Team Problem Solving

Thanks to several team members at our Hyrum beef production facility, an opportunity to benefit fellow team members, the facility clean-up crew and the overall safety of the plant was identified in 2018. It became apparent that the floor in Hyrum’s Clod Drop area often became slick throughout the shift due to fluids and small particles of meat and fat that fell on it. Even with the intensive work of the clean-up team to keep the floor safe, it was inevitable that throughout the day, it would become hazardous for team members, who could possibly slip and suffer an injury. Knowing that the safety of team members is a prerequisite for JBS USA, the Hyrum team began to examine what could be done to solve the issue.

The problem was brought to members of the management team, who then evaluated the area and the safety concerns. They came up with a variety of solutions, but none of the options fully eliminated the problem. The entire team impacted by the slick floor then came together to brainstorm different solutions, eventually agreeing that the cement floor would need to be removed and replaced with grating. However, it was soon realized that this presented an additional issue – having the grating sit on top of the floor created a potential trip hazard. Ultimately, the Hyrum maintenance team cut and removed the cement floor, installed recessed stainless drain basins and re-poured cement to secure to secure the basins and complete the project.