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2 minute read
When you visit most factories, most decent size factories are on some form of 5S journey but one of the biggest stumbling blocks is that different areas have different levels of ability to take their area to the next level. This isn't because the operators don't want to - its just that there is often no guidance on what good looks like. But there is an easy fix...
A Lighthouse
If you have a factory which you would like to take to the next level - than by the end of this article you will know whether a lighthouse will help your factory.
- What is a lighthouse?
- Where would you fit the lighthouse?
- How much do they cost?
- Where can I buy one?
What is a lighthouse?
A lighthouse is an area of your factory which sets the standard for all the rest of your factory, A Health and Safety lighthouse wall is typically a wall 3-5M long with all of your required HSE products colour coded into it. A lighthouse is visible from virtually anywhere in the factory and can be 5M high, Even side-on the lighthouse can be seen because of the signage sticking out. What a lighthouse does is set the standard for the whole factory to show what good looks like, aside from being a lighthouse it is also a centralised safety area for anyone in factory so they don't run from first-aid station to AED station looking for an eyewash...
A lighthouse can be seen as a statement to drive a culture of a lean and visual factory.
Where to fit a lighthouse?
A lighthouse should be installed in a very visible location, ideally somewhere near an entrance where people can it see as soon as they walk into the factory. It can be painted onto an existing wall, a stud wall can be built to mount it on and it can even cover glass and panels etc. There is no real limit to the location.
There are many types of H&S equipment that need to be available throughout a workplace, especially in industrial settings where there are a wide range of potential hazards. Aside from PPE, the most common and important types of health and safety equipment include:
- First aid kits
- Eyewash stations
- AED (automated external defibrillator)
- Fire response
- Type D fire response (for flammable metals)
- Incident response (such as spill kits)
How much does a lighthouse cost?
A lighthouse can vary in cost from £2000 to over £10,000, the factors that affect the price are as follows:
- What is currently in place? overpainting an existing painted wall is lower cost than installing a stud wall and painting over that that.
- How many components make up the lighthouse? Some people opt for a double sided lighthouse centralised within the factory so that it can be seen from all locations
- How tall is it? does it require scissor lifts etc
- Does it require new first aid boxes, eye wash, fire extinguishers or can we reuse existing?
Where can I buy a lighthouse?
You can install a lighthouse using your own inhouse maintenance team and source the various components, signs and lettering from ourselves or, you can engage with Clarity to build the whole lot from scratch. we would come on site to measure up a suitable area, design the lighthouse and build it subject to your approval on the artwork.
PPE Standards Wall
Clarity has also created a PPE Standards Board, which is designed to engage your workforce by providing a visual PPE checklist. A life-size illustration of the PPE required is set alongside a mirror, allowing the worker to check each item before entering a work area or using certain machinery. This innovative visual management asset is helping factory and warehouse workers to take responsibility over their personal safety and remain compliant at all times.
Maximise safety in your warehouse
Whether you’re interested in a lighthouse, safety Walls, our PPE Standards Boards or other unique visual management products that promote and enable safe working, we’re here to support your organisation through fully bespoke consultancy and design services.
Our Lean and visual management experts will visit your site to determine the best course of action, all you need to do is contact our team on +44 (0)1482 296451 or fill in our contact form to book your free consultation.
