IMPQI255 – Apply flexible production and manpower systems to support improvement in food operations

Overview 

This standard is about the skills and knowledge needed to apply the principles and practices of flexible production and manpower systems as part of your organisation's drive to increase the effectiveness and productivity of food operations. This is important in the achievement of excellence and the success of manufacture, processing and supply across the food supply chain.

You will need to apply and understand the principles and procedures for creating flexible production and manpower systems within improvement projects. You will need to identify improvement opportunities and waste control to achieve Takt time and flow processing. You will need to produce visual representations and implement a visually controlled system. This typically includes areas like standard work in progress, consignment stocks, part routers, physical control signals, number of people required and their flexibility, and the rules and disciplines of the pull system. You will need to know how to comply with your company policy for improvement, take responsibility for your actions, and refer any issues outside of the limit of your authority to others.

This standard is for you if you work in food or drink operations including, manufacturing, processing, packing or supply chain activities. You may have responsibilities for aspects of organisational improvement in a team leadership or management role.

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

Prepare for system implementation

  1. confirm and agree the defined scope of system with the relevant personnel
  2. check and confirm that flexible production and manpower systems is the most appropriate approach to support improvement activity in accordance with the improvement plan
  3. communicate the purpose of the system to the relevant personnel

Carry out flexible production and manpower system improvement activity

  1. use approved methodology for creating flexible production and manpower systems in accordance with the improvement plan
  2. obtain the schedule and batch size for production materials and produce level schedules
  3. achieve Takt time and flow processing by identifying improvement opportunities and waste removal
  4. develop a workforce flexibility matrix in accordance with procedures
  5. identify resources that are not compliant with Takt time requirements and produce a visual representation
  6. implement a visually controlled system which improves overall process performance in accordance with the improvement plan

Report improvements

  1. report and present system improvements to the relevant personnel

Knowledge and understanding

You need to know and understand

  1. the organisation's improvement vision, strategy, objectives and the reasons for implementation of improvement programmes
  2. how the health, safety and hygiene requirements of a work area can influence improvement activities
  3. what defines a flexible production and manpower system
  4. the benefits of a flexible production and manpower system within food or drink operations
  5. the meaning of `level schedules'
  6. load and capacity diagrams
  7. Takt time, and how this is calculated
  8. the term standard work in progress
  9. the application of visually controlled systems and signals, based on the demand of subsequent processes
  10. the application of skills matrices
  11. the application of consignment stocking
  12. the process of working practice simplification and the reduction of human error risk
  13. the consequences of introducing a new improved part/process/material router
  14. how root cause analysis can support problem solving
  15. how waste can be reduced through the application of flexible production and manpower systems
  16. equipment effectiveness through stabilisation and optimisation
  17. asset care/best practice effectiveness review
  18. robust routine asset care and operation
  19. the appropriate techniques that provide value to the customer including, push-pull systems, single piece flow, just in time, Kanban, autonomation
  20. the techniques used to visually communicate the work done
  21. the layout of an effective workplace
  22. levels of authority linked to problem resolution
  23. how to report and present improvements

Keywords: Food operations; Manufacturing; Excellence; Improvement; Organisational development; Change; Management; Flexible production; Manpower systems