Problem
Case Study: Production or Safety?
Atlantic Radiators Inc. manufactures automotive radiators. Demand for its products has resulted in an empty warehouse, and there is an urgent need to increase production to satisfy current customers. John Roberts is an employee of Atlantic Radiators. His job is to spray each radiator core with a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid and to bake the radiators in an oven.
John's supervisor has spoken to him several times about the need to speed up and not be the bottleneck in the production process. As a result, John has been taking some shortcuts, including neglecting to wear the proper eye protection. Today, he splashed some of the acid mixture in his eye and will now be off work for several days. As plant manager, you are responsible for reviewing this incident. Who is at fault here? What can be done to ensure that similar incidents will not occur in the future?