Universal design of workplaces through the use of Poka-Yokes: Case study and implications
Abstract: Purpose: Employment
plays an important part in many people’s lives beyond merely providing income,
since continued participation in work can have many therapeutic benefits for
workers defined as disabled. However, disabled workers face a range of barriers
to employment, despite legislation intended to improve workplace accessibility
emphasizing adaptations to the workplace, which many employers often find
difficult and expensive.
The Poka-Yoke approach was developed in the manufacturing industry as a
way of improving productivity by reducing errors using often very simple
adaptations. This paper argues that, as Poka-Yokes are designed to make life
easier and improve the performance of workers without impairments, they are
closer to the philosophy of Universal Design than to Accessible Design, and
offer an easy and inclusive way of making work more accessible for all kind of
workers.
Design/methodology/approach: This paper provides a case study demonstrating
the use of the Poka-Yoke approach in a sheltered work centre for disabled;
highlighting how they served to improve accessibility to work by fulfilling
Universal Design principles.
Findings: Our research allows us to demonstrate the great potential of
Poka-yokes for gaining accessibility to the workplace. The real application of
this approach, both in sheltered work centres and ordinary companies, can
contribute to improve the high unemployment rates of disabled people.
Research limitations/implications: The proposal is innovative and was
applied in one specific company. Thus, a range of customized Poka-yokes would
be desirable for different industrial sectors.
Practical implications: Managers of sheltered work centres, and also of
ordinary companies, can realize about the great potential of Poka-Yokes as an
easy means of gaining flexibility and accessibility.
Originality/value: There are very few papers relating lean manufacturing
tools and disability. Our approach analyzes the benefits of this approach for
the labour integration of disabled people.
Author: Cristóbal Miralles,
Raimond Holt, Juan A. Marin-Garcia, Lourdes Canos-Daros
Journal Code: jptindustrigg110037
