Is Lean Safe or is Safe Lean? A Case Study Regarding Lean vs Safety Principles

Abstract

The effectiveness of Lean manufacturing in improving production efficiency and reducing waste is well established, which ultimately leads to increased value. However, the impact of Lean principles on safety is not well-understood. Although incidents such as fatalities, life accidents, first aids, near misses, or property damage continue to occur, it is unclear whether Lean manufacturing plays a role in these events. To address this knowledge gap, this paper examines the relationship between Lean principles and safety performance. Additionally, the paper proposes an integrated system that uses Lean tools to encourage safe behaviors. The study was conducted as a pilot project in the finishing department of a manufacturing industry since 2018. Following the successful pilot, the integrated system was implemented across other business units and new mills and plants in the paper industry. The results indicated that safety performance was notably enhanced as high-risk situations and unsafe behaviors were successfully mitigated through the use of Lean tools.