Lean Sustainability

The Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance defines safety as the maintenance of peace of mind. Without peace of mind, or the serenity brought about by a safe working environment, employees will be unwilling and even unable to focus their energies on production improvement. Thus, it can be said that all improvement begins with safety.

Winner of a 2013 Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award!A how-to manual on the proper integration of safety and environmental sustainability with Lean implementations, Lean Sustainability: Creating Safe, Enduring, and Profitable Operations provides a proven recipe for achieving safety and sustainability excellence. This book is the result of the author’s two decades of experience implementing Lean; Safety, Health, and Environmental (SHE); and sustainability processes in the chemical, food, and consumer products industries. It unveils valuable lessons learned and little-known tips for eliminating waste and increasing process efficiency—while reducing safety incidents and the overall impact on the environment.

The text illustrates how to use the SHE Pillar as a gateway to continuous improvement, regardless of the improvement methodology you use. Bolstered with proven methodologies and real-world advice, it introduces novel approaches for achieving safety and sustainability excellence, including:

Autonomous Safety—supplying employees with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to work safely Triple Zero—the achievement of zero accidents, zero environmental incidents, and zero losses Green Value Stream Mapping—the application of Value Stream Mapping to environmental and sustainability issuesAlthough there are many books on Lean, sustainability, and SHE, few explain how to integrate these dynamic tools. Walking you through this process, this book supplies the tools to create a synergy that will boost efficiencies across all segments of your business. Follow its advice and you’ll be on your way to making your organization and employees Lean, green, and serene.