Free Help from Uncle Sam to Start or Expand Your Business. Fred Hess

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      •Stick to the rules

      Other principles he learned were:

      •Clutter hides problems

      •Storage spaces should be self-regulating through visual controls

      •Cleaning equipment is a form of inspection

      •Make information easily accessible; for example, place operating procedures on machines

Cultural Help

      The American manager of a small West Coast electronics firm was having problems managing the engineers of Singapore and American-Chinese origin. The Commerce Productivity Center sent data on the work-related values, attitudes, and habits of these ethnic groups, which are different than those of American workers. The manager studied the data and instituted more appropriate policies. The result: increased productivity.

The Effect of Cold on Workers

      A Northeast construction contractor’s job was delayed by legal problems. Outdoor construction was going to have to be done in winter instead of in warmer weather, as had been planned. The owner wanted to know how much productivity would decline because of cold, inclement weather so he could adjust his prices. The Commerce Productivity Center located and sent formulas and information on how construction productivity is affected at different temperatures.

The Effect of Lighting

      A floor plan for remodeling some offices at a company had been developed. The plan called for every worker to have a window in his office. The boss didn’t think this was a good idea. The remodeling planners called to find out if employees with windows in their offices are more productive. The Commerce Productivity Center researched the problem and offered the findings. Workers with windows are happier, but not necessarily more productive. The real issue is proper lighting. Windows and sunlight aren’t necessarily appropriate. The best lighting is that which is designed for the particular tasks being performed; proper lighting improves performance. And lighting can be designed for energy efficiency and save money.

The Effect of Nightshift

      A contractor was remodeling an office building’s interior during the daytime. The remodeling made so much noise that the building’s occupants couldn't get any work done. The occupants got a court injunction forcing the contractor to do the work at night.

      When the night work started, the productivity of the contractor’s workforce dropped dramatically. The contractor called for help; the Commerce Productivity Center researched the problem and found the probable cause. People have an internal biological clock set by routine. Your body tells you when to wake up, when to eat, and when to go to sleep. When the workers suddenly shifted to night work, their biological clocks were disrupted. It produced a jet-lag-type effect.

      Studies show that an individual’s productivity can decline until the biological clock adjusts to the new routine. There was a stress-producing disruption in the workers’ routines and schedules.

Saving Money on Wine

      A small winery was losing money and needed to cut its costs. The winery had also been hiring full-time employees for jobs that took less than full time. The Commerce Productivity Center provided information on how to study the production process to identify waste in areas such as transportation, work in process, machine setup, non-value adding activities, storage, defects, et al., and on developing multi-skilled, multi-functional workers.

Good Advice at the Last Minute

      The International Operations Group helps small businesses with their uncertainties concerning foreign clients. For example:

      The president of a small consulting company heard that a potential Japanese client was coming to town the next day, on extremely short notice, and would be available for meetings. The International Operations Group helped the company locate information about the company, its products, and recent company activities, so that the consultant made a favorable impression and acquired the Japanese firm as a client.

Ever Been Buried by Your Work?

      A rapid transit system contractor was involved in trenching and excavating and asked for help in protecting his workers. A Department of Labor consultant in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was called for a confidential, risk-free evaluation (i.e., the consultant would not issue any citations for violations of state or federal safety standards). The consultant arrived the day after a heavy rain and found some workers in a twelve-foot deep trench that was neither shored nor sloped. He advised immediate evacuation; the supervisor ordered all workers out of the trench. Ten minutes later the sides of the trench gave way. The workers would have been buried. The consultant showed the contractor a six-step plan to resume work safely.

The Government Cures Headaches

      Workers at a small auto parts custom electroplating shop were having headaches. A gas-fired hot-water boiler had recently been installed. An OSHA consultant analyzed the problem: Carbon monoxide from the boiler was coming into the building because there was no vent to bring fresh air to the boiler, and, the exhaust fans, instead of helping, were making the problem worse. The employer, with the consultant’s help, was able to fix the problem easily.

Meat Packer Gets Solution to Hazard Problem

      A meat packer’s employees worked on a slippery platform 10 feet above a concrete floor. The employees stood on the edge, working with power tools on carcasses suspended from a moving conveyor. The platform was slippery with animal fat. Guardrails could not be used since they would inhibit the conveyor. The employer contacted other meat packers and found that none had a solution.

      An OSHA consultant gave a free, confidential, no-hassle safety survey. He recommended the employees wear a body belt with a lanyard attached by a sliding ring to an overhead rail. The employees thought they wouldn’t like it, but after trying it found it convenient and comfortable, and it didn’t slow them up.

Census Data Helps Sales

      A manufacturer of corrugated boxes contacted the U.S. Census Bureau to help him analyze his sales in the state of Arizona. At the time, he was selling primarily to food packaging companies. Using census data, he found the market potential was 15 times larger than he was experiencing. Lumber, pottery, and glass industries in Arizona also needed his products and he successfully marketed to these previously unidentified customers.

      A manufacturer of products for dairy farms used census data to locate counties with large numbers of dairy farms. By next determining which were the most prosperous, he was able to optimize his marketing efforts.

Government Publication Brings $2,500,000 in Sales

      Barrier Industries of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, manufactures an insecticidal paint called “Bug-X.” They approached the Department of Commerce, who suggested worldwide exposure in the U.S. Government publication Commercial News USA. Information on “Bug-X” resulted in $2,500,000 in sales. The firm has signed six overseas agents and reports another eighteen under negotiation.

Teenage Landscape Entrepreneur

      A Pennsylvania teenager applied for and received a Department of Agriculture Youth Project Loan to start a landscaping business. He purchased all of the necessary equipment and operated the business for three years before moving on to bigger things.

Grant for Solar-Powered Outhouse

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