Safety Health and Environment in TPM – Zero Accidents
In the modern manufacturing world, maintaining a safe and sustainable environment is more than just a legal requirement. It’s a necessity. One of the most vital pillars in Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is Safety Health and Environment (SHE). This pillar focuses on preventing workplace accidents, protecting employee health, and preserving the environment.
8 Pillars of TPM:
Autonomous Maintenance – Operators take care of routine maintenance. – Read More
Planned Maintenance – Scheduled maintenance to prevent breakdowns. – Read More
Quality Maintenance – Eliminate defects at the source. – Read More
Focused Improvement – Small teams improve efficiency. – Read More
Early Equipment Management – Design equipment for easy use and maintenance. – Read More
Training & Education – Skill development for all staff. – Read More
Safety, Health & Environment – Ensure a safe, clean workplace. – Read More
Office TPM – Apply TPM in admin and support areas. – Read More
Why Safety Health and Environment in TPM Matters
The Safety Health and Environment in TPM pillar ensures that employees work in a hazard-free, clean, and legally compliant space. It promotes a proactive culture where risks are identified early, and preventive measures are implemented quickly. Consecutive improvements in SHE standards reduce downtime, improve morale, and lower hidden costs.
Core Objectives of the SHE Pillar
The primary aim of the SHE pillar in TPM is simple but powerful:
Zero Accidents in the workplace
Zero Health Hazards to employees
Zero Environmental Pollution
Full Legal and Regulatory Compliance
By focusing on these goals, organizations create a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.
Key Activities for Safety Health and Environment in TPM
1. Workplace Hazard Identification
Teams are trained to recognize unsafe practices and hidden risks. Hazard identification and risk assessments (HIRA) are conducted regularly. Any unsafe condition or near miss is logged, analyzed, and addressed promptly.
2. Implementation of Safe Work Procedures
Establishing SOPs, using PPE, and applying the Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) system are vital. These practices are not optional. They are enforced to ensure employees are protected while performing daily tasks.
3. Health Monitoring and Employee Well-being
Employee health is regularly tracked. From periodic medical checkups to ergonomic assessments, the SHE system ensures employees are physically and mentally fit for their roles.
4. Environmental Safety Measures
This includes reducing waste, conserving energy, and minimizing emissions. ISO 14001 standards are followed to meet global environmental benchmarks.
5. Emergency Preparedness and Mock Drills
Facilities run mock drills for fire, chemical spills, and other emergencies. Employees are trained in first aid and evacuation procedures.
6. SHE Training and Awareness
Workshops, posters, toolbox talks, and daily safety tips are shared to raise awareness. Everyone from management to shop floor workers is involved.
Measurable KPIs in SHE
Some performance indicators include:
Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR)
Number of Near Miss Reports
Unsafe Acts and Conditions Eliminated
Reduction in Waste Generation
Energy and Water Usage Stats
These KPIs are tracked monthly and reviewed by top management.
Real-Life Impact: A Short Case Example
A leading auto component manufacturer implemented the SHE pillar in 2023. Within 6 months, near-miss reporting increased by 200%, accidents dropped by 90%, and energy costs fell by 15%. A small shift in focus led to massive safety improvements and cost savings.
How SHE Supports Other TPM Pillars
The Safety Health and Environment in TPM supports Autonomous Maintenance, Planned Maintenance, and Focused Improvement by ensuring a clean, safe, and well-managed workplace. Without a safe environment, productivity and quality cannot thrive.
Conclusion
Safety Health and Environment in TPM is more than a compliance requirement—it’s a business strategy. It leads to fewer accidents, better health outcomes, a greener factory, and more committed employees. As you build a culture of TPM, never ignore the SHE pillar. Your people and planet will thank you.
✅ Basic Level Q&A
1. What is the SHE pillar in TPM?
Answer: SHE stands for Safety, Health & Environment — a core pillar of TPM aimed at ensuring zero accidents, zero health hazards, and zero environmental pollution through proactive risk identification and management.
2. What are the objectives of the SHE pillar?
Answer:
To achieve a safe and healthy workplace
To prevent accidents, incidents, and environmental pollution
To promote awareness and proactive employee participation in safety practices
3. Why is safety important in a manufacturing setup?
Answer: Safety prevents accidents, ensures employee well-being, boosts morale, reduces downtime, and maintains compliance with legal and company standards.
4. What is meant by “Zero Accidents”?
Answer: It means achieving a state where no workplace accidents occur, through continuous monitoring, risk mitigation, and building a safety-oriented culture.
5. What is PPE? Can you give examples?
Answer: PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment. Examples include helmets, gloves, safety goggles, earplugs, face masks, and safety shoes.
6. How does 5S support SHE in the workplace?
Answer: 5S eliminates waste, keeps the workplace clean and organized, minimizes hazards, and improves visibility and control of equipment and materials.
✅ Intermediate Level Q&A
7. How do you identify and assess workplace hazards?
Answer: By performing Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA), inspecting equipment, conducting Gemba walks, reviewing past incidents, and collecting employee feedback.
8. What is a Near Miss? How should it be reported?
Answer: A Near Miss is an unplanned event that didn’t result in injury or damage but had the potential to. It should be documented and investigated to prevent future incidents.
9. What is HIRA?
Answer: HIRA stands for Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment. It’s a systematic process to recognize potential hazards and evaluate the risks associated with them, enabling appropriate controls to be applied.
10. What is Lockout-Tagout (LOTO)?
Answer: LOTO is a safety procedure that ensures machinery is properly shut off and not restarted before maintenance or servicing is completed, using locks and tags for control.
11. How does SHE support other TPM pillars?
Answer: SHE promotes a safe environment for autonomous maintenance, improves morale for better productivity, and ensures sustainable practices across all TPM pillars.
12. What are common SHE KPIs in industry?
Answer:
LTIFR (Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate)
Number of near-miss reports
Safety training hours per employee
Environmental compliance score
Number of safety audits completed
✅ Advanced/Scenario-Based Q&A
13. You observe an unsafe act on the shop floor. What will you do?
Answer: I will immediately intervene to stop the act, ensure the area is safe, counsel the employee, and report the incident to the safety officer or supervisor for corrective actions.
14. How would you conduct a SHE awareness campaign?
Answer: By organizing safety training, poster campaigns, quizzes, daily toolbox talks, safety suggestion schemes, and involving employees in safety committee activities.
15. Share a real example where a SHE initiative reduced incidents.
Answer: At my previous plant, implementing mandatory LOTO during maintenance led to a 40% drop in electrical accidents over one year. Training and visual aids helped in adoption.
16. How do you prepare an Emergency Response Plan (ERP)?
Answer: By identifying all potential emergency scenarios (fire, chemical leaks, etc.), defining roles and responsibilities, setting evacuation routes, conducting mock drills, and training employees.
17. How do you involve employees in safety programs?
Answer: Through regular safety talks, safety committees, suggestion systems, reward programs for safe behavior, and involving them in hazard identification activities.
18. How is the SHE pillar aligned with ISO 14001 or ISO 45001?
Answer: TPM’s SHE pillar focuses on proactive risk identification and control, which directly aligns with ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety) and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) standards.
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