Transcript ESL - Virtual Vivarium

Reducing the ergonomic challenges
in daily work using lean problem
solving: Replacing Rodent Filter Top
Filters
Jason Fuller, BS, LAT
Assistant Director Facility Operations
Center for Comparative Medicine
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, MA
American Association for Laboratory Animal Science
64th Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX
ID# PS31, October 21, 2014
Center for
Comparative Medicine
– Approximately 130 FTEs
– 8 managed facilities in 3
distinct locations
• Charlestown Navy Yard
• Boston – Beacon Hill Area
• Cambridge – 400 Tech Sq
– Supports Variety of Species
•
•
•
•
•
Rodents
Aquatics
Rabbits
Pigs & Sheep
Non-human Primate
Diverse program with many opportunities and
challenges.
– Implemented Lean Management 2005
Culture of Problem Solving:
Utilizing Your Most Precious Resource
• Staff are expected to bring opportunities
to improve forward.
• Out of the box thinking is encouraged.
• Problems are solved by teams, with
stake holder involvement.
• Management must support the staff
with tools and training.
• Managers must have an effective
knowledge of problem solving &
problem solving tools to support the staff
with their continuous improvement
initiatives.
Problem Solving:
Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA)
•
•
Identify a
problem, idea or
opportunity
Determine the
root cause and
create
countermeasures
or solutions
Plan
Act
•
Establish a
standardized
process
•
Create a list of
action items
•
Assign specific
tasks and set goals
for completion
•
Carry out the plan
Do
Check
•
Determine how
success will be
quantified or qualified
•
Did the plan work out
or do you need to
return to the planning
stage
Problem Solving Worksheet
This Process Doesn't Work!
• Replacing the filter material in
our filter tops is a problem.
– Staff complain about sore thumbs
– Team members avoid this task when
possible
– We are changing more filters
Defective filter tops found throughout the process.
Too hard to replace. About 100 per day (estimated).
Defining Current State
•Filters are supposed to be changed on dirty
side. Some are missed on dirty side and are
washed. Some are found in the animal rooms
and cannot be used
•400 – 600 filters are replaced a month, which
seems to be an increase?
•It takes 24 to 60 seconds to replace the filters.
•There is not time set aside to replace them
during cage processing and they are set aside to
be replaced when time is available. (batching)
•Not all staff are able to perform the task
easily.
•Other facilities experience the same challenges
“I have been doing it this way for
19 years and it has always been a
problem”
Determining the Root Cause
Attempt #1
Why do the filters need replacing?
Washing Cycle
Poor Handling
Chewing from Mice
More Fragile When Wet
Sterilization Process
Potential Solution?
Eliminate Sterilization of Filter Tops?
Not a viable option due to overall process
requirements.
Determining the Root Cause #2
Why is it difficult & time consuming to replace the
filters?
1:
Difficult to do more than a couple at a time for some staff
2: Manual process that takes extreme finger strength to
perform. Determined to be 15 to 20 pounds of pressure
3b:No tool available
3a: Work is batched
that is designed for
4a: Have not
this process
incorporated task
4b:No one has asked
into cage processing
for a tool?
process
Potential Solutions
1. Decrease the batch size and
replace the filters when discovered
2. Use a tool to pry the filter top
apart
3. Assign the task only to those that
can complete the task without
complaint
Check: Determine Results
Incorporating the task into the cage sanitization process improved the process for
some employees but not most. The finger & hand strain was not reduced.
Different tools that were tried were either in-effective or created additional safety
concerns.
Having only staff that can physically handle the task did not allow for effective
team work or coverage of task. Also management was unwilling to subject these
willing staff to this hand strain and potential injuries.
Outside the Box Solution
Challenge your team to think outside the box and seek
resources outside the team and department.
Solution: Design a
new tool for this task.
Action Plan:
1: Define the ideal requirements for a tool to
perform this taks
2: Partner with B&G about potential tools
3: Review B&G proposal and Quote
4: B&G to build arbor press's for this task.
5: Assess the new tool.
Assigned To:
Due Date
Harald & Ops
Team
1-Jun-14
Harald
8-Jun-14
Angie & Jason 22-Jun-14
Henry
Harald
Status
Complete
Complete
Approved
11-Jul-14 Complete
30-Aug-14 In Process
Do: Implement Potential Counter
Measure
Cost: $500 per arbor press, including
modifications and labor
Do: Implement Counter
Measure
Check: Determine Success
Ergonomic assessment, using the American Conference of Governmental
Industrial Hygienists, Threshold Limit Value (TLV) for Hand Activity is the ratio
between the Normalized Peak Force (NPF) and 10 minus the Hand Activity Level
(HAL). TLV = NPF/(10-HAL)
Any ratio/score above 0.78 would indicate a task that needs to be improved and any
task below 0.56 needs no ergonomic improvements. Any task with a finger force
greater than 10 lbs requires modification.
Finger/Thumb
Task:
TLV Ratio
Manual process
1.2
15 - 20 lbs
Using the arbor press
0.1
eliminated
Force
Check: Determine Success
Task Time: 30% more efficient. Saving 87 minutes/month.
Task
Manual
Process
"Prosper
Presses"
Minimum
Maximum
Notes
24s
36s
Not all team members
could perform task.
18s
24s
Act: Deploy New Standard
Steps to Establishing a Standard Process
•Purchase additional “Prosper Presses”
for other campus
•Work with metal shop to design a
single tool (potential improvement)
•Develop SOP for new process
Lean Principles
Develop Exceptional People and
Teams (Principle #10)
Respect Your Extended Network of
Suppliers (Principle #11)
Go and see for Yourself (Principle
#12)
Make Decisions Slowly by
Consensus, Considering all
Options (Principle #13)
Become a Learning Organization
(Principle #14)
Acknowledgements
• Angie Heiser– CCM,
Simches, Facility Manager
• Harald Prosper – CCM,
Simches, Operations Team
Lead
• Henry Williams – MGH
B&G, Metal Shop
• Gerry Cronin – CCM,
Continuous Improvement
Manager
• Simches Operations Team
Staff
Questions?
CCM Mission
•Provide reliable, affordable, and responsive
laboratory animal care and research services in
pursuit of scientific knowledge and medical
breakthroughs
•Avoid or minimize pain and distress in animals
under our care
•Maintain a fulfilling, respectful, and safe workplace