A framework for assessing poka-yoke devices

This study introduces a framework for assessing poka-yoke devices (PD), encompassing both those designed for quality control (referred to as quality PD) and those designed to control hazards to health and safety at work (referred to as safety PD). The framework assesses the processes of the design, operation and maintenance of PD, rather than the outcomes of these processes. The development of the framework involved three stages: (a) defining 15 attributes of PD, identifying those that provide fail-safe characteristics and those that inform best practices in design, implementation and maintenance; (b) defining what the set of evidence and what the sources of evidence should be for assessing the existence of each attribute; the sources include documents, interviews, observations and a meeting to discuss the results of the assessment with company representatives; and (c) defining a scoring system to express the results of the assessment. The application of the framework is illustrated by means of assessing four PD; two of them being concerned with quality and two with safety.

► The framework is applicable both to poka-yoke devices related to safety and quality control.
► The framework assesses the processes of the design, operation and maintenance of poka-yoke devices.
► The framework includes a scoring system; background in both lean production and human factors is required to apply the framework.