Safety Takes on a New Meaning in Juarez
Ethicon utilizes lean principles to help protect employees from drug-related violence.
On a clear but cool November morning commuters make their way around a recently built highway in Ciudad Juarez that bypasses the congested city roadways. The drive to an industrial area where Ethicon Inc. houses its 102,000-square-foot manufacturing facility was rather uneventful. That hasn't always been the case for drivers in this Mexican border city across from El Paso, Texas.
In recent years, drug cartels have terrorized Juarez, accounting for more than 9,000 deaths in the city since 2008. The manufacturing plants along the Mexican side of the border, known as maquiladoras, haven't been directly affected by the violence. But employees who live in the city have been impacted by the outbreak -- through deaths of friends or family members or threats to their own lives.
"They'll have people calling, and they'll say we know where you live, and we're going to do this to you," says Ethicon plant manager John Schneider.
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Ethicon, a business unit of Johnson & Johnson, responded to the situation with new safety measures and training programs designed to raise employee awareness. The company even incorporated lean manufacturing principles into some of its safety plans. For instance, Ethicon standardized transportation procedures for drivers who shuttle workers back and forth from the plant, says Raul Calderon, business unit manager. About 80% of the plant's employees utilize the company's transportation services.
Standard procedures, such as identifiable name badges and first aid kits on the buses, help employees recognize potential issues. Just like in lean manufacturing, if workers notice something has changed in the process, they stop what they're doing. The company also minimized the amount of time workers can wait at a bus stop. If the bus hasn't shown after 15 minutes, the employee is allowed to go home with no penalty, Schneider says.
Ethicon brought in safety professionals who spoke with workers about how to avoid potentially dangerous situations through heightened awareness. This includes staying away from known hotspots and keeping a low profile, Schneider says. The company reinforced the messages with videos and displays throughout the plant.
When workers are threatened or traumatized by violence, the plant provides support services. In some cases, Ethicon has provided workers with security agents who have taken the employees to a hotel or safe spot until a threat has passed, Schneider says. The plant also provides counseling services for employees who were affected by violence.
The plant implemented some structural changes, as well, to improve safety. Ethicon installed opaque walls at the plant's main gate to prevent visibility into the facility.
