McCullough Industries – Kenton, OH: Jon Wilson

The McCullough division uses a mounting jig to hold hoppers in place during the production process. On several occasions, a hopper has fallen off a mounting jig because the threaded rod holding the hopper in place is worn from daily use. One recordable and one near miss related to a hopper falling from the jig …

The McCullough division uses a mounting jig to hold hoppers in place during the production process. On several occasions, a hopper has fallen off a mounting jig because the threaded rod holding the hopper in place is worn from daily use. One recordable and one near miss related to a hopper falling from the jig prompted the Safety team to complete a thorough investigation. Although not on the Safety team, Jon Wilson, Welder, was aware of the issue and developed a solution. He designed a latch that acts as a secondary safety device to ensure the hopper remains on the jig. This solution nearly eliminates the risk of the hopper falling from the jig.

Lesson Learned:

Great ideas can come from anyone at any time. Even if you’re not on the team assigned to resolve an issue, you might just have the solution they’re looking for. Don’t wait to be asked – your solution could be exactly what is needed.