6 SECRETS FOR INCREASING MANUFACTURING PRODUCTIVITY

We’ve all seen it; everything suddenly grinds to a halt in the plant. A part goes missing, a machine breaks down, or workers procrastinate when they should be working. Eventually, production is disrupted, customers are disappointed, and income drops.

High productivity is the holy-grail of the manufacturing industry. When plants are productive, companies are able to produce more products, reduce prices, increase margins, and give staff higher wages. Ultimately, the levels of productivity are what make or break a manufacturing company.

So how do you get sky-high levels of productivity? Here are 6 tried-and-tested secrets that are sure to increase productivity:

1) EMBRACE COMPETITION 

An unexpected observation relating to productivity is that many manufacturing businesses can become unproductive when they are not exposed to enough competition.

A report by the British government found that a historic lack of competition contributed to the UK’s relatively low productivity. The UK’s late entry to the European Economic Area (EEA) meant that British businesses were exposed to international competition at a much later point than their European counterparts, reducing their need for high productivity.

One way to expose your business to increased competition is to start exporting other countries.  Your newfound competitors will have an advantage over your own company in their domestic market, forcing you to become more productive in order to compete. Competition doesn't hinder your business, it makes it stronger.

2) ENCOURAGE LEADERSHIP

Without effective leadership at every level of a manufacturing company, productivity will inevitably suffer. Despite the importance of leadership, many manufacturing companies take an attitude that leadership development naturally sorts itself out; In reality this is extremely unlikely.

To ensure that leadership is desired by employees, companies should raise the attention and significance given to leadership. These cultural changes should be complimented with mentoring schemes, which ensure current employers get a window into the roles and requirements of their leaders before they take on the role.

3) INCREASE INTEREST IN MANUFACTURING

Manufacturing is a broad field, with any area to suit your interest. It covers an almost uncountable number of products, including cars, food, textiles, electronics and more. It then comes as a surprise that many find manufacturing boring!

If employers want to attract the best and most productive employees, they first need to do some ground work of showing people how interesting a career in manufacturing could be. This starts with employers visiting schools, colleges and universities to showcase their field and inspire students.

Opportunities should also be available to do work experience and internships, to give people a taster of the industry.

4) BUILD TRAINING PATHWAYS

One of the most common complaints in British manufacturing is employees' lack of skills. It is easy for the industry to blame other organisations for problem, but ultimately this will not correct the problem. Manufacturing companies must now assume that they need to do the training, and have pathways and processes to develop skilled employees.

Traditional and often mentioned forms of training are still effective, with apprenticeships being one of the most successful ways of developing new talent. Apprentices’ contribution to productivity is also well documented, with an average positive net gain of £1,670 per year per employee in England.

5) ADOPT THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES

We live in a world of constant innovation, and manufacturing is no exception. The industry has seen a constant stream of new developments, including artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and 3D printing.

Although short-term these new technologies may be very expensive, in the long-term the machines will pay for themselves, as the competitive advantage will increase margins and drive up sales. Stay ahead of the pack by investing in new technology.

6) LOBBY FOR IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE

Many of the possible gains to productivity do not come through internal improvements to the business, but through external improvements to infrastructure.

Before the invention of the internet, all parts of the manufacturing process, including the design, production, and shipping happened, in the same location. In modern times, improved communication has led to each stage in the process being moved to distant locations. Fast internet connectivity is now an essential infrastructural requirement.

Despite the improved communications, most deals and negotiations still happen face to face. Suppliers and buyers may need to negotiate prices, or staff in based in distant locations may need to technical discussions. Reliable transport networks are therefore still vital for manufacturing businesses.

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7 Fool Proof Ways To Protect Oil And Gas Workers.

By its very nature, the oil and gas Industry can be a dangerous occupation. This applies to both offshore and onshore, and applies equally to upstream (extraction of crude oil and natural gas), midstream (transportation, storage or wholesale marketing) and downstream (refining, processing or purifying) activities.

Although there have been considerable improvements in safety performance over the past few decades, there is still room for improvement, and the industry should, in no way, be complacent. The industry faces a wide range of potential safety risks, including:

• Vehicular accidents.
• Fires and explosions.
• Falls from height.
• Crushes or entrapment from moving or falling objects.
• Slips, trips and falls.
• Burns, scalds and breathing difficulties from exposure to chemicals.
• Confined space injuries including asphyxiation and hypothermia.
• Manual handling.
• Drowning.

It is a legal requirement for all companies to reduce these incidents to a minimum. Companies have a duty of care to staff, contractors, suppliers, clients and visitors. In a bid to improve safety in the industry, we have prepared 8 fool-proof ways to reduce the likelihood of worker accidents.

1. Value opinions at every level.

Hazards can result when individuals lower down the organisational structure feel that their opinions are ignored. Workers are on the frontline of many of the most important processes, and so companies with two-way communication with their workers are often better educated on potential risks.

On the job feedback should be encouraged and considered for inclusion in safe working practices. Valuing the opinions of all workers, whatever their pay grade, will ensure that when problems arise they feel comfortable reporting the issue to their superiors. This input develops a culture of continuous improvement.

2. Allow workers to rest.

A surprising statistic in the oil and gas industry is that road accidents are the leading cause of death. Although this may seem unrelated, this is in fact due to highly-fatigued workers driving long distances though arduous terrain, often in poor weather conditions.

One of the easiest ways to reduce accidents is simply to ensure workers have sufficient time off. In the industry workers can have 14 hours a day shift patterns over weekly or even monthly periods, even in the most hostile weather conditions. The resulting severe fatigue and drowsiness ultimately leads to careless mistakes.

3. Ensure workers are aware of all potential hazards.  

Workers cannot be careful of a hazard they are unaware of.  During on job training, employees should be informed multiple times of each hazard. Refresher courses for existing workers are also valuable, as they may have forgotten training they received months or even years ago.

The training should encapsulate safe operation of heavy equipment, the importance of good housekeeping, and encourage worker vigilance and responsibility.

4. Regularly perform maintenance checks.

As time takes it’s toll on equipment, seemingly reliable systems can fail when they are most needed. The consequences of an equipment failure can be diverse, and are dependent on the part that failed.

To reduce vital equipment failures, there should be a programme of maintenance checks on equipment, plants, pipelines, and tools. Faulty parts should be replaced or repaired once discovered. Where faulty parts are discovered, improvements to the relevant process should be considered, and even the use of new technology.

5. Mark all dangerous chemicals or hazardous materials.

In the oil and gas industry there is the possibility of contact with hazardous chemicals and materials. These chemicals may be flammable, toxic, corrosive, oxidising, or explosive. These risks should be clearly marked, and employees should be aware of risks from ingesting, inhaling or skin contact.

6. Provide adequate equipment.

To enable your employees to perform their roles safely and effectively, they must have equipment, tools and personal protective equipment that are fit for purpose.

Chemical hazard protective equipment will usually involve gloves, face shields, and protective clothing. Heavy equipment protective equipment will usually constitute hard hats, welding masks, safety boots and manual handling aids.

7. Have an emergency plan.

Despite taking every precaution to reduce the chance of an incident, there is always the possibility of human error or mechanical failure. In this worst-case scenario, an emergency plan has to be implanted immediately 

It is essential that this plan is comprehensive, incorporating major accident prevention, fire prevention, response and evacuation plans. Evacuation routes should be clearly marked to provide safe access away from the hazard area.

First aid equipment and treatment should be on hand in the event of injuries to individuals. Chemical decontamination showers should be a short distance from hazardous chemicals, and first aid boxes close to crush and cutting hazards.

220V is a particular level of electrical potential from a power source, or in simpler terms, the strength of the push given to make electrons flow through an electrical cable. 220V is the standard household voltage in dozens of countries, including China, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Egypt, the U.A.E, and South Korea.  This is then used to power typical household appliances, such as TVs, fridges, and microwaves.

In many countries there is a legal requirement to mark the voltage with a 220V warning label, including the following that we sell: