Lean Production Simplified, 3rd Edition

Stability ◾ 57

The Machine Loss Pyramid

To understand machine losses better, let us borrow a concept from safety

management. Herbert Heinrich, in his landmark 1931 text, Industrial

Accident Prevention, proposed that for every serious injury, there were 10

minor injuries, 30 property damage incidents (but no personal injury), and

600 near misses. A similar concept applies to machine losses (Figure3.4).

The absolute numbers are less important than the concept.

BASIC IMAGE OF TPM—MOTHER AND CHILD

Consider a mother with a young baby. She monitors the child’s health and

is able to take care of most of the child’s needs. If the baby’s temperature ...