entire report, please visit www.americashealthrankings.org or www.unitedhealthfoundation.org.

CPSC Acting Chairman Issues Statement on Letter to Congress

2007-11-01T07:39:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 31, 2007 This week, several members of Congress publicly called for my resignation as CPSC Acting Chairman, citing a letter I recently sent to the Senate Commerce Committee expressing my views on pending legislation before that committee. In the letter (pdf), I respectfully pointed out what I think are several unwise proposals in a bill to reauthorize and expand the mission of the CPSC. However, despite media reports to the contrary, nowhere in the letter (or anywhere else) did I assert that the CPSC does not need additional resources. In fact, quite to the contrary, the main message of the letter is that if CPSC resources are diverted to new missions and mandates, we will need a dramatic upsurge in our personnel and funding, far beyond what either the House or Senate are proposing for our pending budget. Nor have I ever asserted that the agency does not need new legal authority. Again, the opposite is true. In July I submitted to Congress a legislative package seeking no fewer than 40 new statutory enforcement tools and other changes to enhance our ability to protect the public from unsafe products. To date, the Committee has only seen fit to adopt a few of those proposals.

I am very troubled by the prospect that any time a federal agency official is critical of legislation pending before Congress, congressional leaders may seek to have that official silenced or even dismissed. At the request of the committee, and as follow-up to a meeting I had with committee staff, I provided what I and the agency's senior staff believed were honest, constructive and apolitical comments and suggestions on a bill that could have a dramatic effect on our agency and our ability to carry out our core mission.

I do not intend to resign because I care passionately about the mission of this agency. However, I am saddened and troubled by the tactics being used in an attempt to silence debate on important policy issues.

Classic Safety Video

2007-10-31T19:42:00.000-07:00

A classic safety video spoof, Klaus, First Day On The Job, has been made available on the Safe Workplace Blog.

This "safety" video shows Klaus, an employee who has just received his forklift driver's license, as he goes through his first work day. As the day goes on the accidents become more serious, and bloodier. This is not a video for those who do not like the sight of blood.

A Quick Start Guide to Auto Darkening Welding Helmets

2007-08-05T00:14:00.000-07:00

Article By:Steve Bishop

If you are a welder you are most likely concerned with your safety. You take precautions by wearing a helmet while welding, but what type of helmet do you have? The type of helmet you wear can greatly affect your eye safety. Welders are all too familiar with the possibility of an arc flash. Exposure to the intense arc flash can cause serious harm to your eyes including retinal burns. Therefore, it is imperative to find an auto darkening welding helmet.

What should you look for in an auto darkening welding helmet? First, verify that the helmet meets the ANSI Z87.1 standard. This standard guarantees that the helmet will provide the proper protection against the arc flash. You can choose a lens shade that will suit your comfort level and needs. Ensure that you wear the helmet properly in the down position when you weld.

Welding helmets can change shade by solar powered or battery operated means. What are the differences between these two methods? Solar powered shades change when a change in light intensity is detected. They are designed to automatically darken from the arc. Battery operated shades must be turned on by the welder to operate like the solar powered shades.

Helmet specifications can be analyzed before making a purchase. You can research specifications including viewing area, UV/IR protection, switching speed, power supply, operating temperature, weight, price, and much more. More detailed information regarding each specification can be found on many manufacturers’ websites.

Find a helmet that feels comfortable atop your head for extended periods of time. You might want to invest in a helmet that has a sensor bar if you work in close proximity of other welders. The sensor bar will help to alleviate any false alarm darkening of your helmet due to neighboring welders.

Where can I find an auto darkening welding helmet? Auto darkening welding helmets are sold through many stores, online retailers, and even on Internet auction websites such as eBay. Prices can range from under $100 to over $200. Helmets are produced by different manufacturers and contain a wide range of features. You can even purchase a helmet called the Hobart Hood Premium 770262 Auto-Darkening Welding Helmet. It comes in a Stars & Stripes version. This helmet has the American flag painted on it.

There are plenty of Internet resources available to search for your perfect welding helmet. You can find welding helmets that align with your welding duties. An array of options is at your fingertips.

If you are a welder you are most likely concerned with your safety. You take precautions by wearing a helmet while welding, but what type of helmet do you have? The type of helmet you wear can greatly affect your eye safety. Welders are all too familiar with the possibility of an arc flash. Exposure to the intense arc flash can cause serious harm to your eyes including retinal burns. Therefore, it is imperative to find an auto darkening welding helmet.

What should you look for in an auto darkening welding helmet? First, verify that the helmet meets the ANSI Z87.1 standard. This standard guarantees that the helmet will provide the proper protection against the arc flash. You can choose a lens shade that will suit your comfort level and needs. Ensure that you wear the helmet properly in the down position when you weld.

Welding helmets can change shade by solar powered or battery operated means. What are the differences between these two methods? Solar powered shades change when a change in light intensity is detected. They are designed to automatically darken from the arc. Battery operated shades must be turned on by the welder to operate like the solar powered shades.

Helmet specifications can be analyzed before making a purchase. You can research specifications including viewing area, UV/IR protection, switching speed, power supply, operating temperature, weight, price, and much more. More detailed information regarding each specification can be found on many manufacturers’ websites.

Find a helmet that feels comfortable atop your head for extended periods of time. You might want to invest in a helmet that has a sensor bar if you work in close proximity of other welders. The sensor bar will help to alleviate any false alarm darkening of your helmet due to neighboring welders.

Where can I find an auto darkening welding helmet? Auto darkening welding helmets are sold through many stores, online retailers, and even on Internet auction websites such as eBay. Prices can range from under $100 to over $200. Helmets are produced by different manufacturers and contain a wide range of features. You can even purchase a helmet called the Hobart Hood Premium 770262 Auto-Darkening Welding Helmet. It comes in a Stars & Stripes version. This helmet has the American flag painted on it.

There are plenty of Internet resources available to search for your perfect welding helmet. You can find welding helmets that align with your welding duties. An array of options is at your fingertips.

Article Source: http://www.redsofts.com/articles/

Click Here To Discover more About Auto Darkening Welding Helmets

30-minute CPR Classes Just As Effective As Multi-hour Courses

2007-07-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found that a user-friendly, 30-minute, video-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation training session is just as effective as the traditional three- to four-hour course in teaching basic life-saving techniques to laypersons. In addition, at six months after the training — a critical point for CPR skill retention — those who took the shorter course performed CPR and used an automated external defibrillator (AED) just as well or better than those who take the traditional training.

These findings, published in the August issue of the journal Resuscitation, are the first to evaluate and document the effectiveness of long-term retention of the new 30-minute CPR-AED training.

“The results of this formal investigation should not only facilitate more widespread training and frequent re-training in CPR techniques, but it also diminishes some of the inefficiencies and labor-intensity inherent in traditional CPR training,” said Dr. Paul Pepe, chief of emergency medicine at UT Southwestern.


	Dr. Lynn Roppolo (right), assistant professor of emergency medicine, and Dr. Ahamed Idris, professor of emergency medicine, were part of a group of researchers who have found that a user-friendly, 30-minute, video-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation training session is as effective as the traditional three- to four-hour course in teaching basic life-saving techniques to the public.

Traditional CPR courses last half a day, as six to eight people take turns practicing their skills on a shared manikin. The remainder of the time is spent listening to instruction, leaving little time for skills practice, the researchers report.

“Using individualized kits, the trainees can focus on uninterrupted skills practice and develop muscle memory from more intensive, focused and reiterative practice,” said Dr. Pepe.

The shorter course is much more convenient and easily accessible, said Dr. Lynn Roppolo, assistant professor of emergency medicine and lead author of the study.

“Individuals practice while they learn, allowing more time to perform and retain the critical hands-on skills required to provide more effective CPR,” Dr. Roppolo said. “All of these factors will likely translate into more people knowing what to do — and doing it right — whenever CPR is needed. As a result, hopefully, many more lives will be saved in years to come.”

For the study, volunteers recruited in Fort Worth were selected randomly to take either the 30-minute course or a traditional three-hour session.

The short course consisted of a 23-minute digital video disc program, developed by the American Heart Association, which covers basic adult CPR skills, including recognition of signs of life, calling for help, opening the airway, rescue breaths and chest compressions.

As two dozen or more students watched the video in each session simultaneously, they practiced the CPR techniques almost continuously for nearly 20 minutes on their own personal mini-manikin, supervised by a “facilitator” who generally only needed to answer an occasional question from the trainees once the DVD was started.

Also included was a three-minute discussion and demonstration on the recognition of and best procedures for choking, as well as a five-minute demonstration of the use of an AED.

In the traditional course, students attended a three-hour session consisting of lectures supplemented by related video-based instruction, practice of basic CPR skills, choking procedures and instruction and hands-on practice in the use of an AED. During this course, there was one certified instructor for every six to eight students during the skills practice.

After their respective training, the students from both groups were tested using a life-sized manikin, which was connected to a laptop computer that objectively measured parameters such as the rate and depth of ventilations and chest compressions.

In addition to the computer measurements, overall CPR performance and AED use were videotaped and later judged as being appropriate by CPR training experts, who graded each study participant without knowing whether the he or she had taken the half-hour course or the traditional training.

Immediately after taking the class, there were no significant differences in CPR performance between the students who took the three-hour course as compared to those who took the 30-minute course.

After six months, however, trainees who took the 30-minute course called 9-1-1 and provided adequate ventilation more frequently than those who took the longer course. Also, both at the initial and six-month follow-up test, the students who took the traditional course took 30 percent longer to assess for signs of life, and they took significantly more time to pause between chest compressions to perform ventilations.

In grading AED use immediately after the courses, the trainees who took the 30-minute course placed the AED pads and delivered a shock correctly in 98 percent of the cases, compared to 92 percent of those who took the longer course. Moreover, at the critical six-month follow-up, 93 percent of those in the half-hour course still operated the AED well and 93 percent were still judged to be performing chest compressions adequately.

“The results of this investigation were very compelling. This study suggests that hands-on practice is not necessary to learn how to operate an AED, a device that directly provides the rescuer with vocal instructions once it is turned on,” said Dr. Roppolo. “Thus, training tools that utilize cognitive modes, such as the Internet and DVD demonstrations, may be just as effective.”

Other UT Southwestern researchers contributing to the study included Dr. Ahamed Idris, professor of emergency medicine, and Dr. Ronna Miller, assistant professor of emergency medicine.

The research was supported by the American Heart Association, the Laerdal Medical Corp., and Phillips Medical Systems and American Airlines.

Safety In China

2007-07-19T07:10:00.000-07:00

News about Chinese products and foods, exported to other countries, causing health problems seems to be in the news almost daily. However, an even bigger problem is that of product safety within China. It's a country in which safety is of secondary (or even tertiary) importance to the number one objective of making money.

An example is reported in today's issue of the International Herald Tribune. Over a period of just two days, last Sunday and Monday, there were three accidents involving the manufacturing of explosive devices by home businesses. You can read the article at:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/18/asia/AS-GEN-China-Blast-Deaths.php

Free Lean Manufacturing Guides

2007-07-12T10:46:00.000-07:00

Several lean manufacturing guides are available free for the asking. The cover areas such as 5S, kaizen and kanban. Here are some links:

A free guide to standard 5s colors shows the color coding system that has developed for use with 5S. There is no organization that establishes standards for 5S, but this color coding system has come about as a result of common usage.

There is also a free guide to implementing 5S available. It provides a quick overview of 5S, describing what it is, the benefits of 5S, and how to start your own 5S program.

If you'd like to learn about kaizen, a kaizen quick start guide is available from a poster printer web site. Poster printers are used to enlarge 8-1/2" x 11" originals to poster-sized. They provide a quick and convenient way to create visuals to support all of your lean manufacturing efforts.

Kanban is a method for reducing costs and waste, and improving quality and productivity by improving your logistics. It is often assocated with JIT (Just In Time) delivery, which is a key component of lean manufacturing. A free introductory guide to kanban is available from the Facility Signs web site.

FDA Clears First Respirators for Use in Public Health Medical Emergencies

2007-07-05T15:07:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today cleared for marketing the first respirators that can help reduce the user's exposure to airborne germs during a public health medical emergency, such as an influenza pandemic.

These two filtering facepiece respirators, manufactured by St. Paul, Minn.-based 3M Company (and called the 3M Respirator 8612F and 8670F), will be available to the general public without a prescription.

The devices are also certified as N95 filtering facepiece respirators by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH certifies respirators for use in occupational settings in accordance with an appropriate respiratory protection program.

An N95 filtering facepiece respirator is a type of face mask that fits tightly over the nose and mouth. It is made of fibrous material that is designed to filter out at least 95 percent of very small airborne particles. The filter and a proper fit determine the effectiveness of the product.

"While the exact nature and concentration of the biological agent or germ may not be known in a public health medical emergency, we believe that minimizing exposure will help reduce risk," said Daniel Schultz, M.D., director, FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "These respirators are only one part of a combination of approaches that can be used to help reduce the spread of infection between individuals during such events."

Many companies make N95 respirators for workplaces, including health care settings. However, the 3M respirators are the first devices to receive FDA clearance for use by the public during public health medical emergencies to reduce exposure to airborne germs.

Under Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other occupational health regulations, respirators used in the workplace must be individually selected for each worker and tested to ensure a proper fit. This kind of fit testing is not generally employed outside the workplace now and would probably not be feasible during a public health medical emergency.

FDA is requiring those who want to market respirators for use during public health medical emergencies to assure that they are certified by NIOSH to provide adequate filtration without hampering people's ability to breathe. In addition, companies must conduct fit assessment testing, conduct biocompatibility testing to reduce the chance for allergic skin reaction, and provide instructions that will enable wearers to achieve a protective fit and use the devices properly.

3M evaluated fit characteristics in healthy adults to determine that a user could achieve a protective fit following the instructions on the label. They measured how many airborne test particles were able to get inside the respirator through small leaks between the edges of the respirator and the wearer's face. While individual results varied, all participants tested achieved some reduction in exposure to airborne test particles.

The 3M respirators are sized for adults and may not form a proper fit on children. Anything that comes between the respirator and the face, such as facial hair, may interfere with its fit. Persons with pre-existing heart or lung disease or other health conditions may have difficulty breathing through a respirator. The devices are for single use. Wearers should not wash, disinfect, reuse or share their respirator with others. The respirators should be discarded after use.

FDA will soon issue a guidance document outlining its regulatory approach to this new type of device.

Inhaling particles is just one route of exposure to disease-causing organisms. Others include touching contaminated surfaces and coming into close contact with those who have infectious diseases. A total approach to personal protection includes hand hygiene, cough etiquette and other protection practices such as avoiding crowded settings.

Survey Reveals Gap in Public’s Awareness of Nuclear Energy’s Role in Reducing Greenhouse Gases

2007-05-01T06:37:00.000-07:00

Even though nuclear energy is by far the largest clean-air energy source used to generate electricity, fewer than half of Americans strongly associate nuclear energy with clean air, according to a new national survey of 1,000 adults.

The survey shows that only 42 percent of Americans associate nuclear energy “a lot” with clean air. This is the case even though nuclear power plants provide 71 percent of all U.S. electricity that comes from sources that do not emit greenhouse gases or any of the pollutants covered by the Clean Air Act, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The other clean-air energy sources for electricity are hydroelectric power plants (25 percent), wind power projects (2.3 percent), geothermal projects (1.3 percent) and solar power (one-tenth of one percent).

More than 100 nuclear power plants operating in 31 states provide electricity to one of every five U.S. homes and businesses.

The new telephone survey was conducted March 30-April 1 by Bisconti Research Inc. with GfK and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. In similar surveys of adults conducted by the same research firms for the Nuclear Energy Institute in May 2005 and March 2006, 55 percent of Americans in both instances strongly associated nuclear energy with clean air.

The new survey also shows that while 57 percent of Americans “have heard or read about” the need for nuclear energy within the past year, only 46 percent have heard or read about the clean-air benefits of nuclear energy. Thirty-nine percent have heard or read about the use of nuclear energy "as a way to fight global warming and climate change."

"Amid the vast amount of media and public policy attention given to global warming concerns over just the past year, there seems to be a disconnect between awareness of the issue and the meaningful measures possible to reduce greenhouse gases," said Scott Peterson, Nuclear Energy Institute vice president.

"For our nation to truly succeed in using the best mix of energy technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Americans should be better informed about the capabilities that each technology has. This survey shows continued solid support for nuclear energy. The task that lies ahead for our industry is to help the American people better understand that nuclear energy, which they already support, should be an important element of state and national policies to prevent greenhouse gas emissions."

The survey also reveals that people who have heard news during the past year about nuclear energy’s role for clean air or addressing global climate change favor nuclear energy in greater numbers than people who have not. Among those who recall hearing about nuclear energy’s clean-air benefits, 73 percent favor the use of nuclear energy. However, among those who do not recall hearing this, only 49 percent favor the use of nuclear energy.

The survey shows that a plurality of Americans (41 percent) believes climate change "is a serious problem and immediate action is necessary," with another 26 percent of Americans feeling climate change "could be" a serious problem, "and we should take some action now." Only nine percent of those surveyed believe climate change is not a problem and does not require any action.

Another key finding of the survey is that the overwhelming majority of Americans sees nuclear energy as important to our future, but does not recognize how much electricity it supplies today. About 80 percent of those surveyed believe "nuclear energy will be important in meeting the nation’s future electricity needs," with 41 percent feeling nuclear energy will be "very important" and 38 percent feeling it will be "somewhat important."

When asked which sources of electricity are used most today (respondents could name more than one), only 10 percent mention nuclear energy; 32 percent mention natural gas, 31 percent mention coal, 22 percent mention oil, and 16 percent mention hydropower.

When asked which sources of electricity will be used most in the United States 15 years from now, Americans cite solar energy (27 percent) and nuclear energy (24 percent) most. Fourteen percent mention coal-fired power plants, even though coal-fired plants today provide 49 percent of the nation's electricity and are likely to remain the leading source of electricity in the next 15 years.

"People have a similar view of solar and nuclear energy as fuels of the future, but not major sources today," Bisconti Research President Ann Bisconti said. "That’s not new. It's the same view the public has held for nearly a quarter of a century. Misperceptions about our energy supply, coupled with the fact a large segment of the public is not hearing about nuclear energy's clean-air role, result in an underestimation of the magnitude of nuclear energy's contribution right now in addressing concerns about global warming."

The survey shows that 63 percent of Americans favor "the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States." This is down from the historic high favorability of 70 percent recorded in 2005 and 68 percent favorability last September.

Two-thirds of Americans say that, if a new power plant is needed to supply electricity, it would be acceptable to add a new reactor at the nearest existing nuclear plant site.

You can view the questionnaire used for the survey at:http://www.nei.org/documents/NewsRelease20070423Addendum.doc

Construction Safety Training Resource

2007-04-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

I read a lot of OSHA press releases and have noticed that excavation cave-ins are a major source of injuries, fatalities and OSHA fines. The construction Safety Council offers a free online course that will help you improve excavation safety. The course is called:

EXCAVATION HAZARDS TRAINING FOR THE COMPETENT PERSON
(29 CFR 1926, SUBPART P)

The following is the description provided on the web site:

"At the conclusion of this course, the participant will understand the importance and duties of a competent person performing or supervising excavation work. They will also have the knowledge and skills that are required to perform the duties required of the competent person. A passing score on the final exam will qualify participant to receive an Excavation Competent Person Training Certificate from the Construction Safety Council."

Unscheduled Absenteeism Up in U.S. Workplaces

2007-03-19T06:41:00.000-07:00

A study by CCH® HR MANAGEMENT finds that unscheduled absenteeism is having a significant effect on U.S. businesses. A report on this study opens with the statement:

"With the rate of absenteeism on the rise, U.S. employers are losing ground when it comes to finding effective programs that keep healthy workers on the job, according to the 16th annual CCH Unscheduled Absence Survey by CCH, a leading provider of human resources and employment law information and services and a part of Wolters Kluwer Law & Business (hr.cch.com)."

You can read the complete report at: http://hr.cch.com/press/releases//absenteeism/102506a.asp

The report highlights low employee moral as a significant cause of unscheduled absenteeism. It also discuss "work life" programs that address the needs of employees and which help reduce unscheduled absenteeism.

Why TPM Initiatives Sometimes Fail

2007-02-28T05:34:00.000-08:00

The news is always positive. Lean manufacturing techniques will improve your business. Use Kaizen, Kanban and 5S and your profits will soar anf customers will beat a path to your door. But, it doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes you can spent a lot of money on implementing lean manufacturing and get little or no benefot.

Ans article from the January issue of Reliable Plant Magazine discusses why Total Productive Maintenance sometimes fails.

Metal / Nonmetal Mine Fatalities

2007-02-07T04:47:00.000-08:00

The Louisville Courier Journal reports that although a mine safety law was passed eight months ago, "Federal regulators have been too slow in implementing important provisions of a mine-safety bill that Congress enacted last year, a key House Democrat said yesterday."

A key provision of the bill is that underground mines need to have enough breathing devices to allow miners to reach the surface in an emergency.

Mine fatalities are reported on the Maryland Center for Environmental Training web site.

http://www.mcet.org/mining/mnm/fatalgrams/index.html

Each report is linked to the OSHA web page for the incident. There you can read recommendations for avoiding such accidents.

Lean Newsletter

2007-02-06T18:53:00.000-08:00

The lean learning center publishes a lean newsletter on a somewhat irregular schedule (a lean schedule ). Issue 8 has an article called Conversations From The Road. It is an interview with Gary Smuda who is the Director of Continuous Improvement with Technicolor. In this short, but interesting article, Gary talks about his "lean journey" from its start with a lean mentor.

How to Screw Up a Lean Transition

2007-01-29T20:02:00.000-08:00

All Show: No Go.
Microcosms of Excellence: Negligible Bottom Line Impact.
Solutions Looking for a Problem.
Teams for Teams' Sake.
Unnecessary Complexity.
Foreign Language Studies.
Meaningless Awards & Certifications.
Data Overkill.
These are a few of the more common pitfalls that we see.

One fundamental tenant of Lean Manufacturing is the elimination of waste. Yet, the majority of lean advisors propagate extremely wasteful practices in the transition methodology that they profess.

One of my personal favorites is the "foreign language" mandate. Most Americans can readily relate to the word "waste." Does "muda" really add any value?

After eighteen years, and 100+ plant conversions, we have found only one Japanese word that is truly required in making the transition to lean: "Kanban". Not only is there no easy direct translation into English, but kanban is also a generally accepted universal term. For the others, we find that "level loading," "mixed model production," "opportunity signals," "continuous improvement," etc. work just fine.

Corporate management sent us into one of their large plants. The plant had been losing money and struggling for several years. Yet, the first remark from the plant manager was:

"We really don't need any help. We're already doing lean."

"That's great," we said. "What kind of results have you gotten?"

"We've got 20 certified trainers. Each has been through three full weeks of education" he said.

"That's great" we said. "What kind of results have you gotten?"

"Every employee has had at least eight hours of training" he said. "And, we've got employee teams throughout the company."

"That's great" we said. "What kind of results have you attained?"

Dead silence. The teams had been working on such critical issues as "what radio station should be played over the PA system."

The plant had no overall guiding methodology to implement meaningful change. As a result, after two full years of training expenditures, they had generated absolutely no tangible impact on any of the plants' key measurements.

In that same plant, with the same plant manager, we generated millions in tax free cash through inventory reduction, cut their aggregate lead times by more than 60%, reduced the internal defect rate by 79%, and cut late deliveries by 93%. All within six months of kickoff. Needless to say, overall productivity also increased dramatically.

Another typical implementation approach we call "Solutions looking for a problem." They'll blitz an area. They'll do a 5S pilot. They'll put in some kanbans. They'll form some teams. They'll do a SMED initiative.

This approach generates some nice show places. Microcosms of excellence. All good things to do.
However, when you ask the same question:

"What results have you gotten?" you get a similar response.

"Negligible impact on the bottom line."

It's a scatter-gun approach. The thought process, evidently, is if we fire off enough bullets, eventually we'll hit something!"

Another in-vogue concept is "Six Sigma" or, better yet, "Lean Six Sigma."

The basic idea: combine the power of lean, with the rigors of the statistical quality approach demanded by six sigma.

It's a great marketing concept. But does it really hold any water?

Six Sigma is a well defined process, developed to address complex quality and/or process deviation issues. It is rigorous, and often requires the use of some higher level statistical techniques.

It is NOT, however, an overall operations improvement approach.

And, when you dig a little deeper into the quality gains attained by most self-professed six sigma plants, you'll find that well over 90% of the gains came from simple, completely non-statistical, techniques.

We've visited plants with dozens of Black and Green Belts, and a considerable amount of time and money spent on statistical training at the general operator level as well. Yet we still found piles of inventory, long lead times, and poor customer service (delivery performance).

There is a lot more to "quality," from the customer's perspective, than just having reliable processes!

Transitioning to lean generates dramatic gains in OVERALL process quality. It does this, however, through basic blocking and tackling methods requiring no special statistical training.

1) less inventory means fewer defects and faster discovery (a major component in determining root cause), 2) sequential inspection catches the defect at the very next operation, 3) Stop the line: Fix the problem, and simple "Failsafe" devices make errors difficult or impossible to re-occur, etc.

In a truly lean environment, six sigma is seen as just one more tool in the lean tool kit. It is used where and when appropriate to solve specific, difficult quality or process problems.

We visited another plant that was "already doing lean." When we walked through the facility, it was apparent that it still ran in a completely traditional manor: piles of inventory between operations, no cells, no kanban or other visual means of control, poor delivery performance, etc.

When we asked what they had accomplished in the eighteen months since they'd started working with their lean consultants, they pulled out a three ring binder. In it was an amalgamation of data of every type. They had standard work data, set-up times data, attendance data, job description data, quality data, etc. They had data up the wazoo!

Ask the same question: "What results have you gotten?" Get the same response. Nothing had changed!

We visited another company that wanted to win the Shingo prize. We asked "So, how far along are you in your transition to lean?" They hadn't even begun.

Getting a prize or certification can be a good way of keeping score. It also can be a powerful marketing gambit. It is, however, transitory, and not a very compelling reason to pursue this difficult transition.

To be honest, if serving your customers better than your competition, or assuring the health and well being of the company, or competing against foreign suppliers, etc. isn't compelling enough reason, than you might want to hold off for a while.

We've worked with companies that were already in chapter eleven and fighting for survival. Even with their backs against the wall, and every employee facing possible loss of job, it was difficult to unify the troops to make this transition.

Sustaining the effort needed to become "World Class" demands a higher cause than winning a prize.

In most companies, transitioning to Lean is truly a culture changing process. It requires a new way of managing, with different measurement and reward systems.

It requires an overall company-wide transition process, with clearly defined measurable goals, and well defined responsibilities.

It demands top management's sponsorship and regular on-going administration to assure that the goals are being accomplished. You just can't go out and buy "one of those lean things."

Bottom line? Every company, hopefully, only makes this transition one time. And there are plenty of land mines to be overcome in the process.
Get yourself a good advisor to guide you.

And look out for the snake oil salesmen!

All the best on your lean journey.

About the Author

Jack Harrison is a Senior Partner at the Hands-On Group. Eighteen years lean consulting experience, over 100 successful Lean implementations. Author: "Running Steel Lean," "ERP and Lean," and "Transitioning to Lean." For further information, visit http://www.handsongroup.com

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