Overview

Yes, there is a wrong way to approach Lean Maintenance. All the examples from the section on safety and Lean maintenance are wrong approaches to Lean. When the edict comes down from on high "cut 10% " or "We're Leaning up your plant, reduce head count to 24", that is a wrong approach to Lean Maintenance. If the cuts are not supported by changes in tools, techniques, or approaches, that is wrong. If the cuts do not take the real needs of the equipment and the life cycles of the equipment into account, that is wrong. In fact, with a Lean approach, the savings will flow up to the ledgers instead of cuts flowing down.

The difference is striking. As a parallel example, consider the effect if you as a parent send down an edict to cut household expenses. Let's say overtime has been cut out, and the household budget just went into the red. You threaten the kids with all kinds of dire consequences. Every week you see the results and yell abuse or praise to the kids and spouse (without giving away any data).What result can you expect? How will morale be in that house?

A Lean approach might be to present the old budget and the new income (if the kids are old enough). Highlight the gap and ask for suggestions to bridge that gap. Everybody participates in brainstorming ideas to run the household on less money without sacrificing their quality of life. Every week...