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Introduction to Operational Excellence For most of us, Lean is a common concept by now. By extension, we're also familiar with the idea of continuous improvement; the way we run our business should ultimately be reflective of a chain of efforts to change for the better and reach more perfect efficiency. That's all well and good, but we've seen more and more businesses shying away from simply relying on "continuous improvement" in recent years and instead throwing around the term "operational excellence." While the two terms do ultimately work in tandem, and even though there's some overlap, it's important to understand where the two differ. A good way to think about operational excellence is as the answer or endgame to your continuous improvement actions, it's a state you want to attain through your workplace improvement endeavors. Unlike continuous improvement, however, where you're simply trying to 'always get better', operational excellence has a more clearly defined point where it can be said you've reached your goals. One of the biggest criteria for operational excellence is a horizontal and vertical (so throughout all levels and teams of a company) understanding of how workflow should look and how to correct problems when something isn't flowing correctly. This creates operational excellence because employees are now able to solve their own problems without relying on specialists or management, drastically decreasing downtime and putting them into a preventative rather than a reactive mode when solving problems. Furthermore, operational excellence then frees up your management and executives to focus on advertising and brand/market expansion planning and projects. In short, operational excellence allows a company to achieve continual improvement while still having the resources to put an emphasis on bottom line and market share growth. Operational Excellence Question Posed Sounds pretty awesome, right?! We think so, but you

Workplaces today are extremely safe compared to what people had to endure generations ago. This is in large part because of the increased focus employers have put on workplace safety. Employers made this effort for a variety of reasons including regulatory pressure, the best interests of their employees, and of course, the fact that a safe workplace is a more profitable workplace. Despite all the great strides that have been made, many workplaces are still quite hazardous. The following 10 workplace safety mistakes illustrate just how far many industries still have to go. They can also help spur ideas for where improvements can be made in your facility. 1. Using Ladders Improperly One of the most common and most dangerous workplace safety mistakes is failing to use a ladder properly. People make many ladder-related mistakes in the workplace, all of which can be devastating. The following are just a few of the more common examples: Unsteady Ladders - If you don't take the time to properly steady the ladder when setting it up, it could easily slide out while you're on it, causing serious injuries. Leaning from Ladders - When working on a ladder, you should never reach off to the left or right as that can throw the center of balance off, which could cause the ladder to fall. Using Objects as a Ladder - Using scaffolding, chairs, stools, or other objects to reach high areas can be dangerous. These things aren't meant for climbing the same way a ladder is. Climbing too High on Ladders - One should never step onto the upper rungs of a ladder. Depending on how the ladder is placed, even several rungs down can be unstable. 2. Lack of Visual Communication The noise in many workplaces can be quite deafening at times, which can make it difficult to communicate. When it comes to safety, communication is essential. This is why it is so important to have visual communication options in any loud workplace. Visual communication can come in many forms including

Lean has been helping companies streamline their production, eliminate waste, and generally improve the way things are done for many years. Initially, the concepts behind lean were primarily used only in companies and facilities that were directly involved with physical product creation, such as manufacturing plants, factory floors and things of this nature. However, over time the lean methodologies have been adapted and implemented in almost every other type of business, ranging from health care to information technology, and many more. When done properly, lean can help improve virtually any work environment to help eliminate waste, improve communication, and to help ensure that the products or services being developed are indeed something customers will be interested in. For instance, when working in an information technology environment, it is important to be able to understand how lean strategies can be implemented, and why they are so important. The following are some of the most significant reasons why lean IT strategies should be taken seriously by any company that uses technology in their business (which is almost all of them!). Lean Promotes Ownership One of the things about lean strategies in an IT environment is that virtually every task completed is owned by an individual. Even if a person does not do all the work for a particular project, he or she will be directly responsible for overseeing it. This creates a sense of ownership, which can help in a variety of ways. It will give other teams a single point of contact for obtaining updates, providing feedback, or requesting changes. This will also allow the owner of a specific project to drive the progress directly, rather than having to rely on large committees or other types of groups to receive pertinent information. It is important to note that just because one person owns a process or project does not mean that he or she can simply dictate things to other groups. Instead, that person is there to

Tips & Tricks for Efficiently Tracking Lean Projects Recently, we wrote about a couple of problems facing many Lean practitioners. These were problems that hindered their learning process and often caused overconfidence. Amongst the advice to help combat these problems arose the need for detailed tracking and note taking with regards to practice and progress. Being able to accurately track not only the effects but also the process of a Lean project is critical to ongoing success, and is a key to stimulating growth amongst not only the receiving end of your project objectives, but also amongst the employees and Lean practitioners themselves. To start off, let's take a look at the current state of Lean project tracking for many Lean practitioners. A recent LinkedIn discussion posed the very question of project tracking, and sought to understand a few different distinct metrics. In addition to measuring the effectiveness of any program when it comes to completion, tracking can also be about measuring the scope of your projects, so that you can accurately project what the effects will be before you actually reach the stage at which you expect them. Part of this "scope" involves tracking exactly who is involved with your project, who is affected, and how they are progressing in their respective tasks. Where we are now First of all, it's important to evaluate the current methods that are prevalent in Lean record keeping. The LinkedIn discussion starter, self-identified as Ian R., mentions in his opening post that, when he last posed the question about a year ago, the consensus was that most practitioners were simply using excel spreadsheets for their tracking needs. While there's nothing wrong with relying on Excel for the basics, other users were quick to offer up some slicker alternatives, signaling a sharp (and welcomed, in our book) departure from some of the more basic methods. Unsurprisingly, there exist several specialist software applications whose n

Back pain and injuries account for some of the most reported and most serious common workplace injuries worldwide. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find a country whose labor department doesn't dedicate pages of literature to both employers and employees solely on this topic. Loss of work days and productivity, lifelong injuries and disabilities, and short term discomfort are all common results of lower back-related incidents. According to an OSHA fact sheet, More than one million workers suffer back injuries each year, and back injuries account for one of every five workplace injuries or illnesses. Further, one-fourth of all compensation indemnity claims involve back injuries, costing industry billions of dollars on top of the pain and suffering borne by employees. okstate.edu - OSHA Fact Sheet While employers have a responsibility to their workers to implement training programs that minimize injuries (and proactively improve the ergonomics of work-related tasks), employees also need to respect their own bodies and know their limits. This article will be broken up into several sections, each relating to specific aspect of lower back injuries in the workplace, with a primary focus on prevention. Anyone reading through should have a solid grasp on this all-too-common workplace plague by the end of their brief time here. Let's begin. Eliminate Back Injuries While we'll get to proper lifting technique and some employee-level suggestions in a minute, one of the best things employers can do is actually seek to eliminate lower back hazards from their workplace altogether; this is known as elimination - getting rid of risks period - and should be your first step in improving safety before moving on to prevention - mitigating risks that you and your workers have to live with in order for your business to function. Most lower back injuries are associated with lifting, and the most dangerous zones for humans are when lifted objects are below the knees or

Google AdSense is one of the main sources of income of the vast majority of people who work with websites and blogs these days. Although it is not the only affiliate program that pays more to its partners, it is one of the most reliable and easy to use, as well as being a pioneer in the indirect online advertising scheme and relying on the brand of one of the largest companies in the world. Usually starting with a blog and want to use Google AdSense is without knowing the procedure and what you need to do to get your account approved. One of the messages that are usually received when it is not approved. Your blog does not currently qualify for AdSense.

GHS Label Information When it comes to labels, few are better known than the GHS labels (even if people don't always realize that is what they are called). GHS, or the Globally Harmonized System, is an international set of standards that are agreed upon to help ensure people from across many industries and around the world are all using universally recognized standards. This includes standards when it comes to the classification and labeling systems used for dangerous chemicals. The GHS labeling standards are used by regulatory agencies as well, including OSHA. While GHS is not itself a legal regulatory agency, most companies are required to follow their standards in this area because of the fact that their standards are adopted by governmental bodies. Common GHS Terms Whether reading GHS labels or making them, it is important to be aware of some terms that are commonly used. SDS - Safety data sheets are required to go along with most GHS labels. These data sheets can provide more detailed information about chemicals and other potentially hazardous materials. Class - Different types of hazards are broken up into different classes. Gasses that are under pressure would be one class. Acids could be another, just to give some examples. Hazard Groups - Hazardous materials are broken down into three groups, environmental, physical and health. Hazard Statement - Hazard statements are standardized to describe specific hazards. These statements give brief but essential pieces of information about the items being labeled. Precautionary Statement - This is a statement that provides instructions on how to avoid dangers when working with these materials. Signal Words - Signal words are DANGER and WARNING. Danger is to indicate a higher level of risk, while warning is for when there is a potential for harm but it is not quite as serious. Pictogram - Pictograms are the visual representation of specific risks. Typically they will just be a black image that is ea

Finding the Top Ambulance Service in Aminabad, Lucknow with MedCab Aminabad is best known for being one of the oldest markets in Lucknow. Famous for its Chikan embroidery clothing and food, Aminabad is comparable to Delhi's Chandni Chowk market. In case of an emergency in Aminabad, MedCab is the best ambulance service to rely on. You can reach MedCab medical services in Aminabad by dialling the emergency ambulance number 18008-908-208. Aminabad is one of the most popular markets in Lucknow for shopping. The Lucknow cuisine of kebab, chaat and biryani can be enjoyed in the Aminabad market. The Aminabad market has a rich history and was constructed in the pre-British era during the rule of the Nawabs. Aminuddaula Park is of great historical significance in Aminabad. India's tri-colour flag was first hoisted in this park in Lucknow in 1928 during our nation's fight for independence. This park located in Aminabad has been visited by many great freedom fighters, such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawahar Lal Nehru.

For the best online ambulance booking in Sanjay Gandhi Puram, use the MedCab mobile app. MedCab ambulance services are available 24/7 in Sanjay Gandhi Puram. With the best ambulance services offered in the area, you can rely on MedCab for urgent patient transportation. Use the MedCab mobile app or dial the emergency ambulance contact number 18008-908-208 for fast ambulance booking. Sanjay Gandhi Puram is a good residential locality of Lucknow. It is within the close proximity of Mahanagar. Other areas close to Sanjay Gandhi Puram include Aliganj, Daliganj and Lalbagh. The New Red Rose School and DRV Intercollege are located close to Sanjay Gandhi Puram. Some of the close hospitals to Sanjay Gandhi Puram include Stanford Superspeciality Hospital, Shekhar Hospital, and Gayatri Hospital and Trauma Centre. MedCab offers quick ambulance services to all of these hospitals as well as other hospitals in Lucknow. With the assistance of MedCab ambulance services, the patient will be transported fast to the chosen hospital. The trained paramedics of MedCab will also assist in giving any necessary medical care to the patient during the journey to the hospital.

Uttardhauna is a great locality in Lucknow. It is connected to the Lucknow Faizabad highway and has a range of amenities. It is a good residential location with greenery, schools, parks and a pleasant atmosphere. However, medical emergencies can occur anywhere, including Uttardhauna. In case of an emergency in Uttardhauna, MedCab is the best ambulance service to rely on. You can reach MedCab medical services in Uttardhauna by dialling the emergency ambulance number 18008-908-208. Uttardhauna is a variety of residential areas, such as the Manas Garden Extensions. The Spring Garden Housing Society is also based out of Uttardhauna. For shopping and entertainment, Crown Mall is within a range of five minutes from Uttardhauna. Some of the good educational institutions and schools around the location include the Lok Bandhu Raj Narayan Inter College, SR Public School and Primary School Uttardhauna. Some of the good hospitals in the area include Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya Hospital, Saraswati Hospital & Research Centre, and Hindustan Hospital. MedCab offers ambulance services to all of these locations. MedCab can also assist in fast ambulance transportation from Uttardhauna to other localities in Lucknow.