Monitoring Optimization: Lean Approaches and Lessons

The USEPA has promoted Lean and Six Sigma approaches for a decade. Lean concepts and approaches provide a framework for monitoring program optimization, quality, and cost saving initiatives at complex sites. A set of groundwater and surface water monitoring programs evolved and improved over seven years during site characterization supporting RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI), interim measure (IM) monitoring, and monitoring during remedy design. The Lean concept of 8 Wastes (defects, overproduction, waiting, non-utilized talent, transportation, inventory, motion and extra-processing) helped focus on areas for improvement. Examples of initiatives that reduced these “wastes” will be presented. Lean tools were used to support root cause analyses, and to select improvement projects. Ten percent or greater annual cost savings were achieved while defects reduced to zero.

Improvement projects included modifications to reduce sampling frequencies and depth intervals, and trials that led to approval of low flow methods for groundwater sampling and automated water level data collection. Constraints were removed by justifying analytical methods with longer holding times, and more ergonomic or efficient field methods. Visual management approaches such as one-page snapshots were used to support consolidation and reduced frequency of extensive bound reports. The cost of non-compliance was avoided by modifying schedules and access procedures to protect cultural and biological resources. Mobilization costs and the environmental footprint of monitoring were reduced by cross training IM operations staff to support all monitoring activities, a measure that also increased responsiveness to short term data collection needs.

Lean tools such as the Pareto diagram help select improvement projects aligned with cost/benefit considerations, and explain why some initiatives succeed, and other initiatives don’t fully achieve intended results. Lessons and suggestions will be shared for approaches in monitoring programs to identify improvement projects that reduce defects, lower cost, and increase performance against any site metrics.