Worksite Improvement Case Studies
Pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and chemical workplaces
Semiconductor and precision instrument workplaces
Factory Equipment Hose Examples
Pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and chemical workplaces
- Hoses with hard steel wire cost three times as much to dispose of
A plant was using spring hoses for shampoo and conditioner and the local government imposed a industrial waste tax. That tripled the disposal costs for the hoses they were using. They wanted to avoid having to sort out the hoses according to whether they contained hard steel because it increased their labor costs.
- Tens of thousands of bolts become charged with static electricity, a hazard to the workerseven after being crushed.
At a chemical production plant, they were using suction hoses to transport wet powdered chemicals before they reached the drying oven. One day, they measured the static electricity and found a charge between 20 and 30 kilovolts, an extremely dangerous level for human workers.
- Static electricity causes powder to stick to the hose, reducing production efficiency
In a factory that produces agricultural chemicals, hoses would cause a small static shock when workers touched them, even though the hoses were grounded. The hose was used to convey powder materials, which would stick inside the hose. This loss of efficiency was a major problem for the producer.