What is Pointing and Calling in Lean Manufacturing?

Enhancing Safety and Precision: Exploring the Pointing and Calling Methodology

In industries where automation is limited or human involvement is essential, preventing mistakes and ensuring safety are critical goals. One highly effective method to achieve these goals is Pointing and Calling—a technique developed in Japan in the early 1900s. Known for its ability to reduce human errors, Pointing and Calling has been widely used in industries such as railways, aviation, and healthcare to enhance both precision and safety. Research from Japan’s Railway Technical Research Institute in 1994 showed that this technique helped reduce failure rates by 85%, demonstrating its significant impact over the years.

This blog explores the core principles of Pointing and Calling, its application across various industries, and why this method remains a valuable safety tool today.

The Core Principle of Pointing and Calling: Synchronization of Actions

At its heart, Pointing and Calling (also known as Shisa Kanko in Japanese) is about the synchronization of physical and auditory actions to reinforce safety and accuracy. The technique involves two key steps:

1. Pointing at the object of focus.
2. Calling out or verbalizing what the worker is seeing or confirming.

By combining visual, physical, and verbal verification, Pointing and Calling creates a powerful mental and physical connection between the worker’s thoughts and actions. This synchronization reduces the likelihood of oversight or carelessness by requiring workers to actively engage with their surroundings and confirm their actions.

The physical action of pointing helps concentrate the mind on a particular task or object, while the verbal affirmation reinforces the observation. For example, in a railway setting, a worker might point at a signal and say, “Signal green,” ensuring that they are fully focused on the status of the signal. This approach helps ensure that safety protocols are followed rigorously and that mistakes are caught early before they escalate.

Cultural Variations: Acceptance and Implementation of Pointing and Calling

While Pointing and Calling is deeply ingrained in the safety culture of Japan, it has not seen widespread adoption in other parts of the world, particularly in Western countries. In Japan, the method is commonly used in high-risk industries like railways, construction, and healthcare, where safety is paramount.

In contrast, some Western workplaces view Pointing and Calling as an unnecessary or even awkward practice, which has limited its implementation outside of Japan. This reluctance can be attributed to differences in workplace culture and the perception that the method is overly formal or redundant. However, despite these perceptions, the effectiveness of Pointing and Calling in reducing human error and improving safety is well-documented.

Numerous studies and practical applications have proven the value of this technique, and while it may seem out of place in certain settings, its potential to reduce risks makes it worth considering in any environment where safety and precision are crucial.

Practical Application: Illustrating Pointing and Calling in Action

To better understand how Pointing and Calling works in practice, let’s take a look at a few examples across different industries:

1. Railway Operations
   In Japan’s railway industry, conductors and station staff frequently use Pointing and Calling to ensure that signals are followed correctly. For instance, a conductor needs to verify that a traffic signal is green before proceeding. The conductor points at the light, says aloud, “Signal green,” and points again to confirm the action. This routine, though seemingly simple, ensures that the conductor is fully aware of the signal’s status and avoids any potentially catastrophic mistakes.
2. Aviation
   In the cockpit, pilots and co-pilots often rely on checklists to ensure that all systems are functioning correctly before takeoff. By adding Pointing and Calling, they can further reduce the risk of missing a critical step. For example, when checking the landing gear, the pilot points to the gear lever and calls out, “Landing gear down,” confirming the action both physically and verbally.
3. Healthcare
   In healthcare settings, precision is critical, especially during surgery or when administering medication. A nurse might point to a medication vial, read the label aloud, and confirm the dosage before administering it to the patient. This practice helps prevent medication errors and ensures patient safety.
4. Factories and Warehouses
   In environments where employees are responsible for handling machinery or moving heavy equipment, Pointing and Calling can help avoid accidents. Workers might point at a machine, call out that it is safely powered off, and then proceed with maintenance, ensuring that all safety steps are followed.

The Benefits of Pointing and Calling

The Pointing and Calling method is effective because it turns often passive observations into active confirmations. By engaging the senses of sight, sound, and touch, it reinforces the action and reduces the chance of human error. Some of the key benefits include:

• Error Reduction: By combining visual and verbal confirmation, Pointing and Calling creates a mental and physical connection that significantly reduces the likelihood of errors.
• Increased Focus: The act of pointing physically engages workers, requiring them to focus on the task at hand rather than relying solely on routine or memory.
• Improved Communication: In team settings, calling out actions helps keep everyone informed of what is happening. This is particularly important in high-risk environments where miscommunication can lead to accidents.
• Enhanced Safety: Pointing and Calling is particularly valuable in industries like railways, aviation, and healthcare, where even small mistakes can have serious consequences.

Why Pointing and Calling Works

Pointing and Calling works because it taps into multiple senses, reinforcing the worker’s focus on a specific task or object. Here’s why it’s so effective:

• Physical engagement: Pointing requires deliberate movement, which engages the worker’s motor skills and increases awareness of the task.
• Verbal reinforcement: Calling out an action or observation engages the worker’s auditory senses, ensuring that they are consciously acknowledging what they are doing or seeing.
• Reduced complacency: By actively participating in the process, workers are less likely to fall into complacency or overlook critical details.

Conclusion

The Pointing and Calling method is a simple yet powerful tool for improving safety and precision in various industries. By turning passive observations into active confirmations through physical and verbal engagement, it helps prevent human errors and ensures that critical tasks are performed correctly. While it is deeply rooted in Japanese safety culture, its proven effectiveness suggests that it can be beneficial in any environment where precision and safety are paramount.

Adopting Pointing and Calling can create a culture of alertness and accountability, encouraging workers to take ownership of their tasks and reduce the risk of mistakes. Whether in railways, healthcare, aviation, or even everyday life, this methodology serves as a valuable tool for mitigating errors and enhancing safety.