Safety First

Six Sigma

2010-03-01T18:50:00.000+07:00

Six Sigma has two key methods: DMAIC and DMADV, both inspired by Deming's Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle.^[9] DMAIC is used to improve an existing business process; DMADV is used to create new product or process designs.^[9]

[edit] DMAIC

The basic method consists of the following five steps:

Define high-level project goals and the current process.
Measure key aspects of the current process and collect relevant data.
Analyze the data to verify cause-and-effect relationships. Determine what the relationships are, and attempt to ensure that all factors have been considered.
Improve or optimize the process based upon data analysis using techniques like Design of experiments.
Control to ensure that any deviations from target are corrected before they result in defects. Set up pilot runs to establish process capability, move on to production, set up control mechanisms and continuously monitor the process.

[edit] DMADV

The basic method consists of the following five steps:

Define design goals that are consistent with customer demands and the enterprise strategy.
Measure and identify CTQs (characteristics that are Critical To Quality), product capabilities, production process capability, and risks.
Analyze to develop and design alternatives, create a high-level design and evaluate design capability to select the best design.
Design details, optimize the design, and plan for design verification. This phase may require simulations.
Verify the design, set up pilot runs, implement the production process and hand it over to the process owners.

DMADV is also known as DFSS, an abbreviation of "Design For Six Sigma"

Child Electrical Safety Tips

2010-02-01T18:37:00.000+07:00

Here are some child electrical safety tips you can implement in your home to maximize the safety of electrical issues in your house and to keep your children safe:

All electrical outlets should have face plates and there should be no open outlets in your home. Go the extra step and attach sliding child safety plates for outlets that are in use frequently, and covers for those that are never used.
Teach your children the basics of outlet safety. They should know not to put objects into the outlets and not to touch anything that has a cord attached. If you think your children need help learning this, post pictures by any item or appliance with a circle and a cross going through it to illustrate that these are “NO TOUCH” items!
Make sure that all wire boxes and electrical boxes in your home are locked and that the key is in a secure location that only adults have access to.
Electrical safety goes outdoors as well. Do not allow your children to climb trees that are close to power lines, towers, or utility poles. By the same token, do not allow your children to fly kites unsupervised or anywhere near power lines or electrical towers.
Show your children how to unplug cords when they are old enough. They should know to pull the cord out by the plug, and not by the cord.
Teach your children that the fun power tools that daddy plays with are not toys to play with. Keep them locked up and out of reach. If your child has a true fascination for these tools, buy play tools that match the ones at home so that they can play grownup fix-it things just like Daddy.
Keep any electrical cords in the house tied up or out of sight in high traffic areas. Tripping on cords is a safety and electrical hazard, and there are tie-backs and clips that you can purchase to make sure these cords are out of sight, and out of mind.
If you are using a space heater, keep the cords out of the way so that children can not pull or yank on them. Have the heater against the wall so that the cords do not interest your children.
You should not have any damaged cords or electrical cords that are frayed in the house. Discard and replace any of these cords as soon as you notice them.
Do not allow your children to attempt to replace light bulbs, even if they are older. If they are in their teen years, it will be safe for them to do so, but ensure they know not to change a light bulb until it is cool and that the lamp is physically turned off.
Do not have night lights near curtains or bedding in your child’s room. This not only represents a fun thing to touch, but it is also a fire hazard if your child’s bedding catches onto the night light.
Do not have appliances in the bathroom. Use curling irons, straighteners, and hair dryers in the adult bedrooms with mirrors. By the same token, you want to teach your children not to touch any appliances if their hands are wet. If this is a concern, again you can post pictures of dry hands, or pictures of wet hands crossed out near appliances that children may touch.
Unplug all appliances when they are not being used. Appliances like hair dryers or even coffee makers are very interesting to children with all their colored buttons. Unplug them and keep cords out of reach.

It is our responsibility as parents to ensure our homes are fully equipped with child proofing of any safety hazards.

The most important principle about child electrical safety that we can instill is to teach our children properly.

Even young and small children can learn safety rules through the use of pictures, No-No, and phrases like “look, don’t touch!”.

Teaching our children these skills early will keep them safe and hazard free so that we won’t have to worry, and will also teach them valuable skills that they will take with them when they have their own home.

It is NEVER too early to start teaching our children about electrical safety, and it may just save their life.

Source: www.mychildsafety.net

Child Poison Safety Tips

2010-01-01T18:32:00.000+07:00

Use child-resistant packaging
Keep medicines and household chemicals locked up out of reach and out of sight from young children.
Keep the poison control center number next to your telephone and call immediately if a poisoning occurs.
Throw away old medications.
Use drawer and door guards where household chemicals are stored.
Never refer to medicine as "candy" or another appealing name.
Turn on a light when you prepare medicines for children so that you know you have the correct amount of the right medicine.
Never leave children alone with household products or drugs. If you are using chemical products or taking medicine and you have to do something else, such as answer the phone, take any young children with you.

Source: www.mychildsafety.net

Personal protective equipment

2009-12-01T18:30:00.000+07:00

Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garment designed to protect the wearer's body or clothing from injury by electrical hazards, heat, chemicals, and infection, for job-related occupational safety and health purposes, and in sports, martial arts, combat, etc. body armor is combat-specialized protective gear. In British legislation the term PPE does not cover items such as armour.

PPE can also be used to protect the working environment from pesticide application, pollution or infection from the worker (for example in a microchip factory). The protection may be important in both ways, as with the use of disposable gloves by surgeons and dentists.

The terms "protective gear" and "protective clothing" are in many cases interchangeable; "protective clothing" is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and "gear" is a more general term and preferably means uniquely protective categories, such as pads, guards, shields, masks, etc.

Child bed safety tips and rules

2009-11-01T18:23:00.000+07:00

Here are a few child bed safety tips and rules for parents, and things that you can do to ensure your child sleeps soundly and safely at night. Which ultimately will ensure a sound sleep for you as well.

Avoid purchasing bed rails with mesh attachments as a safety feature.
Purchase bed rails that attach underneath the mattress for a more secure fit, or along the top of the mattress to ensure no space is left between the mattress and the rails.
Measure your bed before you purchase bed rails to ensure you are purchasing the proper size.
Do not have any blind cords around your child's bunk bed.
Flooring in rooms with bunk beds should be soft enough to cushion possible falls.
Do not use bunk beds until your child is old enough to understand, and follow the rules that go with it.
Gaps between the bunk bed and the guard rails should be no more than 3 ½".
Your bunk bed ladder should be fixed to the bed, and not be able to be moved around the room. Choose a ladder on a grade, rather than a straight vertical ladder, and install rubber to the handles and steps to ease grips.
Make sure the slats on your bunk bed frame are sturdy to avoid breakage and falls. Metal frames are much sturdier than wooden frames for this reason.

Source: www.mychildsafety.net

Child Fire Safety tips and rules

2009-10-01T18:21:00.000+07:00

Each year, fires kill and injure hundreds of children. Most of these deaths and injuries are preventable.

Learn some simple tips to protect your children and lower their risk.

Any time parents can take a moment to discuss safety with their children is time well spent.

To get you started with teaching your child fire safety, consider the following tips:

Keep all matches and lighters out of the hands of children. If possible, keep these sources of fire in locked drawers. Consider buying only "child-proof" lighters -- but be aware that no product is completely child-proof.
To ensure your child's fire safety, find out what the federal safety standards are for children’s pajamas and loose-fitting sleepwear, before you make your next purchase.
Smoke from a fire can kill very quickly. Sleep with bedroom doors closed at night to help keep smoke out and increase the amount of time you have to get yourself and your children out if you have a fire.
Purchase a fire extinguisher, and keep it in the kitchen out of the reach of small children.
Discourage smoking in your home.
Demonstrate how to stop, drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire.
Install smoke alarms on every level in your home. Replace the batteries once a year. Test them periodically.
Teach your child how to dial 911 in case of an emergency.
Tell your children to remember not to hide under a bed or in a closet during a fire. Parents need to be able to find them quickly.

Child fire safety is crucial and it needs to be taught. Children copy adults.

So if you are lighting matches and smoking or lighting candles, chances are your child will be interested in doing the same.

Source: www.mychildsafety.net

Animal safety tips for kids

2009-09-01T18:10:00.000+07:00

Avoid the face and head area when petting dogs and cats. Stroke along the neck, back, and sides. Cats, unlike dogs, may bite or scratch when rubbed on the belly.
Leave animals alone when eating, sleeping, chewing on a toy, or caring for its babies.
Pay attention to warning signs – an animal that is growling or hissing wants to be left alone!
Explain to your child that animals may be startled by loud, high-pitched screams or noises and sudden movements.
Never approach an animal you do not know. Animals in vehicles and yards may behave aggressive and territorial and are likely to bite. Always ask permission from an animal’s owner before approaching a friend, neighbor, or acquaintance’s animal – even if you have played with the animal in the past.
Never approach an animal that appears injured or sick.
Never approach stray animals.
Teach your child not to run when approached by a strange dog. Running may provoke the dog to chase and attack. Teach your child to act like a “tree” by standing still and staring straight ahead until the dog leaves or acting like a “rock” if sitting or knocked to the ground by curling up in a ball keeping his/her hands over his/her ears. If a dog attacks teach your child to throw something like a backpack or coat for the dog to bite.
If your child is responsible for cleaning animal cages, litter boxes, or cleaning up the yard after a dog have him/her wear rubber gloves and always wash his/her hands when done.
Keep food dishes and litter boxes out of reach of babies and toddlers.

Source : www.mychildsafety.net

Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)

2009-08-01T18:15:00.001+07:00

Disaster recovery is the process, policies and procedures related to preparing for recovery or continuation of technology infrastructure critical to an organization after a natural or human-induced disaster.

Disaster recovery planning is a subset of a larger process known as business continuity planning and should include planning for resumption of applications, data, hardware, communications (such as networking) and other IT infrastructure. A business continuity plan (BCP) includes planning for non-IT related aspects such as key personnel, facilities, crisis communication and reputation protection, and should refer to the disaster recovery plan (DRP) for IT related infrastructure recovery / continuity. This article focuses on disaster recovery planning as related to IT infrastructure.

Classification of Disasters

Disaster can be classified in two broad categories. Viz, 1) Natural disasters- Preventing a natural disaster is very difficult, but it is possible to take precautions to avoid losses. These disasters include flood, fire, earthquake, hurricane, smog, etc 2) Man made disasters- These disasters are major reasons for failure. Human error and intervention may be intentional or unintentional which can cause massive failures such as loss of communication and utility. These disasters include accidents, walkouts, sabotage, burglary, virus, intrusion, etc.

General steps to follow while creating BCP/DRP

1. Identify the scope and boundaries of business continuity plan.
First step enables us to define scope of BCP. It provides an idea for limitations and boundaries of plan. It also includes audit and risk analysis reports for institution’s assets.
2. Conduct a business impact analysis (BIA).
Business impact analysis is study and assessment of financial losses to institution resulting from destructive event as unavailability of important business services.
3. Sell the concept of BCP to upper management and obtain organizational and financial commitment.
Convincing senior management to approve BCP/DRP is key task. It is very important for security professional to get approval for plan from upper management to bring it to effect.
4. Each department will need to understand its role in plan and support to maintain it.
In case of disaster, each department has to be prepared for the action. To recover and to protect the critical systems each department has to understand the plan follows it accordingly. It is also important to maintain and help in creation of plan for each individual department.
5. The BCP project team must implement the plan.
After approval from upper management plan should be maintained and implemented. Implementation team should follow the guidelines procedures in plan.
6. NIST tool set can be used for doing BCP.
National Institute of standards and Technologies has published tools which can help in creating BCP.

Source: Wikipedia

The Proactive Process: Identify - Anticipate - Analyze - Recommend - Implement

2009-07-01T16:56:00.000+07:00

The proactive improvement process first identifies a hazard and anticipates the potential injury if the hazard is not corrected. Next, the hazard is analyzed to see if engineering and/or management controls might be used to eliminate or reduce exposure. The information gathered from the analysis is then used to produce recommendations. Finally, the recommended corrective actions and system improvements are implemented in the workplace.

The proactive improvement process predicts to prevent. Proactive strategies look forward. By emphasizing accident prevention, management sends a message of caring to all employees.

The safety professional attempts to identify and analyze hazardous conditions and unsafe behaviors in order to predict future accidents. Proactive strategies are always less expensive than reactive strategies. Remember, proactive programs are implemented to prevent future injuries and illnesses. Here are some characteristics of proactive safety and health programs:

Accident analysis program to primarily determine system weaknesses. The employer conducts an analysis of the accident event to discover and improve safety management system weaknesses that may have contributed to the accident.

Hazard identification and correction. Everyone is involved in identifying hazardous conditions by conducting periodic personal safety checks and inspections. Actions are initiated immediately to correct hazardous conditions.

Behavioral analysis and correction. Employee behaviors are observed, analyzed and corrected. Focusing on employee behaviors may be quite effective in making dramatic improvements to workplace safety because most accidents, by far, are caused by unsafe or inappropriate behaviors.

Employee wellness program. Employees are engaged in one or more programs that improve their physical and psychological wellness.

Incentive and Recognition program. Employees are recognized for professional/safe behaviors that help prevent accidents in the workplace. Complying with safety rules, active participation on safety teams, and making suggestions are examples of proactive behaviors that are recognized.

Safety committee/team. An active safety team that performs as an internal problem-solving consultant group.

Education and training. All employees receive comprehensive safety education and training and are certified competent and qualified to perform hazardous tasks. Everyone is somehow involved in the safety education and training plan.

Job Hazard Analysis (JHA). All hazardous tasks are analyzed to uncover hazards and develop preventive measures.

Mandatory OR-OSHA safety programs. The company has designed and implemented written plans for the various rule-required safety programs (lockout/tagout, confined Space program, accountability system, etc.)

What Actually Happens in the Brain When Someone Has An Epileptic Fit?

2009-06-01T19:58:00.000+07:00

Seizures can be provoked not only by epilepsy, a long-lasting disorder, but by more specific events - head injury, drug abuse (particularly of cocaine), and drug or alcohol withdrawal, for instance. They may even be the first sign of a brain tumor, blood clot, or hemorrhage.

In any such instance, during a seizure or fit, nerve cells in at least one area of the brain emit a synchronized burst of electric charges, stimulating adjoining cells. The resulting symptoms depend on where in the brain the abnormal activity originates: Ift it's in the region responsible for sensory processing, the person having the seizure may notice a strange odor, hallucinate, or hear voices. If it occurs in the area controlling muscle movement, the epileptic may suffer violent muscle contractions. If the seizure becomes generalized, involving most of the brain, the patient loses consciousness. In some generalized seizures, the victim falls to the ground with rhythmic jerking of the limbs; in others, called absence seizures, she seems to be awake but loses touch with her surroundings.

Don't panic if you're present when someone has a seizure, but do call for medical assistance immediately. Gently get the person on the ground - preferably lying on her side. Never restrain her limbs or try to force anyting into her mouth or between her teeth.

Source from http://luponfirehouse.blogspot.com/search/label/Health

The Aerobic Antidote

2009-04-28T18:56:00.000+07:00

"The more one exercises, the milder the physiological response to stress."

From traffic jams to a death in the family, the stresses of life assault one's calm, harry the soul and one's well-being. One relaxation methos is to collapse in an armchair; another; to turn to Scotch or Valium. A better way to unwind is exercise.

Runners, typically, swear their sport boosts energy levels and improves frame of mind. Research breaks them up. Studies confirm that regular aerobic exercise - where heart rate stays elevated to 70 percent of maximum for twenty to thirty minutes at least three times a week - not only improves one's physiological state by conditioning the heart and lowering blood pressure but also relieves depression and fatigue.

One reason for these boons to physical as weel as psychological well-being may be the calming effect of exercise has on muscle tension. According to research at the University of Southern California, physical activity has the same, and sometimes an even greater, effect on relieving muscular tension as a tranquilizer.

Strenous exercise - as well stress and fear - fling the body into "fight for flight" readiness: muscles tense and hormones such as adrenaline cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. But the more one exercises, the milder the physiological responce to stress; as the body learns to react less intensely it begins to return to normal more quickly.

"Aerobic fitness drastically reduces one's physiological to stress," saya David Holmes, Ph. D., a University of Kansas at Lawrence psychologist trained in exercise physiology. "Aerobic fitness onot only lowers resting heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension; but the aerobically fit person is more relaxed and less prone to illness under stress."

Exercise also stimulates the production of endorphins, hormones that provide an intense workout's pleasurable afterglow. Says Florida State University's Bruce W. Tuckman, Ph.D., "Any form of frequently repeated aerobic exercise is positve addiction." The mental satisfaction and relief of fulfilling this requirements is an important factor in the relaxation equation.

Until recently, it was thought that only rhythmic aerobic activities, such as biking, running and swimming, reduced tension. But according to James M. Rippie, M.D., director of Massachusetts Medical School, even casual walking for fortyminutes can significantly reduce blood pressure, tension, and anxiety.

Eating, taking a shower, sitting quietly in an armchair, or listening to relaxation tapes have been shown to signigicantly reduce tension. All provide an important time-out from life's hassles, a potentially crucial factor in tendion reduction, says William P. Morgan, Ed.D., a consin-Madison. Likewise, softball, voleyball, or bowling can also provide a valuable opportunity to unwind but won't condition one's body. Weight lifting and Nautilus-type exercises - so called "anaerobic" activities - on the other hand won't help one relax. "Anaerobic exercise does not have any of the positive effects of aerobic exercise," states Holmes. "In fact, it's very deleterious."

High-adventure sports such as hang gliding, white-water rafting, and mountain climbing may promote relaxation (assuming a person feels in control) because they force a person to focus fully on what she's doing. Dr. Rippe speculates that these sports may be stressful to some people while relaxing to others.

Competitive sports have the same double edge. Playing a hard game of tennis or racquetball will help condition the body; but if a person is tense about winning or upset about losing it, it won't promote relaxation.

"It all depends on how you respond to competition," says Dr. Rippe. "Although there's no specific data on this , the vast majority of recreational athletes get more relaxation out of aerobic activities than competitive ones."

If relaxation is your goal, Dr. Rippe recommends sticking to rhythmic aerobic sports, e.g., aerobic dance, cycling, swimming, running.

"Exercise is a wonderful way to relieve tension and anxiety. But there's more than one way of doing it," he says. To choose the best way, one must like the sport, look forward to it, and most important, at the end of it, to feel relaxed.
(by John Etra from A Little Piece of Quiet)

Hearing Protection

2009-03-27T08:42:00.000+07:00

Hearing protection must be available at no cost to all employees exposed to an 8-hour TWA of 85 dB. Wearing of hearing protection that offers adequate noise reduction is mandatory for employees exposed at 90 dB TWA. In addition, if an employee has had a standard threshold shift, they must wear hearing protection at 85 decibels or more.
(a) The employer must ensure proper initial fitting of the hearing protectors, supervise the correct use of them, and provide training in the use and care of the hearing protectors.
(b) The employees must have the chance to select the hearing protectors from a variety of appropriate hearing protectors and the hearing protectors must reduce the noise to at least an 8-hour TWA of 90 decibels.
(c) When noise exposure increases enough that the hearing protectors may no longer give proper protection, reevaluate the adequacy of the protectors noise reduction. Provide more effective hearing protection where necessary.

Noise Monitoring

2009-03-02T17:12:00.000+07:00

Employers must use a noise sampling strategy that determines which employees need to be part of a hearing conservation program. This sampling will also determine their need for hearing protection or when to consider engineering controls.
(a) Use a sound level meter or a dosimeter to do noise level surveys over an 8-hour period to get a time-weighted average. When the employees are mobile or there are significant changes in the sound level or impulse noise components, you must use representative personal sampling unless area samples produce equal results.
(b) Repeat the noise surveys when there is a change in production, process, equipment or controls that increases noise levels or exposures to or above the action level. Also repeat the surveys if the increase in noise may require additional noise reduction from hearing protectors already in use.
(c) Notify each monitored employee of the noise monitoring results if the exposure was at or above the 85 decibel TWA.
(d) The employer must give affected employees or their representatives the opportunity to observe the noise survey process.

WARNING: Employer responsibilities in this standard require special knowledge and equipment to be done successfully. In most cases it is advisable and in some cases mandatory to have these tests done by a professional.

Noise Exposure

2009-02-22T08:09:00.000+07:00

(1) You must have a noise monitoring program when an employee’s exposure equals or is more than an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 decibels (dB).
NOTE: Most large or older farm machines and tractors, especially those without cabs, have the potential to produce more than 85 decibels of noise. Audiologists often say that if you have to shout or significantly raise your voice to talk with somebody 2 feet away, the noise is probably at the action level of 85 decibels.
(2) Noise classified as impulse or impact noise cannot be more than 140 dB peak sound
pressure level.
NOTE: These noises are sudden and sharp and include such things as the firing of a weapon and sudden release of pressurized air.

Confined Spaces – Winery Vessels

2009-02-12T19:00:00.000+07:00

Work at a winery can expose individuals to life-threatening situations. When cleaning or emptying tanks, and checking the fermentation process, employees are sometimes directed to bodily enter a tank or place their head inside a tank. The air inside a tank or vat may not be suffi cient to support life when gases such as carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide have displaced oxygen. If the air is not tested prior to exposure, the result can be deadly.
Recent OR-OSHA inspections revealed serious deficiencies in some of the procedures used in
tank entry. Exposure to gases produced in the process of wine making can be deadly and the
practice of using fans to purge the air inside a tank prior to entry is often not enough. Testing
must be done to determine safe oxygen levels. The use of an oxygen meter is among approved
methods.
Note: Odor and other sensations are not good indicators of dangers that may be present. A common misconception is that gases associated with the process of wine making can be detected by a specifi c odor. Some common gases, such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, are odorless.
When tanks, vats, or other vessels are present in the workplace, you must determine which
confi ned space procedures apply. Generally, all winery tanks are permit-required confi ned
spaces. In order to meet administrative requirements, employers are required to:

Evaluate the work environment for confi ned spaces
Identify hazards to employees
Develop written procedures to protect employees from those hazards
Train employees in the procedures established

Resource links:
1910.146, Permit-Required Confi ned Spaces rule: www.cbs.state.or.us/external/osha/pdf/rules/division_2/1910-146.pdf
Fact sheet: Confi ned Space www.cbs.state.or.us/external/osha/pdf/pubs/fact_sheets/fs11.pdf
Pamphlet: Confi ned Space; Not Designed to be Occupied www.cbs.state.or.us/externalosha/pdf/pubs/2864.pdf

Noise Engineering Controls

2009-01-10T20:16:00.006+07:00

If the noise survey results are more than in Table 1 below, use administrative or engineering controls to reduce the noise, if feasible. If not feasible or if the engineering or administrative controls fail to reduce the noise to levels within Table 1 limits, provide appropriate training and enforce the use of hearing protection to reduce the noise to levels within the Table
(a) You must provide all hearing protection equipment and devices without cost to the employee. Employees may voluntarily elect to use their own equipment but the employer is responsible to assure that it provides adequate protection.
(b) All hearing protection equipment and devices must be kept serviceable and clean according to the manufacturer’s recommendations or accepted audiological practices.
Table
Permissible Noise Exposures
Duration per day, hours -- Sound level dBA slow response
8 -- 90
6 -- 92
4 -- 95
3 -- 97
2 -- 100
1 1/2 -- 102
1 -- 105
1/2 -- 110
1/4 or less -- 115

What is Kaizen?

2009-01-08T20:02:00.003+07:00

Kaizen means "improvement". Kaizen strategy calls for never-ending efforts for improvement involving everyone in the organization – managers and workers alike.

Kaizen and Management
Management has two major components:
1. maintenance, and
2. improvement.

The objective of the maintenance function is to maintain current technological, managerial, and operating standards. The improvement function is aimed at improving current standards.

Under the maintenance function, the management must first establish policies, rules, directives and standard operating procedures (SOPs) and then work towards ensuring that everybody follows SOP. The latter is achieved through a combination of discipline and human resource development measures.

Under the improvement function, management works continuously towards revising the current standards, once they have been mastered, and establishing higher ones. Improvement can be broken down between innovation and Kaizen. Innovation involves a drastic improvement in the existing process and requires large investments. Kaizen signifies small improvements as a result of coordinated continuous efforts by all employees.

Employee Empowerment: the Suggestion System

Suggestion systems are a valuable opportunity for worker self-development as well as for two-way communication in the workshop. Suggestion systems make employees Kaizen-conscious and provide an opportunity for the workers to speak out with their supervisors as well as among themselves.

The suggestion system is an integral part of an established management system that aims at involving employees in Kaizen. The number of worker's suggestions is regarded as an important criteria in reviewing the performance of the worker's supervisor and the manager of the supervisor.

The Japanese management encourages employees to generate a great number of suggestions and works hard to consider and implement these suggestions, often incorporating them into the overall Kaizen strategy. Management also gives due recognition to employee's efforts for improvement. An important aspect of the suggestion system is that each suggestion, once implemented, leads to an upgraded standard.

Quality control (QC) circles can be viewed as a group-oriented suggestion system for making improvements. QC circle is a small group that voluntarily performs quality-control activities in the workplace.

Total quality control (TQC) involves everyone in the organization and is aimed at improvement of managerial performance at all levels.

According to Masaaki Imai, author of Kaizen: The Key To Japan's Competitive Success, Japanese managers have more leeway in implementing employee suggestions that Western counterparts. Japanese managers are willing to go along with a change if it contributes to any of the seven goals of the suggestion system. This is a sharp contrast to the Western manager's almost exclusive concern with the cost of the change and its economic payback.

What is 5S?

2008-12-24T17:05:00.003+07:00

5S is a method for organizing a workplace, especially a shared workplace (like a shop floor or an office space), and keeping it organized. It's sometimes referred to as a housekeeping methodology, however this characterization can be misleading, as workplace organization goes beyond housekeeping (see discussion of "Seiton" below).

The key targets of 5S are workplace morale and efficiency. The assertion of 5S is, by assigning everything a location, time is not wasted by looking for things. Additionally, it is quickly obvious when something is missing from its designated location. Advocates of 5S believe the benefits of this methodology come from deciding what should be kept, where it should be kept, and how it should be stored. This decision making process usually comes from a dialog about standardization which builds a clear understanding, between employees, of how work should be done. It also instills ownership of the process in each employee.

In addition to the above, another key distinction between 5S and "standardized cleanup" is Seiton. Seiton is often misunderstood, perhaps due to efforts to translate into an English word beginning with "S" (such as "sort" or "straighten"). The key concept here is to order items or activities in a manner to promote work flow. For example, tools should be kept at the point of use, workers should not have to repetitively bend to access materials, flow paths can be altered to improve efficiency, etc.

The 5S's are:

Phase 1 - Seiri (整理) Sorting: Going through all the tools, materials, etc., in the plant and work area and keeping only essential items. Everything else is stored or discarded.

Phase 2 - Seiton (整頓) Straighten or Set in Order: Focuses on efficiency. When we translate this to "Straighten or Set in Order", it sounds like more sorting or sweeping, but the intent is to arrange the tools, equipment and parts in a manner that promotes work flow. For example, tools and equipment should be kept where they will be used (i.e. straighten the flow path), and the process should be set in an order that maximizes efficiency.

Phase 3 - Seisō (清掃) Sweeping or Shining: Systematic Cleaning or the need to keep the workplace clean as well as neat. At the end of each shift, the work area is cleaned up and everything is restored to its place. This makes it easy to know what goes where and have confidence that everything is where it should be. The key point is that maintaining cleanliness should be part of the daily work - not an occasional activity initiated when things get too messy.

Phase 4 - Seiketsu (清潔) Standardizing: Standardized work practices or operating in a consistent and standardized fashion. Everyone knows exactly what his or her responsibilities are to keep above 3S's.

Phase 5 - Shitsuke (躾) Sustaining: Refers to maintaining and reviewing standards. Once the previous 4S's have been established, they become the new way to operate. Maintain the focus on this new way of operating, and do not allow a gradual decline back to the old ways of operating. However, when an issue arises such as a suggested improvement, a new way of working, a new tool or a new output requirement, then a review of the first 4S's is appropriate.

A sixth phase "Safety" is sometimes added. Purists, however, argue that adding it is unnecessary since following 5S correctly will result in a safe work environment.

There will have to be continuous education about maintaining standards. When there are changes that will affect the 5S programme -- such as new equipment, new products or new work rules -- it is essential to make changes in the standards and provide training. A good way to continue educating employees and maintaining standards is to use 5S posters and signs.

Source by Wikipedia

Why Mouth-to-Mouth During CPR is Not Necessary

2008-12-22T17:48:00.004+07:00

The push to remove mouth to mouth from CPR has been controversial in the world of CPR training. The idea is gaining ground; the American Heart Association now recommends hands-only CPR -- skipping rescue breathing -- for untrained rescuers who see a victim collapse in front of them.

Those who have been trained for years often resist the change. Emergency care providers, from the CPR certified to the EMT to the ER doctor, have been indoctrinated in the ABCs of emergency care:

Airway
Breathing
Circulation

We've all been taught to make sure the victim has an airway first, and if the victim is not breathing, to breathe air into the victim with mouth-to-mouth. Only then, if the victim does not have a pulse or signs of circulation, should we compress the chest to pump blood through the body.

Why Do We Focus on Breathing?

Airway and breathing are vital, there's no question about that. The proof is in the brain. Our brains most basic needs are centered in our brain stems, and the most basic is the need to breathe. Even as the rest of the brain is damaged from illness or injury, one of the absolute last functions to go will be the drive to breathe.
Even the structures that support breathing are built to be protected. Nerves that move the diaphragm, a muscle in the base of the chest used for breathing, are found at the very top of the spinal cord so they'll be the last nerves damaged if the spinal cord is injured. Those are the nerves the late Christopher Reeve damaged when he fell off a horse, leaving him on a ventilator for the rest of his life.
Our focus on airway is not misguided; we took our cue from the body itself. Unfortunately, we missed a major point. While breathing is the most important item on the brain's to-do list, pumping blood isn't even up to the brain to remember. Pumping blood is a function of the heart, and the heart does it without even being told.

Why the Heart is More Important than the Brain

Our heart muscle is the only muscle tissue in the body that doesn't require an outside stimulus to contract. It happens automatically. The heart can pump blood even as the brain is trying to focus on breathing. When the brain loses the ability to direct breathing, the heart will still be pumping blood until it completely runs out of energy.
So the brain keeps air going in and out while the heart keeps blood going around and around. They work together, but they're independent. If the brain stops working, the heart can continue. On the other hand, if the heart stops, so does the brain.

The Oxygen Superhighway

The circulatory system (heart and blood vessels) and respiratory system (lungs and airways) work together like a supply chain, moving oxygen to body tissues and removing carbon dioxide. The bloodstream is the highway, with main arteries and a network of side streets, all with one-way traffic. The lungs are like a giant loading dock where oxygen is provided and carbon dioxide is collected.
Imagine a truck on a highway. That truck's goal is to always be full and on the road. Moving cargo is his way of making money.
He has just left the dock with a load of oxygen on his way to a bunch of factories that need it for fuel. He'll drive through the biggest interchange in the whole system - the heart - and then take the aorta freeway. Just past the turnpike, he'll take the carotid artery exit heading to the brain. Once he gets there, he'll drop off a little bit of his oxygen - whatever the brain cells need - and pick up a little carbon dioxide.
Now he's heading back to the dock with a truckload partly of oxygen and partly of carbon dioxide. He's still loaded, just the mix of his cargo is a little different. When he gets to the dock, he'll drop off carbon dioxide and pick up more oxygen for another trip around.
The lungs have taken a breath, transferring the carbon dioxide out and bringing fresh oxygen in. The loading dock is ready for the trucker to return. If there's a problem at the loading dock (the lungs didn't breathe for some reason), he can go on around one more time with the cargo he already has. The little truck carries enough oxygen for a few delivery trips.

Tragedy Strikes

Every once in a while, there's an accident on the interchange and the whole system stops. The body's version of bumper-to-bumper, standstill traffic is cardiac arrest.
When that happens, the most important thing is to get traffic moving (blood pumping) again. Replenishing the loading dock won't help (taking a breath) because the trucks can't get there to pick up the oxygen anyway (blood's not moving). Remember, the trucks carry enough oxygen to deliver two or three times, not to mention several trucks are on the aorta freeway (and other big arteries) that haven't even had a chance to deliver oxygen at all yet.

Bottom Line: Push Hard, Push Fast

The body's transportation system is the most important. It's not complicated - not nearly as complicated as the brain is, anyway - but it is vital to keep the other parts working. It takes a few pumps to get the blood moving. Stopping chest compressions to do mouth-to-mouth interrupts that flow.
Two studies have clearly showed a benefit to chest compressions without mouth-to-mouth. It's time to consider changing the way CPR is taught. Focusing on pumping blood during CPR, rather than on moving air, makes a lot of sense.

Sources:
Ewy, GA, et al."Cardiocerebral resuscitation for cardiac arrest." Am J Med. Jan 2006 & Rod Brauhard

Defensive Driving

2008-12-20T16:42:00.002+07:00

Driving safety is one of the most overlooked safety related issues in America. Hundreds of people die in motor vehicle accidents every day. In fact, someone dies almost every ten minutes due to an auto related tragedy. Among people between the ages of 5 and 34, auto accidents are responsible for the highest percentage of deaths in the United Sates.

Stay Alert

Develop good visual habits, like staying alert and aware of your surroundings. Keep an eye out for trees, shrubs, signs or buildings that may block your view. Watch for pedestrians and potential road hazards at all times. Continuously scan the road for potential hazards: Your attention span and concentration level is almost directly proportional to the amount that your eyes are moving. Constant eye movement will keep your attention level high.Driving can often be monotonous, especially when traveling long distances, causing drivers to form the bad habit of staring at one particular thing up ahead, like the road or the bumper of the car immediately in front of them. Try not to develop a fixed stare; instead, look beyond the car or cars ahead of you. If something happens up ahead, you want to see t he event happen. The brake lights of the car immediately ahead of you alone do not make a good enough early warning system—Staying alert and aware of your surroundings at all times helps you avoid problems down the road.

Never Assume

You should never make assumptions about other driver’s intentions—Doing so could lead to a collision. For example, let’s say that you are attempting to turn left and you see only one car approaching. The oncoming car has its signal lamp on; to indicate that it is going to turn right—Should you execute your turn? The best strategy is to wait and see if the oncoming car is actually going to turn. Sometimes another driver can have his signal lamp on and not even realize it. Once you see that the other driver is actually turning, then it is safe to proceed. In addition, don’t assume that another driver will obey traffic control devices such as stop lights or stop signs. Finally, never assume the right of way in any situation.

Skid Techniques

When your car starts to skid, it can be a very frightening experience. On slippery or wet roads, skidding can cause you to lose control of your vehicle because of reduced traction. Keep in mind that if you get into a skid, you are not helpless—There are techniques you can do to pull yourself out of a skid, or avoid one altogether. With any type of skid, the most important thing to remember is to not panic and hit your brakes, or the skid will worsen. Also, you want to slowly take your foot off of the gas pedal. In addition, you need to respond quickly and accurately, and keep your vehicle’s front tires aligned with your intended path so that when you regain control you will be moving in the desired direction. In front wheel drive vehicles, slight acceleration when steering in the desired direction is recommended to help regain traction. Finally, your ability to remain calm and to concentrate on the necessary corrective measures tha t you need to take will greatly help your chances of pulling out of any skid.

Three-Second Rule

A commonly used method for allowing yourself proper following distance is the "Three- Second Rule”. Since it is difficult to visually estimate the distance in between your car and the car ahead of you, the idea is to use time instead to leave a cushion or space. If you three-second space cushion, you're giving yourself time to react and brake if something happens up ahead.
This is how to apply the Three-Second Rule: when the car or truck in front of you crosses a certain fixed object on the side of the road, (like a sign or tree) you should not cross that same point for three seconds. Just count "one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three." If you reach that fixed spot before you get to three, you are not leaving enough of a cushion.

Escape Techniques

One of the most important things you can do when driving is to leave yourself an ‘out’—That is, drive defensively to ensure that you don’t find yourself trapped in a hazardous traffic situation. An important thing to consider is that it is quicker to steer to avoid a collision than it is to stop at faster highway speeds. Therefore, the following situations are examples where it is especially important to leave yourself an ‘out’ in order to compensate for the possibility of not being able to stop in time:

When Being Tailgated: If a driver is following too closely and you are forced to suddenly stop, you run the risk of being rear-ended. Therefore, it’s especially important to have an “escape path” to steer to in the event of an emergency.
When Vision Is Blocked Or Visibility Poor: 18-wheelers or vans can block your view ahead. You will have less of a chance of seeing potential problems far ahead and therefore will be slow to react if the truck ahead suddenly stops. As a result, you need to ensure that you have an “out” or a space to steer to.
When Speed Is Increased: The distance required to stop at faster highway speeds is increased; however as mentioned previously it’s quicker to steer than it is to stop at faster highway speeds.
When Adverse Roadway Or Weather Conditions Exist: All adverse road conditions warrant the importance of having an escape route to the sides as a safety net for the loss of traction and increased braking distance.
When following a Motorcycle: Keep in mind that a motorcyclist is more vulnerable to injury or death because they have less protection than a motorist. Always make sure to leave yourself an ‘out’ in case the motorcycle suddenly stops.

About the Author: Chris Kramer is a content writer for both TrafficSchool.com and Drivers Ed Direct. Check out our websites for more information about online traffic school or drivers education for teens.

Success Likelihood Index Method (SLIM)

2008-12-06T18:30:00.002+07:00

Success Likelihood Index Method (SLIM) is a technique used in the field of Human reliability Assessment (HRA), for the purposes of evaluating the probability of a human error occurring throughout the completion of a specific task. From such analyses measures can then be taken to reduce the likelihood of errors occurring within a system and therefore lead to an improvement in the overall levels of safety. There exist three primary reasons for conducting an HRA; error identification, error quantification and error reduction. As there exist a number of techniques used for such purposes, they can be split into one of two classifications; first generation techniques and second generation techniques. First generation techniques work on the basis of the simple dichotomy of ‘fits/doesn’t fit’ in the matching of the error situation in context with related error identification and quantification and second generation techniques are more theory based in their assessment and quantification of errors. ‘HRA techniques have been utilised in a range of industries including healthcare, engineering, nuclear, transportation and business sector; each technique has varying uses within different disciplines.
SLIM is a decision-analytic approach to HRA which uses expert judgement to quantify Performance Shaping Factors (PSFs); factors concerning the individuals, environment or task, which have the potential to either positively or negatively effect performance e.g. available task time. Such factors are used to derive a Success Likelihood Index (SLI), a form of preference index, which is calibrated against existing data to derive a final Human Error Probability (HEP). The PSF’s which require to be considered are chosen by experts and are namely those factors which are regarded as most significant in relation to the context in question.
The technique consists of two modules: MAUD (multi-attribute utility decomposition) which scales the relative success likelihood in performing a range of tasks, given the PSFs probable to affect human performance; and SARAH (Systematic Approach to the Reliability Assessment of Humans) which calibrates these success scores with tasks with known HEP values, to provide an overall figure.

Computer Ergonomic

2008-12-04T19:42:00.009+07:00

A model of visual and musculoskeletal strain associated with computer monitor placement was developed. The main premise of which is that monitor placement decisions must take into consideration development of both visual and musculoskeletal strains. Certain factors in the model that were thought to affect one or both types of strain, or that were considered important to rule out for effect, were tested in a lab setting. These factors were viewing angle (eye level, midlevel, low level), monitor size (14 in., 19 in.), keyboard familiarity (touch typist, non-touch typist), and task (reading, mousing, typing). Outcomes included indicators of visual and musculoskeletal strain, preference, and performance. Muscle activity was generally greater for the low viewing angle, for the standard monitor (14 in.), and for non-touch typists. Participants preferred the midlevel placement. Task performance was slightly diminished with eye-level placement. Results are interpreted in relation to the model and to several hypotheses that were formed to focus the inquiry. Actual or potential applications of this research include monitor placement decisions in the design or modification of computer workstations.

Washington Times

Physical therapist John Kuhn starts with the chair when he evaluates ergonomics for an employee of Inova Health Systems in Fairfax.

In the case of Anne Maddox, a risk manager for Inova, her chair was positioned correctly and only needed to have a separate lumbar support moved up two inches, says Mr. Kuhn, senior physical therapist assistant and industrial rehabilitation specialist for the Inova Physical Therapy Center in Ashburn, Va.

The objective for correcting ergonomics is to help prevent fatigue and injury and enhance employee productivity, Mr. Kuhn says.

He visited Ms. Maddox at Fair Oaks Medical Plaza earlier this month after she had complained of shoulder and arm pain. He told her that her feet should be flat on the floor, her knees just below her hips, and her wrists in a neutral position without bending upward or downward. To achieve this positioning, he moved her computer from the left side of her desk to directly in front of her so the monitor was at eye level, and he moved the mouse and keyboard with wrist guard closer to the desk edge.

Ms. Maddox says the changes "will keep me from straining my neck to the left side as I do computer [work] and paperwork at the same time."

"You want to design the workplace around the worker," Mr. Kuhn says. "You want anything they use frequently to be accessible to them."

Ergonomics is the correct use of body posture to prevent musculoskeletal injury not only at work, but during any activity of daily living, says LaVerne Tuckson, coordinator of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus of Montgomery College.

Poor posture causes some muscles to be elongated and weakened and the opposing muscles to become shortened, with poor blood flow, Ms. Tuckson says.

"The indication of that is pain," she adds.

Pain can occur in the upper and lower back, neck, shoulders, arms, wrists and other parts of the body from injuries in the muscles, joints, nerves, tendons and ligaments. Doing repetitive tasks, working in one position and enduring loads and forces on the body can cause pain and injury.

Ignoring ergonomics also can be harmful if many hours are spent working in front of a computer, says Rani Lueder, president of Humanics ErgoSystems Inc., an ergonomics consulting firm in Encino, Calif., and member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

More and more people use computers at work, increasing from an hour or two a day in the mid-1980s to as many as eight hours, plus overtime, Ms. Lueder says. "We could sit in chairs that were improperly adjusted in the 1980s and it didn''t matter," she says.

The word ergonomics derives from the Greek "ergon," or work, and "nomos," or laws, or the science of work.

"It''s the study of making the work area fit the body so the body doesn''t have to work out of its comfort zone," says Wendy Young, president of Ergopro, a Bellaire, Texas- based provider of ergonomics training, consulting services and ergonomics products.

The comfort zone is the area around the body that doesn''t require reaching or leaning forward, bending backward, twisting to the side or overextending, Ms. Young says.

Physical therapist Gad Alon recommends frequently changing positions while working at a desk to prevent loading (putting weight and stress) on any one area of the body.

"The principle is well-known in biomechanics that a static situation is not good," says Mr. Alon, associate professor of physical therapy and rehabilitation science at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. He holds a doctorate in biomechanics and kinesiology, the science of movement analysis. "Our body is designed to be moving," he says.

Ms. Lauder recommends standing up and doing stretching exercises while at the desk and taking rest breaks, preferably several in a day instead of one long break.

"The idea of rest breaks is to prevent things from happening and to provide recovery time so you don''t become injured," Ms. Lauder says.

Paying attention to ergonomics makes good business sense, says Kaleel Ahmed, business unit manager for the work-space solutions unit of 3M in St. Paul, Minn. "Comfort is one of the keys to being productive," Mr. Ahmed says.

"Ergonomics is about finding your most comfortable position." Finding a comfortable position when using a laptop, however, can be more difficult because the keyboard is connected to the screen. Hewlett Packard places a label on its laptops sending customers to a Web site for ergonomics information.

"It educates people on neutral postures to maximize comfort and productivity," says John Gargiulo, HP global program manager for ergonomics and industrial hygiene in Roseville, Calif. HP advises customers to use external attachments, including a keyboard, mouse and notebook or laptop stand, if they plan to use the laptop for more than one or two hours at a time, Mr. Gargiulo says.

"There is no perfect posture we can stick you in that you''re going to be comfortable in for eight hours," he says. "We''re trying to avoid static postures that are non- neutral."

The same checklist for proper ergonomics for computer and laptop use can be applied to driving, says Anne Kramer, chief executive officer of Ergo Works Inc., a full-service ergonomics company in Palo Alto, Calif. Mrs. Kramer recommends adjusting the seat so one foot is on the floor, and he says the driver''s arms should be relaxed at his or her sides when the hands are holding the steering wheel. The knees also should be bent at 40 degrees to 45 degrees and a lumbar support used to support the back, especially for long distances, says Dr. Janaki Kalyanam, chairwoman of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Howard University Hospital in Northwest. "The knee is flexed so pressure doesn''t occur by holding the knee in place," Dr. Kalyanam says.

However, most ergonomics-related pain and injuries from driving are in the lower back and pelvis, Mr. Alon says, adding that car seats typically have a poor ergonomic design, allowing the driver to sink into the seat, putting pressure on the lumbar area. "The key is to be mobile and not to stay in any given position more than you have to," he says.

System safety and reliability engineering

2008-11-17T19:53:00.003+07:00

System safety and reliability engineering is an engineering discipline. Continuous changes in technology, environmental regulation and public safety concerns make the analysis of complex safety-critical systems more and more demanding.
A common fallacy, for example among electrical engineers regarding structure power systems, is that safety issues can be readily deduced. In fact, safety issues have been discovered one by one, over more than a century in the case mentioned, in the work of many thousands of practitioners, and cannot be deduced by a single individual over a few decades. A knowledge of the literature, the standards and custom in a field is a critical part of safety engineering. A combination of theory and track record of practices is involved, and track record indicates some of the areas of theory that are relevant. (In the USA, persons with a state license in Professional Engineering in Electrical Engineering are expected to be competent in this regard, the foregoing notwithstanding, but most electrical engineers have no need of the license for their work.)
Safety is often seen as one of a group of related disciplines: quality, reliability, availability, maintainability and safety. (Availability is sometimes not mentioned, on the principle that it is a simple function of reliability and maintainability.) These issues tend to determine the value of any work, and deficits in any of these areas are considered to result in a cost, beyond the cost of addressing the area in the first place; good management is then expected to minimize total cost.