M4E #26: The world of SOP, aka Standard Operating Procedure
Standards in a lean manufacturing environment can be seen as mandatory. All people should have a set of clear instructions to perform their work, be it a manufacturing process or a maintenance procedure. SOPs or Standard Operating Procedures are the main tool to help in this task. This video from SafetyCulture gives an overview of SOPs main features.
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Taiichi Ohno said “Without standards, there can be no improvement” and he also said “Standards should not be forced from above but rather set by the production workers themselves”.
When dealing with risky situations in a work environment an SOP is not an option, it’s a must. In fact, sometimes SOP stands also for Safe Operating Procedure. Apart from a critical procedure to be followed when performing a task in a safe manner, SOPs can also include specific warnings, precautions and IPE (Individual Protection Equipment) to be used.
Traditionally, when visiting a manufacturing plant it is common to see SOPs printed in papers in the different stages of a process or for maintenance procedures (among other things). However, digital tools such as the one mentioned at the end of the video are currently a great asset to be considered to improve and optimize internal operations.