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Use Blue Tags to Create an Efficient Work Place

Article on Blue Tags by Graham Ross of Lean Kaizen

"The most dangerous kind of waste is the waste we do not recognize."

Shigeo Shingo

In this article I'd like to take you through a useful work place technique called blue tagging. It is a technique that will
help you uncover wasted time caused by not keeping work place
equipment up to scratch.

Introduction : What is a Blue Tag ?

The blue tag is a visual tool you can use to help identify items that need repair or maintenance within the workplace.

To be efficient, all items of equipment that we need to use, should be working properly at all times.

Take a walk around your workplace and ask yourself these questions:-

How many pieces of equipment are not in the condition they should be?

How many pieces of equipment are contributing to a less than optimal performance?

Why use Blue Tags ?

The main reason we use blue tags is to identify any piece of equipment in the workplace that is less than
optimal condition.

Here are some examples from an Office environment:-

Faulty cabling

Faulty filing cabinet

Damaged shelves

Damaged signage

Broken chairs

Damaged fax machine

Missing conduit

Poor printing output from a printer

Unclear labels from a label machine

Having identified the defective pieces of kit, we need to take action to get the equipment brought back to
an operational optimum.

The ultimate goal is to eliminate wasted time associated with poor equipment performance.

In many instances people "live" with poor equipment and either "put up with it" or avoid using it.

They find a "work around". e.g Hand writing an address on an envelope because the desktop label printer
keeps jamming.Poor equipment not only leads to poor quality, but it also puts staff under additional
pressure to produce the same expected results, but effectively with one hand tied behind their back.

When should you use Blue Tags?

There are really two occasions that I think blue tagging can come into its own:-

1. As part of a major blitz event to eliminate poor or broken equipment from the workplace.

2. As part of a daily maintenance activity as you walk the job.

Using a few blue tags every day can help maintain your systems and ensure that equipment is always
operationally ready when you need it.

Who Should be Involved in Blue Tagging?

It is great idea to eventually try and get as many people involved in blue tagging as possible through small
group improvement activities. Typically you need to get the people who work in the area to carry out the
blue tagging in the area.

A team of 3-5 people can work really well if you want to blitz an area fairly quickly.

Where should you use Blue Tags?

Blue tags should be used directly on the piece of equipment that needs attention.

For each blue tag there needs to be a corresponding entry on a log sheet so that you can finally review every
blue tagged item to check that the appropriate action has been taken place.

How to carry out a Blue Tagging Event

Before taking you through the key steps in carrying out a Blue Tag Event I want to make one thing very
clear.Only embark on this activity if you are really serious about getting things done.

The worst thing you can do is to start blue tagging everything and then not follow though on it with the
appropriate corrective actions.

To conduct a Blue Tag event you need to carry out the following steps:-

Step

Let everyone know ahead of time, that you are going to carry out a Blue Tag Event.

Sounds fairly obvious but unless this communication takes place then the chances of success are slim.

It is a great opportunity to get a bit of a buzz around the place and get people enthusiastic and interested.

Don't blow it by not keeping people up to speed.

Step

Prepare the blue tags and a summary capture sheet.

You can easily make up your own blue tags and blue tag summary sheet that fits in with your own culture
and branding. I've included links to two pro forma to get you started.

Blue Tag Labels (just copy this sheet onto blue card to make up your labels)

http://www.leankaizen.co.uk/bluetaglabelv2.0.pdf

Blue Tag Log Sheet (think this is fairly self explanatory but any question just get in touch)

http://www.leankaizen.co.uk/Leankaizen%20blue%20tag%20log%20template%20v1.0.pdf

Step

Carry out the blue tag exercise with a small team of say three to five people

Step

Look for sources of poor performance or potential equipment issues
in the chosen work area

Step

Attach a blue tag to each sub optimal equipment item, with a fault description.

Examples of Equipment with Blue Tags attached

Blue Tag Example

Blue Tag Example

Blue Tag Example

Blue Tag Example

Blue Tag Example

Blue Tag Example

Blue Tag Example

Choose an image to begin

Example of a piece of equipment before and after Action taken

Before After

Before Action Taken

Open lubrication system leaking on floor causing contamination Drip tray fitted to contain lubricant

Step

Once all the blue tags are attached, review the summary capture sheet and agree the appropriate action to
bring the situation back up to optimal.

Link for the pro forma:-

http://www.leankaizen.co.uk/Leankaizen%20blue%20tag%20log%20template%20v1.0.pdf

Blue Tag Sheet Example

Step

Review the Blue Tag log on a regular basis until all of the actions are completed.

In conclusion

After completing all of the actions identified, the equipment will be in a far better condition, which in turn
should lead to higher productivity within the area.

This is very much an introduction to the Blue Tagging Process technique. If you would like to find out more
then please contact Graham Ross at 0044(0)1698308309 or e-mail me at:

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Graham Ross

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