Award-winning furniture plant proves safety is a profit maker.

Editor's note: Jerry Metz is retiring as a Wood & Wood Products contributing editor, effective Dec. 31, 2002. In celebration of Jerry's illustrious career as a furniture manufacturer and columnist, W&WP will highlight some of his many accomplishments over the remainder of the year.

This month's entry is reprinted from W&WP's April 1957 issue.

"In any industry -- particularly in the high-hazard wood manufacturing industry -- safety is a profit maker," says Jerome (Jerry) L. Metz, president of J.L. Metz Furniture Co., high-grade case-goods manufacturer in Hammond, IN.

And Metz should know. For the past four years, his firm has won the top National Association of Furniture Manufacturers' award as the nation's safest plant. In competition with scores of less hazardous industries in Indiana's sprawling Calumet Industrial District, the Metz company has won first honors for safety for eight years. In fact, the firm has experienced only one lost-time accident in the past eight years!

Many Metz safety innovations have gained wide acceptance in the wood industry, and the plant is frequently used as an 'ideal standard" by various safety-rating bureaus.

"There is no set formula for achieving safe conditions in the wood production plant," Metz says. "More often than not, you must be able to recognize an unsafe condition and then tailor a device or a safety practice to correct the situation.

"We make no bones about the fact that a safe plant costs money, time and constant plugging -- but it certainly pays off in both direct and indirect profit. Since 1954, our combined modernization and safety program has involved investments in more than 25 new machines, repainting of the plant's interior, a complete rewiring and new lighting system, lumberyard rearrangement and five new dry Kilns."

The plant now produces more high-quality dining and bedroom furniture with a staff of 200 employees than it did several years ago with 383 employees. There have been no production slowdowns or stoppages caused by accidents.

"A few furniture plants have up to 70 lost-time accidents each year, while many average 20," Metz says. "The National Safety Council estimates an average of two days lost in each lost-time accident. A plant with 20 accidents loses 40 days or about 320 man-hours. Figured at $1.50 per hour, $480 in wages is lost and at least five times this dollar amount of production is detrimentally affected.

Employee Safety Training

Metz, who serves as chairman of the NAFM's safety committee, says, "In hiring new employees, we prefer to pick out individuals who are 35 or older. Male employees in our plant now average about 55. We find that older employees are more mature, steadier and much less inclined to commit impetuous, unsafe acts. They pay more attention to self-preservation practices."

Metz Furniture executives and foremen strive to keep the word "safety" always in employees' minds. A formal 30-minute safety meeting for all personnel is conducted on the first Tuesday of each month. Outside speakers, such as fire chiefs and safety inspectors, give talks and demonstrations. Metz speaks at each meeting on a different phase of plant safety.

A three-man safety committee, which also meets regularly, is composed of Metz and two department foremen. One member of the committee, John Mathias, cabinet room foreman, also serves as fulltime safety director. The director's word on safety in the plant is law.

"To be at all successful, you must have a safety director and the director's rulings must have teeth in them," Metz says.

The department foremen and safety director continuously check to insure safety conditions in the plant. The committee conducts a formal safety inspection at unspecified times once each month. Metz makes two trips through the plant each day to check for safety and other production factors.

As a special incentive for employees, a safety suggestion box is maintained in the office. Awards for suggestions on safety have run as high as a $50 savings bond and average $5 to $15.

Orderly Housekeeping

"I've always believed that an orderly plant makes an orderly product and helps develop an orderly mind," Metz observes.

The Metz plant has been referred to as one of the most perfectly heated, humidified, dust-free and clean furniture factories in the country. The plant employs a full-time janitor and several watchmen who are assigned specific cleaning duties. Foremen make regular cleanliness inspections each week -- usually on Saturday morning when the plant is shut down.

Various teams of employees working with their respective foreman also are assigned specific cleaning and maintenance tasks. Such jobs are performed at bonus rates at the end of the working day or on Saturdays.

Outside agencies come in each month to inspect, clean and disinfect washrooms. Another agency checks for pest control once each month. Elevators and other equipment are inspected regularly by the manufacturers.

New Safe Machinery

More than 25 major new machines and a new kiln system have been installed at the Metz plant in the last three years.

"Not only do you get better production and a better product at less cost per unit with new machinery, you also benefit from the safety features built into new equipment," Metz says. "It's axiomatic that a man can only be as safe as his machine.

"When we obtain a machine, we study its operation to be sure it is as safe and as dust-free as we would like it to be. If we detect unsafe conditions, we install our own guards, covers, railings or whatever else is needed to protect the operator and his co-workers."

Adequate Lighting

Complete rewiring and installation of a new lighting system, begun two years ago, are now almost complete.

The plant was built and originally wired in 1933. Some of the wires replaced by electricians during remodeling were so bad they crumbled as they were removed. The new wiring system was installed to handle all existing and future loads with complete safety. The installation also included new junction boxes, control panels and extra machine cut-off switches to allow maximum accessibility and protection.

The new fluorescent lighting system was designed to give 50-candlepower illumination for each machining, assembly, finishing and inspection operation. Reflectors over each fluorescent tube were individually arranged to direct the light to specific work points.

RELATED ARTICLE: Making Faux Rosewood 

Q If you were to copy rosewood today in character and finish, how would you do it? I want your best answer and am sure you won't disappoint. Thanks much. Mr. W.

A I have only one answer - walnut. It has the physical properties and characteristics that when expertly Finished can easily be mistaken for rosewood.

Q You might remember me from the production/quality meeting you attended last year; I sat about three seats from you.

Our plant has about 400 employees and my primary responsibility is safety chief My biggest problem is with my boss. if he would leave me alone, I could do a better job.

Case in point, I wanted to take your advice and have speed bumps installed in the parking lot to deter some of our employees from speeding out of here every afternoon. First, my boss dragged his feet on giving me an answer to having them put in. Then, when I got tired of waiting for his response, I confronted him about giving me a decision. His response was for me to put together a cost-justification analysis.

Because I don't have time during working hours, I stayed late every day for a week to put this together. Then I turned it in and waited and waited. About a week went by and I didn't hear anything from my boss, so I went to his office and asked him what was happening with the speed pump proposal. He sifted through a big stack of papers on his desk and said he hadn't had time to look at it but would.

To make a long story short, almost another week went by before I finally received an inter-office package from him with his hand-written notes seeking additional information.

I'm at that point where I'm not sure if this job is worth it I'm getting no support and zero respect. Short of quitting, what should I do? I hope you can help. Mr. S.

A It's obvious that your boss and you don't see eye to eye. It's hard for me to know for sure how brash you have been with your boss on this mailer. You might consider confiding in a third party at your plant about this. Maybe he or she can give you the independent view that you need. Look before you leap. If you truly feel your boss is wholly to blame for your strained relationship, and see no way to ever improve it, then certainly look for another job. Good luck

Q In breaking in people to run new machines, what is the first thing that should be taught? Thanks, your work is great. Mr. N.

A The first, second and third things that must be taught are SAFETY. There is nothing more important than making sure a machine operator becomes familiar with a machine's danger zones.

Q We are having trouble with snake marks in our sanding and we have traced much of the problem to our large bed sander and our widebelt machine. What do you think is causing the problem? Mr.J.

A Old, worn or damp sandpaper can cause snake marks. Sandpaper should be regularly cleaned, checked and, above all, changed rather than "run one more Lot," as we often hear.

Editor's note: In view of his plans to retire Dec. 31, Jerry Metz will only accept questions until Oct. 1. Send questions and samples that will fit into a small envelope to Jerry Metz, 2203 Southridge Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264. A self-addressed, stamped envelope must be enclosed to receive a personal reply. Questions of general interest may be published in this column.