How Work Study Improves
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Efficiency—London Conference Views
‘4 E are only just starting the task of finding more economical and effective means, and a more precise understanding of the factors which cause variations in handling rates, as indeed they do vary, from 12 packages to 100 packages per man-hour." This was claimed by Mr. N. J. Kevan, operations officer, B.R.S. (Parcels), Ltd., when presenting one of four papers at a one-day conference on Work Study in Distribution and Transportation held in London' on Tuesday. It was Organized by the Harrow and Wembley Productivity Association and the British Productivity Council.
These claims underline the general theme of the conference and the application of work study to transport. By a reorganization of work, efficiency could be raised with little or no capital outlay.
MI'. Keyan Stated that . work study undertaken by B.R.S. Parcels services had indicated Solar that for small depots with up to 5,000:packages per day throughput, the .ack ' truek and semi-Iive stillage remained the most efficient means of operation. But where the throughput was in the region of ,10,000 to 20,000 pack7• ages per day the conveyor pelt showed an eConomic return where the work Could
be Spread over. _
, Alternative to Conveyors .
As an alternative to the conveyor belt, a: combination of stillages, and, for longer movements, electric Or similar trucks with a perambulated . secondary sort to the• tailboards of the outgoing ' vehicle, promised -tobe a sound and Cconomic method: hi -the larger -depots; handling 30.000 ' of more packages: a day, the variety of traffic associated with this type of depot required a combination of conyeyors,and trucks Beyond. thew immediate conclusionsMr, Kevan _ said. that there was an Ipparently infinite field of inquiries. B.R,.S. had not yet judged the opttmum . Jepot -sizeL-the' depot with -a maXinium Of direct trunk ing to other depots-.—yet aot so big as to diminish the ability of supervisors to keep close control:In :,..ornmon with all the large organizations, Fr.R.S.., must move tOwards the developwent' of more scientific management :echniques and a greater employment of Nork study was a sound starting point.
Before. describing the application of wtirk study to B.R.S. Parcels services, 14r: Keyan indicated the manner and size -if their, present organization. They colectecl and delivered 100m. packages per iear. The Service covered substantially he whole Of the British Isles and was oartieularly associated with 15,000 adver:ised places. The average weight of a oackage was 38 lb. with 3.03 packages to I consignment.
Parcels services operated 4,000 vehicles. 1,000 of which were on trunk work and the remainder on collection and delivery. There were also 2,000 trailers and 101 depots, whilst 467 registered trunk and transfer services were operated.
It was characteristic of their internal depot operation that there was an infinite variety of factors. Differences arose from the traffic streams, irregular time spread of traffic volume, variation in the number of sorts required, geographical location of depots, and structure of buildings.
Art Rather Than Science Because of these variations, and with the traditional parcels foreman being more accustomed to work by art rather than science, they had been slow to consider work study as a means of greater efficiency. The inheritance by B.R,S, of many examples of inadequate depot premises had giyen need to plan an extensive rebuilding programme. This in turn had led to a call for more definite knowledge of the time taken tounload; sort and reload parcels; and the: optimum space needed for the job.
• Long-service . superintendents had an instinctive .knowledge and experience of the most effective way of running a particular depot with its special lodal. characteristics, but Could not readily 'translate their knowledge to assist in the planning of a new-depot that may absorb five existing premises in one city. It was opportune, too, for a technical revolution in depot handling methods, and Mechanization should provide more efficient working.
B.R.S. parcels services have therefore planned and • built the new -depot ' In Dundee-as-a pilot scheme. In place of the traditional platform; goods were unloaded by gravity:roller -and first sorted into box pallets.: Thee were moved -by fork truck to a secondary and final sorting area, and sorted into further pallets for loading into the truck-or delivery vehicle. But, as first arranged, the scheMe proved. slower than the conventional sack truck working, and conseqUently more expensive.
Pilot Scheme
As a result of the experience gained from the pilot scheme B.R.S. decided to call in outside work study consultants to survey their various handling methods.
Their terms of reference. to determine' which .typesof .handling eqtriptnent couldbe used' in different depots. They were also required to meastire the basic time standards for this equipment in order tojudge its effective ness, Primary conclusions . Oa the principal handling methods concerned the use of sack trucks and semi-live stillages. .slat , and belt conveyors and -fully palletized "off the floor" working. [Ile consultants examined handling. methods at several depots and Mr. Kevan gave examples of some of their conclusions. At Hull, where semi-live stillages and sack trucks were employed, the total time taken in unloading, internal movement and loading was 1.38 manminutes per package. With a daily throughput of 11,000 packages handled on a conveyor belt, the corresponding time at Croydon depot was 0.60 inanminutes per package, compared with 0.70 inan-minutes per package at Surbiton where the throughput was .10,500 packages.
Salient characteristics of marshalling, loading and distribution were .their irregularity and remoteness. This was
stated by Mr. E. Fawdry, company methods adviser, T. Wall and .Son (Ice Cfcam..), Ltd., WhO emphasized the need to consider. the' hurnan-. aspect of distri
bution. In contrast ter the factory worker, transport personnel were concerned With wide variations and the need to make many decisions, For this type of work: Memory and -versatility were great assets.
Better Labelling Studieshad been done where product identificationhad not been good and the difficulties had been measured. These resulted in better 'labelling; greater 'use -of lour a:nd forth, and improved lighting, particularly inside vans, :'' The task of making the proper Selection in an insufficiently lit' van on 1.1-.0ark winter's afternoon is considerable—improve it,"
Fawdry added.
From his experience there was a great need for -warehouse space utilization to be studied more 'carefully.Relative to the introduction of additional new lines, it wag admittedly difficult to equate the cause and. effectsof suchintroduction. But unless this was done there contd. -be self-strangulation of .distribution in. the
warehouse. , .
In transport Mr. Fawdry said he had noticed how much the spoken word was used. the extent -to which Memory was relied upon and the numberof instantaneous decisions which had to be made.
In general tertns management -knew what their van drivers had been doing, but it was clear to Mr. Fawdry that management seldom had a sound yardstick against which to measure their staff'S perfo'rmance.
Mr. J. H. Francis-. work study officer for • the British': Productivity Council, opened the conference with a paper on the Context of Work Study and -outline of Techniques of 'Method. Study, whilst Mr, B. Fry, regional organizer; Transport and General Workers' Union, dealt with some of the human "problems of distribution and transportation.