When does lean hurt? – an exploration of lean practices and worker health and safety outcomes

Abstract

This research takes a first step toward a more complete understanding of the effects of lean production on both operational and worker health and safety performance. Previous operations management literature considered only the operational performance implications of lean while previous safety literature considered only the worker health and safety implications of lean. This research considers both perspectives by providing empirical evidence on the impact of lean on operational and health and safety performance. Results from 10 case studies show that the adoption of lean practices and or an overall lean philosophy has a positive impact on operational and health and safety performance. However, there are some nuances in the role of individual practices associated with lean. The plants with the worst operational and health and safety performance in the sample were those that adopted just-in-time practices without human resource and prevention practices. The results show how both the social and technical components of lean are required for lean to have positive operational and health and safety impacts.

Keywords:

• lean manufacturing
• human resources management
• worker health and safety

Acknowledgements

This project was funded by a research grant provided by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (Ontario). We also acknowledge Benjamin C. Amick III, Sheilah Hogg-Johnson, Robert Klassen, Sara Mcdonald, Lynda Robson, Anna Sarnochinska-Hart, Sharvani Sharma, Anton Shevchenko & Emile Tompa, all of whom provided valuable contributions to the overall project and this paper.