Academic literature on the topic 'Clothing manufacturing industry'

The usage of innovative technologies has become one of the most widespread ways of diversifying the current supply of clothing and footwear products. Therefore, using the 3D printing technologies in the garment production is a remarkable example of the symbiosis of creativity and technology, which creates unusual and fashionable clothing pieces. Although the 3D printing technology is a relatively new technology and allows creating unique garments it must not neglect important features of clothing products such as cost-accessibility, comfort and aesthetic appearance. The research on these aspects is prior to implement this technology in the manufacturing process. The study includes the analysis of the current 3D printing technologies which are used for obtaining three-dimensional objects, the current directions of implementing this technology in the industry, as well as the opportunities of applying this technology in the process of clothing’s creation. Therefore, this paper concludes the study with the creation of a clothing product – a blouse for women, which is including a 3D printed part confirming this way the possibility of creation of clothing products, which would integrate innovative elements which were obtained by implementing the advanced technology of additive manufacturing.

Use of digitization clothing technology, the customer demand information flow of mass customization for clothing industry was analyzed. The mathematical mapping ways which can be identified by system from these demands were proposed. Combination with three specific process of customization, design, production of mass customization for clothing industry, the information conversion technologies were studied, respectively, from customer demand to orders, from orders to design program ,and from design program to clothing . The customization system configuration in the clothing industry was designed on the basis of Web. The information conversion and systems integration were achieved by PDM.

In this paper, the present situation of the application of 3D printing on fashion industry and the characteristics of 3D clothing were analyzed and summarized; the effect of 3D printing technology on the clothing design and manufacturing was discussed, and a new design and production process was put forward; besides, this paper described the limits of 3D printing clothing and made a predictive analysis of the application of 3D printing future vision in the field of clothing. As the revolutionary change to the textile and garment industry brought by the invention of sewing machine in nineteenth Century, 3D printing technologies applied in the clothing will bring changes to this industry as well.3D printing technology broke the original frame and brought new creative space and possibilities whether from the perspective of fashion design thinking or production practice.

This paper is up for discussing the composed competitive situation of Lithuanian clothing and textile industry. Author concisely proposes aspects of competitive ability conception, explores the main statistical information illustrating importance of clothing and textile industry in all manufacturing and economics. Willing to accomplish a statistical data analysis of trade clothing and textile industry competitors and advantages which they have and which influence Lithuanian clothing and textile enterprises competitive situation in the local and foreign markets are presented. This article deals with discussion about Lithuanian clothing and textile industry possibilities to improve competitive situation and what main problems of industry could be solved in order to make this market more competitive.

The deep integration of Internet, intelligent manufacturing and big data technology has promoted the development of products to be networked, digital, intelligent and personalized. The rapid iteration and differential segmentation of consumer demand has spawned new personalized consumer demand, transforming the traditional manufacturing model into a service-oriented manufacturing model. This paper analyses the large-scale customized operation mode of domestic and foreign clothing custom brands. In view of the transformation of traditional clothing industry, this paper proposes a solution to establish a large-scale custom clothing architecture under the vision of intelligent manufacturing cloud platform technology. This paper uses data mining and cloud computing and other methods to build an “Internet + manufacturing” innovation model with rapid collaboration under the umbrella of big data, and propose an architecture for mass customization of clothing, providing effective solutions and strategy recommendations for the transformation and upgrading of the traditional apparel industry.

The clothing industry is among the most polluting and waste-generating industries in the world, and it is responsible for the release of large amounts of greenhouse gases. The industry’s massive size and significant environmental footprint with regard to water and energy consumption and waste generation make it a valid improvement candidate. While in recent years, global clothing brands and retailers have taken steps to reduce their ecological footprint, there still is a lot of room for improvement. In this research, we view this sustainability issue from a lifecycle perspective and study the new business models (NBMs) that may arise from the utilization of additive manufacturing (AM) technology. AM is emerging as a method of production for final parts. Moreover, as the range of material and available production processes expands, it is increasingly important to study the potential impact of this promising production technology and potential NBMs enabled by it on the clothing industry. Additionally, the obstacles to AM utilization in the clothing industry are explored. We utilize secondary data related to relevant implementation cases to theoretically study the NBMs that AM can enable to improve sustainability. Three NBMs of “clothing as a service”, “collaborative consumption”, and “direct sale/distribution” were envisioned through the study of current AM applications in other industries, as well as current fashion trends. The results of this research have implications for the sustainability of the fashion industry while also providing directions for AM technology development.

As the rapid development of Internet and communication technology, clothing industry in China keep updating itself and speeding up its informationization of its production process. However, since clothing industry in China is developed from handicraft industry, it has such problems as the complexity of working procedure, disparity of the manufacturing goods, and the difficulty of management. Business characteristics of the process management in the workshops of the clothing company is discussed. An application scheme for carrying out RFID in a clothing company is proposed and lastly, the future of the application and development of RFID-tech in clothing company in China is predicted.

In this paper, I explore the manner in which, since the 1980s, some Turkish domestic firms in the clothing industry have found ways of connecting themselves to the global webs of manufacturing, distribution, and retailing of garments. I call attention to two related developments that have occurred during the process. First, a number of manufacturing firms have acquired enough autonomy to develop and exercise their own strategies, have upgraded their operations, and, as original brand-name manufacturers, have evolved into global competitors. Second, some large domestic manufacturers have experienced a cautious and gradual transformation from industrial capital to commercial and financial capital. The findings show the necessity of seeing firms as intentional agents of change with some autonomy of their own as well as the importance of maintaining a structural understanding of power relations in the networked relationships of the global economy.

Flexible production techniques have been implemented in a number of industries in response to the crisis following the long post World War Two boom. These new methods have recently captured the attention of social scientists from a broad range of perspectives. In the large North American automobile industry, where flexible manufacturing is best documented, firms are introducing programmable equipment, work teams are replacing the assembly line, inventories are kept at a minimum, improving turnaround time and quality are important goals, and markets are smaller as specific consumers are targeted. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the experience of the automobile industry is not representative of other manufacturing sectors. The implementation of the new techniques is likely to be different where the organisation of production is different, the structure of the industry is less concentrated, and where norms of consumption are distinct. This thesis focuses on the clothing industry in Vancouver, British Columbia. For this study, interviews were conducted with fourteen clothing firms in the city, ten workers (most of whom were Chinese female immigrants), union officials, equipment salespeople and a government official. The primary research question was to understand the pervasiveness of the new techniques and their effects on workers and the industry in Vancouver. The results of this study suggest that it is overwhelmingly the very large fashion firms that have invested in flexible machinery. These firms are large enough to lay out the capital for the new machines which improve turnaround time and flexibility, both vital for manufacturers of fashion apparel. A second advantage of the equipment for factory owners is that it reduces their dependence on skilled male workers who command the highest wages on the shop floor. For women workers in the industry (machinists), the new machines simply speed up work, making an already debilitating job worse. On the other hand, many smaller fashion firms are unable to raise the capital for the equipment even though the potential benefits are significant. In addition, standardised clothing manufacturers in Vancouver have not purchased the new technology because it does not suit their needs. Firms without the new technology weather downturns in the economy primarily through workers in the secondary labour market, which, in Vancouver is dominated by immigrant women. At this stage it seems that are barriers to the widespread implementation of flexible equipment in Vancouver clothing industry.
Arts, Faculty of
Geography, Department of
Graduate

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado.
Even though there is a high demand for clothing articles in the market, they do not meet quality standards. This can be appreciated after the clothes are washed and dried and the study revealed that over 20% of the items were returned each month. This occurs when the acquisition of raw materials is focused exclusively on the price. Thus, there are no requirements for compliance with any technical specifications that would enable the production process to be equipped with quality raw materials. Additionally, the absence of control over the quantity of consumables based on demand generates reprocessed inventory, thus damaging the fabric. Therefore, the proposed model was made through the Lean Six Sigma method to reduce waste and meet client requirements. The results were a decrease in returns by over 16.5% and an increase in productivity by 28.5%.

This research investigates the qualitative effects of foreign direct investments of the clothing industry in a developing country like Albania. The clothing industry is often regarded as the first step of industrialization and as an employment generator for developing countries. With reference to industrialization induced by foreign direct investrnent of the clothing industry in a developing country like Albania, this research looks into whether clothing manufacturing enterprises have broken the FDI trap. The framework includes: (i) knowledge transferred in the hostterritory and (ii) the evolution in the quality of the degree of clothing manufacturing enterprises. This research is based on case study methodologyin which four clothing manufacturing enterprises two ltalian, one German, and one Greek are analyzed based on the proposed framework.The evolution offoreign clothing manufacturing enterprises in Albania, is examined through a variety ofreal contrasted data sources and by overcoming limitations of existing research in the field. Based on the results derived from implementing a case study methodology, conclusions are drawn on the qualitative effects ofFDI and the industrialization Albania has obtained in the last twenty years from the production activity of the four foreign clothing manufacturing enterprises (subsidiaries). With reference to conclusions, policy recom mendations are proposed on enhancing in a host territory a virtuous FDI circle that leads to upgranding at the firm and industry level applicable in developing countries.
Esta investigacion investiga los efectos cualitativos de las inversiones extranjeras directas en la industria del vestido en un país en desarrollo como Albania. La industria de la confeccion se considera a menudo como el primer paso de la industrializacion y como generador de empleo para los paises en desarrollo. Con referencia a la industrializacion inducida por la inversion extranjera directa en la industria del vestido en un pais en desarrollo como Albania esta investigacion propone un macro sobre los efectos cualitativos con el fin de ver si las empresas de fabricacion de ropa han roto la trampa de la IED. El macro incluye: (i) el conocimiento transferido en el territorio de acogida, y (ii) la evolucion en la calidad de las filiales de fabricacion de prendas de vestir . Esta investigacion se basa en una metodología de estudio de casos en la que se analizan cuatro empresas de fabricacion de prendas de vestir, dos italianas, una alemana y una griega, sobre la base del macro propuesto. La evolucion de las empresas extranjeras de fabricacion de prendas de vestir en Albania, se examina a traves de una variedad de fuentes de datos reales contrastados y superando las limitaciones de la investigacion existente en el campo. Sobre la base de los resultados derivados de la aplicacion de una metodoligia de estudio de caso, se extraen conclusiones sobre los efectos cualitativos y la industrializacion que Albania ha obtenido en los ultimas veinte años a partir de la actividad de production de las cuatro empresas de fabricacion de prendas de vestir extranjeras. Con referencia a las conclusiones, se proponen recomendaciones de politica para mejorar en un territorio anfitrion un circulo de IED virtuoso que conduzca a la mejora del nivel de la empresa y de la industria aplicable en los paises en desarrollo

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007
An assessment undertaken by the Clothing and Textile Centre in the Western Cape (Clotex) during 2002 revealed that there was a great need for quality in the clothing sector. Furthermore, the research undertaken by the Department of Science and Technology (2004) supports and recommends the development of simple, paper-based systems for implementation and measurement for quality and production systems. An analysis of the macro- and micro-environmental factors confronting the clothing industry revealed that substantial pressure was placed on the clothing industry due to unfavourable exchange rates, increased pricing and illegal imports. The result has been a decline in sales, profits and exports, which has lead to the closure of many clothing companies in the Western Cape during the period 2003 to present. Furthermore, this has resulted in the increase of SMME companies that have been established due to the increase in unemployment. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research techniques was applied during this study, namely focus-group sessions and survey questionnaires. Six focus-group sessions were held with participants from the retail sector, large manufacturers and small manufacturers with the purpose to establish the quality needs in the clothing industry and the type of quality systems utilised. The outcome of the focus group was the development of a questionnaire, using both a combination of scale response questions as well as dichotomous questions. As a result a research survey was conducted amongst the small manufacturing companies in the Western Cape who conform to the provisions contained in the National Business Act, 1996 (Act 102 of 1996). The research revealed that all the respondents had implemented quality control systems. Quality control systems are viewed as preventative systems in ensuring that goods not conforming to customer specifications are prevented from reaching the customer. The research analysis further revealed that communication between buyer and seller was an integral part of the success of the business. The research provides small-business with a framework, which will facilitate the evaluation of the current quality practices with the view to improving or implementing an effective quality assurance system.

The purpose of this study is to map out and analyse the competitiveness of the clothing-manufacturing sector in Rwanda on a local, regional and international level. The research was carried out as a case study of the Rwandan clothing-manufacturing sector through a two-months field study in Rwanda. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with local fashion designers, clothing manufacturers and ministry representatives. Observations in manufacturing plants, local markets and tailoring studios were also carried out. The findings were analyzed through an analysis model based on Porter’s diamond model, enhanced with the notions of country of origin effect (COO), corporate social responsibility (CSR) and customer-based brand equity (CBBE). The findings show a sector that is struggling with its competitiveness on a local, regional and international level. Lack of relevant factor conditions such as cheap labour and energy as well as low local demand indicates that the country is not suitable for mass-production of clothes. The emerging fashion scene shows abundance in creativity and entrepreneurship, but there is a need for more developed tailoring skills, product quality level and knowledge in management and marketing. Rwanda is not competitive for mass-production of clothing, but the sector could profile itself on high-end fashion and products with craftsmanship qualities. Allocating resources to education and investments in supporting industries could help the Rwandan clothing-manufacturing sector to profile itself on a regional and international market. No studies on the Rwandan clothing-manufacturing sector and its competitiveness have been done since 1989. Due to the shifting focus towards East-Africa as a textile and clothing-manufacturing hub, an update of the situation in Rwanda was found relevant. The study contributes to the existing literature on competitiveness in the textile industry and forms a relevant stepping-stone for further research.
Program: Textilekonomutbildningen

Las pequeñas y medianas empresas del sector textil y de la confección encuentran un problema de exceso de desperdicios, lo que tiene un impacto negativo en la rentabilidad de estas empresas. Por ello, se realiza un análisis de diagnóstico en una pequeña empresa utilizando el diagrama de Ishikawa con la finalidad de identificar las causas raíz y medirlas mediante indicadores. En base a estos resultados, se propone un modelo de gestión de cambios, que consiste en la implementación de herramientas de Lean Manufacturing, componentes del sistema de producción durante la aplicación piloto de 30 días. Luego, cada indicador se vuelve a evaluar para verificar la viabilidad de la propuesta Umbrella Model. Los resultados muestran que este modelo redujo la cantidad de residuos en un 81,21%.
Excess waste problem is encountered by small and medium-sized companies in the textile and clothing sector, which has a negative impact on the profitability of these companies. Herein, a diagnosis analysis is performed in a small company using the Ishikawa diagram to identify the root causes and they are measured using indicators. Based on these results, a change management model is proposed, which supports the implementation of lean manufacturing tools and production system components during the 30-day pilot application. Then, each indicator is reassessed to verify the feasibility of the proposed umbrella model. Results show that this model reduced the amount of waste by 81.21%.
Tesis

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This report is an evaluation of the impact of the quotas imposed on clothing and textiles imported from China on the clothing and textile manufacturing industry in South Africa. On 28 August 2006 the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the People’s Republic of China concluded a memorandum in terms of which the export of certain tariff lines of the Chinese textile products to South Africa would be administered in accordance with the volumes specified in the memorandum for a period of two years. The fundamental objective of these import quotas was to provide South African clothing and textile firms the space in which to operate, with the aim of improving competitiveness in domestic and export markets in the long run. The Chinese market-share of South African global clothing imports has risen steadily to the mid-2006 level of just under 75 percent. It was claimed that because of the significant growth in imports from China between 63 000 to 67 000 jobs were lost in the domestic clothing and textile industry from March 2003 to September 2006. The effect of the imposition of the quotas is evaluated by comparing the state of the clothing and textile industry in South Africa prior to 2006, that is pre-quota imposition to the state of the industry up to two years after imposition of the quotas. Reference is made to employment in the clothing and textile industry in South Africa, the size of the industry in South Africa, the position of clothing retailers, labour costs and productivity, as well as the competitiveness of the local clothing and textile industry. The comparison shows that the import quotas did not solve the industry’s woes and that the trends prior to the imposition of the quotas continued. It further shows that the imposition of quotas had a detrimental effect on the welfare of consumers in the country. A change of tack for the industry’s policy makers and businesses is proposed.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verslag is ‘n evaluering van die impak van kwotas ingestel op die invoer van klerasie en tekstiele vanuit China op die Suid Afrikaanse klerasie- en tekstiel-bedryf. Op 28 Augustus 2006 het die regerings van Suid-Afrika en China ‘n memorandum onderteken ingevolge waarvan die uitvoer van sekere Chinese tekstiel-tarieflyne na Suid-Afrika vir ‘n tydperk van twee jaar beperk sou word tot volumes gespesifiseer in die memorandum. Die doel van hierdie kwotas was om aan Suid Afrikaanse klerasie- en tekstiel-ondernemings die ruimte te skep om handel te dryf en sodoende hul mededingendheid in beide die plaaslike- en uitvoermarkte te verbeter. Die Chinese markaandeel van Suid-Afrikaanse klere-invoere het geleidelik gestyg tot net onder 75 persent in die middel van 2006. Arbeids-organisasies het aangevoer dat die aansienlike toename in invoere van China daartoe gelei het dat tussen 63 000 en 67 000 werksgeleenthede verlore gegaan het in die plaaslike klerasie- en tekstiel-bedryf vanaf Maart 2003 tot September 2006. Die effek van die kwota-instelling word geëvalueer deur die stand van die Suid-Afrikaanse klerasie- en tekstiel-bedryf voor 2006 - dit wil sê voor die instelling van die kwotas - te vergelyk met die stand van die bedryf vir ‘n tydperk van twee jaar ná die instelling van die kwotas. Verwysings word gemaak na die vlak van indiensneming in die Suid Afrikaanse klerasie- en tekstiel-bedryf, die grootte van die plaaslike bedryf, die posisie van klere-kleinhandelaars, arbeidskoste en produktiwiteit, asook die mededingendheid van die plaaslike bedryf. Die vergelyking toon dat die invoer-kwotas nie die bedryf verbeter het nie en dat tendense aanwesig voor die instelling van die kwotas steeds voortduur. Bowendien toon dit dat die instelling van die kwotas ‘n nadelige invloed gehad het op die welvaart van Suid-Afrikaanse verbuikers. ‘n Koersverandering vir die bedryf se beleidmakers en besighede word voorgestel.

One of the major Strategic Innovation Theme and corresponding Research Priority for the next years is Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency, according to Euratex. Recently, the European Commission launched the new "Industrial Strategy for a globally competitive, green and digital Europe", that will help deliver on three key priorities: maintaining European industry's global competitiveness and a level playing field, at home and globally, making Europe climate-neutral by 2050 and shaping Europe's digital future. In this context, innovation and market potential of the European textile and clothing industry involve the frequent use of the terms “Circular Economy”. Forward, the sector will operate according to a globalised and efficient circular economic model which maximises the use of local resources, exploits advanced manufacturing techniques and engages in cross-sectorial collaborations and strategic clusters. Although the benefits of the circular economy are fairly well understood, in reality there are few industrial examples of companies that have implemented a circular economy paradigm. Circular product design provides long-term sustainability performance for products, by applying the principle of "designing out waste". This paper presents the application of circular product design assessment for clothing, by using two practical tools to assess products' circularity: HotSpot Mapping and Circularity Calculator (developed by Delft University of Technology, Netherlands). Generally, clothing products need major redesign to fit the circular economy, so it is essential to assess the potential of the various circular strategies such as Reuse, Repair, Remanufacture and Recycle.

3D printing is used to produce individual objects or to print on different substrates to produce multi-component products. In the textile industry, we encounter various 3D printing technologies in fashion design, functional apparel manufacturing (protective, military, sports, etc.), including wearable electronics, where textile material is functionalized. 3D printing enables the personalization of the product, which in the apparel industry can be transformed into the production of clothing or parts of clothing or custom accessories. Additive technology allows a more rational use of the material than traditional technologies. In the textile industry we meet different uses of it, one is the printing of flexible structures based on rigid materials, another is the printing with flexible materials and the third is the printing directly on textile substrate. All rigid, hard and soft or flexible materials can be integrated into the final design using 3D printing directly on the textile substrate. We speak of so-called multi-material objects and systems, which have many advantages, mainly in the increasing customization and functionalization of textiles or clothing. The article gives a broader overview of 3D printing on textiles and focuses mainly on the influence of different parameters of printing and woven fabric properties on the adhesion of 3D printed objects on the textile substrate. In our research we investigated the influence of twill weave and its derivate as well as different weft densities of the woven fabric on the adhesion of printed objects on textile substrate. Therefore, five samples of twill polyester/cotton fabrics were woven and their physical properties measured for this research. 3D objects were printed on textile substrates using the extrusion based additive manufacturing technique with polylactic acid (PLA) filament. Preliminary tests were carried out to define printing parameters and different methods of attaching the fabric to a printing bed were tested. T - Peel adhesion tests were performed on the Instron dynamometer to measure the adhesion between 3D printed objects and textile substrates.

Attention to safety and health are of ever-increasing priority to industrial organizations. Good Safety is demanded by stockholders, employees, and the community while increasing injury costs provide additional motivation for safety and health excellence. Safety has always been a strong corporate value of DuPont and a vital part of its culture. As a result, DuPont has become a benchmark in safety and health performance. Since 1990, DuPont has re-engineered itself to meet global competition and address future vision. In the new re-engineered organizational structures, DuPont has also had to re-engineer its safety management systems. A special Discovery Team was chartered by DuPont senior management to determine the “best practices’ for safety and health being used in DuPont best-performing sites. A summary of the findings is presented, and five of the practices are discussed. Excellence in safety and health management is more important today than ever. Public awareness, federal and state regulations, and enlightened management have resulted in a widespread conviction that all employees have the right to work in an environment that will not adversely affect their safety and health. In DuPont, we believe that excellence in safety and health is necessary to achieve global competitiveness, maintain employee loyalty, and be an accepted member of the communities in which we make, handle, use, and transport products. Safety can also be the “catalyst” to achieving excellence in other important business parameters. The organizational and communication skills developed by management, individuals, and teams in safety can be directly applied to other company initiatives. As we look into the 21st Century, we must also recognize that new organizational structures (flatter with empowered teams) will require new safety management techniques and systems in order to maintain continuous improvement in safety performance. Injury costs, which have risen dramatically in the past twenty years, provide another incentive for safety and health excellence. Shown in the Figure 1, injury costs have increased even after correcting for inflation. Many companies have found these costs to be an “invisible drain” on earnings and profitability. In some organizations, significant initiatives have been launched to better manage the workers’ compensation systems. We have found that the ultimate solution is to prevent injuries and incidents before they occur. A globally-respected company, DuPont is regarded as a well-managed, extremely ethical firm that is the benchmark in industrial safety performance. Like many other companies, DuPont has re-engineered itself and downsized its operations since 1985. Through these changes, we have maintained dedication to our principles and developed new techniques to manage in these organizational environments. As a diversified company, our operations involve chemical process facilities, production line operations, field activities, and sales and distribution of materials. Our customer base is almost entirely industrial and yet we still maintain a high level of consumer awareness and positive perception. The DuPont concern for safety dates back to the early 1800s and the first days of the company. In 1802 E.I. DuPont, a Frenchman, began manufacturing quality grade explosives to fill America’s growing need to build roads, clear fields, increase mining output, and protect its recently won independence. Because explosives production is such a hazardous industry, DuPont recognized and accepted the need for an effective safety effort. The building walls of the first powder mill near Wilmington, Delaware, were built three stones thick on three sides. The back remained open to the Brandywine River to direct any explosive forces away from other buildings and employees. To set the safety example, DuPont also built his home and the homes of his managers next to the powder yard. An effective safety program was a necessity. It represented the first defense against instant corporate liquidation. Safety needs more than a well-designed plant, however. In 1811, work rules were posted in the mill to guide employee work habits. Though not nearly as sophisticated as the safety standards of today, they did introduce an important basic concept — that safety must be a line management responsibility. Later, DuPont introduced an employee health program and hired a company doctor. An early step taken in 1912 was the keeping of safety statistics, approximately 60 years before the federal requirement to do so. We had a visible measure of our safety performance and were determined that we were going to improve it. When the nation entered World War I, the DuPont Company supplied 40 percent of the explosives used by the Allied Forces, more than 1.5 billion pounds. To accomplish this task, over 30,000 new employees were hired and trained to build and operate many plants. Among these facilities was the largest smokeless powder plant the world had ever seen. The new plant was producing granulated powder in a record 116 days after ground breaking. The trends on the safety performance chart reflect the problems that a large new work force can pose until the employees fully accept the company’s safety philosophy. The first arrow reflects the World War I scale-up, and the second arrow represents rapid diversification into new businesses during the 1920s. These instances of significant deterioration in safety performance reinforced DuPont’s commitment to reduce the unsafe acts that were causing 96 percent of our injuries. Only 4 percent of injuries result from unsafe conditions or equipment — the remainder result from the unsafe acts of people. This is an important concept if we are to focus our attention on reducing injuries and incidents within the work environment. World War II brought on a similar set of demands. The story was similar to World War I but the numbers were even more astonishing: one billion dollars in capital expenditures, 54 new plants, 75,000 additional employees, and 4.5 billion pounds of explosives produced — 20 percent of the volume used by the Allied Forces. Yet, the performance during the war years showed no significant deviation from the pre-war years. In 1941, the DuPont Company was 10 times safer than all industry and 9 times safer than the Chemical Industry. Management and the line organization were finally working as they should to control the real causes of injuries. Today, DuPont is about 50 times safer than US industrial safety performance averages. Comparing performance to other industries, it is interesting to note that seemingly “hazard-free” industries seem to have extraordinarily high injury rates. This is because, as DuPont has found out, performance is a function of injury prevention and safety management systems, not hazard exposure. Our success in safety results from a sound safety management philosophy. Each of the 125 DuPont facilities is responsible for its own safety program, progress, and performance. However, management at each of these facilities approaches safety from the same fundamental and sound philosophy. This philosophy can be expressed in eleven straightforward principles. The first principle is that all injuries can be prevented. That statement may seem a bit optimistic. In fact, we believe that this is a realistic goal and not just a theoretical objective. Our safety performance proves that the objective is achievable. We have plants with over 2,000 employees that have operated for over 10 years without a lost time injury. As injuries and incidents are investigated, we can always identify actions that could have prevented that incident. If we manage safety in a proactive — rather than reactive — manner, we will eliminate injuries by reducing the acts and conditions that cause them. The second principle is that management, which includes all levels through first-line supervisors, is responsible and accountable for preventing injuries. Only when senior management exerts sustained and consistent leadership in establishing safety goals, demanding accountability for safety performance and providing the necessary resources, can a safety program be effective in an industrial environment. The third principle states that, while recognizing management responsibility, it takes the combined energy of the entire organization to reach sustained, continuous improvement in safety and health performance. Creating an environment in which employees feel ownership for the safety effort and make significant contributions is an essential task for management, and one that needs deliberate and ongoing attention. The fourth principle is a corollary to the first principle that all injuries are preventable. It holds that all operating exposures that may result in injuries or illnesses can be controlled. No matter what the exposure, an effective safeguard can be provided. It is preferable, of course, to eliminate sources of danger, but when this is not reasonable or practical, supervision must specify measures such as special training, safety devices, and protective clothing. Our fifth safety principle states that safety is a condition of employment. Conscientious assumption of safety responsibility is required from all employees from their first day on the job. Each employee must be convinced that he or she has a responsibility for working safely. The sixth safety principle: Employees must be trained to work safely. We have found that an awareness for safety does not come naturally and that people have to be trained to work safely. With effective training programs to teach, motivate, and sustain safety knowledge, all injuries and illnesses can be eliminated. Our seventh principle holds that management must audit performance on the workplace to assess safety program success. Comprehensive inspections of both facilities and programs not only confirm their effectiveness in achieving the desired performance, but also detect specific problems and help to identify weaknesses in the safety effort. The Company’s eighth principle states that all deficiencies must be corrected promptly. Without prompt action, risk of injuries will increase and, even more important, the credibility of management’s safety efforts will suffer. Our ninth principle is a statement that off-the-job safety is an important part of the overall safety effort. We do not expect nor want employees to “turn safety on” as they come to work and “turn it off” when they go home. The company safety culture truly becomes of the individual employee’s way of thinking. The tenth principle recognizes that it’s good business to prevent injuries. Injuries cost money. However, hidden or indirect costs usually exceed the direct cost. Our last principle is the most important. Safety must be integrated as core business and personal value. There are two reasons for this. First, we’ve learned from almost 200 years of experience that 96 percent of safety incidents are directly caused by the action of people, not by faulty equipment or inadequate safety standards. But conversely, it is our people who provide the solutions to our safety problems. They are the one essential ingredient in the recipe for a safe workplace. Intelligent, trained, and motivated employees are any company’s greatest resource. Our success in safety depends upon the men and women in our plants following procedures, participating actively in training, and identifying and alerting each other and management to potential hazards. By demonstrating a real concern for each employee, management helps establish a mutual respect, and the foundation is laid for a solid safety program. This, of course, is also the foundation for good employee relations. An important lesson learned in DuPont is that the majority of injuries are caused by unsafe acts and at-risk behaviors rather than unsafe equipment or conditions. In fact, in several DuPont studies it was estimated that 96 percent of injuries are caused by unsafe acts. This was particularly revealing when considering safety audits — if audits were only focused on conditions, at best we could only prevent four percent of our injuries. By establishing management systems for safety auditing that focus on people, including audit training, techniques, and plans, all incidents are preventable. Of course, employee contribution and involvement in auditing leads to sustainability through stakeholdership in the system. Management safety audits help to make manage the “behavioral balance.” Every job and task performed at a site can do be done at-risk or safely. The essence of a good safety system ensures that safe behavior is the accepted norm amongst employees, and that it is the expected and respected way of doing things. Shifting employees norms contributes mightily to changing culture. The management safety audit provides a way to quantify these norms. DuPont safety performance has continued to improve since we began keeping records in 1911 until about 1990. In the 1990–1994 time frame, performance deteriorated as shown in the chart that follows: This increase in injuries caused great concern to senior DuPont management as well as employees. It occurred while the corporation was undergoing changes in organization. In order to sustain our technological, competitive, and business leadership positions, DuPont began re-engineering itself beginning in about 1990. New streamlined organizational structures and collaborative work processes eliminated many positions and levels of management and supervision. The total employment of the company was reduced about 25 percent during these four years. In our traditional hierarchical organization structures, every level of supervision and management knew exactly what they were expected to do with safety, and all had important roles. As many of these levels were eliminated, new systems needed to be identified for these new organizations. In early 1995, Edgar S. Woolard, DuPont Chairman, chartered a Corporate Discovery Team to look for processes that will put DuPont on a consistent path toward a goal of zero injuries and occupational illnesses. The cross-functional team used a mode of “discovery through learning” from as many DuPont employees and sites around the world. The Discovery Team fostered the rapid sharing and leveraging of “best practices” and innovative approaches being pursued at DuPont’s plants, field sites, laboratories, and office locations. In short, the team examined the company’s current state, described the future state, identified barriers between the two, and recommended key ways to overcome these barriers. After reporting back to executive management in April, 1995, the Discovery Team was realigned to help organizations implement their recommendations. The Discovery Team reconfirmed key values in DuPont — in short, that all injuries, incidents, and occupational illnesses are preventable and that safety is a source of competitive advantage. As such, the steps taken to improve safety performance also improve overall competitiveness. Senior management made this belief clear: “We will strengthen our business by making safety excellence an integral part of all business activities.” One of the key findings of the Discovery Team was the identification of the best practices used within the company, which are listed below: ▪ Felt Leadership – Management Commitment ▪ Business Integration ▪ Responsibility and Accountability ▪ Individual/Team Involvement and Influence ▪ Contractor Safety ▪ Metrics and Measurements ▪ Communications ▪ Rewards and Recognition ▪ Caring Interdependent Culture; Team-Based Work Process and Systems ▪ Performance Standards and Operating Discipline ▪ Training/Capability ▪ Technology ▪ Safety and Health Resources ▪ Management and Team Audits ▪ Deviation Investigation ▪ Risk Management and Emergency Response ▪ Process Safety ▪ Off-the-Job Safety and Health Education Attention to each of these best practices is essential to achieve sustained improvements in safety and health. The Discovery Implementation in conjunction with DuPont Safety and Environmental Management Services has developed a Safety Self-Assessment around these systems. In this presentation, we will discuss a few of these practices and learn what they mean. Paper published with permission.