Prevention of industrial accidents using Six Sigma approach

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to utilize the power of Six Sigma, a disciplined approach to improve quality of product, process or service quality, for accident prevention in the manufacturing industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the basic features of DMAIC methodology of Six Sigma and its application for the purpose of accident prevention; illustrates the set of tools and techniques to be used at different phases of DMAIC for accident data analysis; and outlines the DMAIC methodology by analyzing accident data from a large process industry in India.

Findings

The systematic and logical approach of Six Sigma problem solving could identify many root causes for accident and identification and deployment of corrective actions horizontally to relevant processes.

Originality/value

Six Sigma has been successfully implemented in improving manufacturing processes but its application for the purpose of accident prevention is still limited. This paper demonstrates that Six Sigma principle can resolve such problems, and can be used by any plant to solve similar problems of accident prevention.

Citation

Ray, S., Das, P. and Bhattacharya, B.K. (2011), "Prevention of industrial accidents using Six Sigma approach", International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, Vol. 2 No. 3, pp. 196-214. https://doi.org/10.1108/20401461111157178