LAB CONSTRUCTION Edition 1
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2021
INSIDE GREENLEAF CASE STUDY PAGE 2-3 BOOSTING LABORATORY EFFICIENCIES PAGE 4-5 WASTE ELIMINATION IN LAB DESIGN PAGE 6-7
Enriching the World of Science
RECENT
PROJECTS
Greenleaf Cosmetics Melbourne, Victoria
OVERVIEW
INDUSTRY
Pharmaceutical SERVICES
Benchtops Bench Frames Design and Consultation Joinery Package Laboratory Equipment Laboratory Stools Modulab Connect® Portable Workbenches Safety Hardware Service Spines Shelving and Trolleys Sinks and Bowls Storage – Chemicals
Greenleaf Cosmetics Australia are striving towards becoming Australia’s premier private label manufacturer of sustainable cosmetic and personal care products. The team of industry leaders are proudly crafting world class products in their 9000 square meter state-ofthe-art manufacturing facility located in Melbourne, Australia. The Westlab projects team worked closely with Greenleaf Cosmetics Head of Creative Development and Managing Director to craft the ultimate cosmetics laboratory. Some of the key aspects of Greenleaf’s decision to proceed with Westlab, included the ‘Modulab Connect’ systems ability to grow and change with increased and varied throughput of the laboratory.
The aesthetic of the space takes cue from Greenleaf Cosmetics branding as well as the company values. It is a carefully considered laboratory, which is bright, transformable and importantly connects people. The outcome achieved was a stunning space, focused on growth and efficiency. Utilising the proprietary Australian made ‘Modulab Connect’ benching system, that can be further adapted in the future for the changing requirements.
Storage – Under Bench Taps and Turrets
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IMMEDIATE WAYS TO BOOST YOUR CLINICAL LABORATORY EFFICIENCIES IN THE FACE OF COVID-19 5S is a great way to manage your laboratory. Being organised is about working smarter not harder and helps to create a safer workplace, reduce processing time, improve communication, eliminate errors, utilise space effectively and improve morale.
Increase Communication
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stablishing proper communication channels and alignment across departments and the laboratory is critical to achieving the level of patient care coordination that current competitive and reimbursement guidelines demand. Revisit you clinical laboratory organisational structure from sample to report and ensure this is disseminated and understood by every member.
Bring Clarity around Divisions of Labour Breaking down silos between clinical departments and the laboratory is only the first step toward making workflow improvements and reaping benefits such as cost-containment, revenue generation and increases in the organisations capacity to process patient results. Divisions of labour is a powerful lever that can greatly assist with the reduction of cost per sample and is applicable with economies of scale. Large and successful 3rd party laboratory providers use divisions of labour to optimise the workflow of sample rather than staff. How can you get a sample through in PROJECTS.WESTLAB.COM
the quickest possible time without jeopardising the accuracy of the test method? Looking at your process in divisions is an intelligent method to reduce cost per sample.
Understand the Physical Workflow Understanding existing and potential workflows is an important factor to continuously improving a clinical laboratory space. Take the time to look at your process from start to finish and map this in a lineal workflow. The team at Westlab can assist you with this process if need be. Understanding your workflow can assist you with minimal crossovers on your motion or spaghetti diagram resulting in a more efficient layout. Look at your process as a pipeline. Where does your sample come in what is the process? Can you utilise division of labour to make your process more streamlines? Larger process laboratories use a term “Sample is king” this means that it is important to look at the workflow of both your sample and people alike.
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Strengthen Preventative Maintenance Program Preventive maintenance is an important part of the management of a clinical laboratory, especially if there is a high investment in Automation. The goal of a successful preventive maintenance program is to establish consistent practices designed to improve the performance and safety of the equipment. Planned maintenance of equipment will help to improve equipment life and avoid any unplanned maintenance activity. A successful preventive maintenance program is dependent on the cooperation of all the parties involved.
Introduce 5S to your Clinical Laboratory 5S is a visual management tool and a structured methodology in creating best practice, clean, organised and efficient working environment. 5S can assist with the elimination of frustration, confusion, Stress, space limitation and inventory management. 5S is a great way to manage your labo-
ratory. Being organised is about working smarter not harder and helps to create a safer workplace, reduce processing time, improve communication, eliminate errors, utilise space effectively and improve morale.
The 5S Steps 1. Sort – Determine what is needed and what is not needed. 2. Set in Order – “A place for everything and everything in its place” – Control at glance. 3. Shine – Structured cleaning roster performed routinely 4. Standardise – Repeatability of prior steps. Determine best practice and make standard. 5. Sustain – Create a culture of care, group effort, ideas and suggestions of continues improvement across the company.
WASTE TO BOOST YOUR CLINICAL LABORATORY EFFICIENCIES IN THE FACE OF COVID-19
2021 EDITION
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WASTE ELIMINATION IN LABORATORY DESIGN -
APPLYING LEAN PRINCIPLES TO LEVERAGE ROI
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ealising the Return on Investment in your proposed laboratory space can be achieved through understanding waste elimination and types of waste that directly or indirectly effect cost per sample or economic denominator. Waste reduces the capacity of a laboratory to reach its objectives in the most efficient manner; it uses limited resources in ways that do not contribute to the organisation’s overall goals. Lean is an organisational performance management system characterised by a collaborative approach between employees and managers to identify and minimise or eliminate activities that do not create value for the customers of a business process, or stakeholders. One way to strive toward a goal of perfection is by remaining constantly aware of waste so it can be potentially eliminated. Eight sources of waste have been identified that detract from the value a customer receives from a business process. Educating employees about the eight sources of waste and conducting team-based reviews of business processes to look for and correct them can yield substantial benefits.
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Waiting Time Waiting is the idle time created when employees wait for parts, materials, lab equipment, information from co-workers, help, etc. Wait time translates into downtime when people and equipment are not creating value. Some of the potential causes of waiting include unbalanced workload among employees, too few office machines, lack of a clear process, quality problems at steps earlier in the process, or waiting for a signature approval. Solutions to excessive wait time depend on the root cause. Ideas to reduce waiting time. • Invest in faster test methods. • Better inventory control. • Labour Balance. • Increase equipment to reduce bottlenecks. • Improve quality.
Over Processing This kind of waste can apply to a lot of everyday things we do in the laboratory and results when a product is made in greater amounts than necessary. The root causes of over-processing include a poor understanding of the customer’s true requirements,
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Ideas to reduce overproduction • Eliminate Unnecessary Work • Answer questions directly and precisely • Train staff so they are multi-skilled. • Produce to a forecast • Improve automation • Obtain better scope of works
Defects/Complaints In any process, work need to be performed correctly the first time. A defect happens when incorrect or incomplete work is sent to the next step in the process or to the customer. Avoiding defects starts with understanding the customer’s definition of service quality.
the failure to communicate customer requirements to workers, or failing to design the products of a process to conform to customer requirements. Common examples of this are over-produced reports that are too long, copying more people than necessary on correspondence, distributing information that isn’t read, capturing and creating services or rules that aren’t needed. Ideas to eliminate over processing in the laboratory. • Keep communication precise and accurate. • Send communication to only people relevant. • Keep reports precise and accurate. • Order consumables based on need over against bulk.
Over Production Overproduction is when you make too much of something or you perform too much of a service for some one. Copying too many agendas for a meeting is a typical example of over production. Have you every as a question about something, and the individual goes on and on answering your question when all you wanted was the simple answer? This is overproduction.
WASTE ELIMINATION IN LABORATORY DESIGN
2021 EDITION
Ideas to reduce defects and complaints • Preventative Maintenance • Inspection Advances • Communication • Automatic Triggers, Poka-yoke
Motion The lean waste known as excess motion is exactly that. Having to move more often, over a greater distance, with greater effort than might be truly necessary. In our set of daily operations, we all have to move. The process of creating value for customers all but necessitates our physical moving of something; raw materials, finished product, even keys on the computer keyboard. While we can’t completely eliminate it from our processes it is certainly worth our while to reduce the time and effort we devote to it. Ideas to eliminate over processing in the laboratory. • Create a spaghetti diagram to see how your lab flows. • Motion map your laboratory space and look at workflow. • Look at repositioning equipment to align with workflow. 7
• Purchase more equipment to assist with double handling • Look ROI on automation to reduce motion.
Inventory In an administrative process, the sum of all tasks waiting to be processed is considered inventory or backlog. One of the main causes of inventory or backlog is poor balancing of workloads, mainly when work is handled in large batches. When a staff wait for a significant amount of work to pile up before processing it, the process flow grinds to a stop. Other causes include sub-optimal housekeeping E.g. poor filing or record keeping, or lost documents and insufficient communication. Ideas to reduce inventory. • Identify a bottle-neck in your process and improve it. • Negotiate with suppers for better terms to assist with reduction of Inventory. • Consider cloud filing to reduce physical space in files etc… • Colour code and labels storage area so inventory can be found and accounted for.
Transport Transporting anything that does not directly add value to a final product or service is another form of waste. This includes not only materials and documents, but also moving staff to different offices and desks to complete a process. Ideas to reduce transport. • Double handling within a process • Increase volume of equipment that is overused. • Transport directly to user instead of holding bays • Look at better laboratory space layout • Misaligned process flow.
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Space Studies indicate that staff lose a substantial amount of time each day because their work area is disorganised. Disorganisation causes employees to spend over 12 percent of their workday trying to find information they already have, instead of supporting customers, improving processes and helping to make their laboratory a better facility. The 5S Steps are a great place to make your space a more efficient space. Ideas to reduce waste in space. • Sort – Determine what is needed and what is not needed. • Set in Order – Control at glance. • Shine – Structured cleaning roster performed routinely • Standardise – Repeatability of prior steps. • Sustain – Create a culture of continues improvement across the company.
ONLINE
PHONE
FAX
www.westlab.com.au
1800 358 101
sales@westlab.com.au
1300 725 903
Westlab Pty.Ltd ABN: 71 606 662 113
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