Use of Lean Six Sigma methods to eliminate fume hood disorder

Fume hoods are common laboratory equipment used to protect researchers from dangerous fumes. However, they are often improperly used as storage cabinets or otherwise allowed to accumulate contents that impair their effectiveness. To address this problem of fume hood disorder, the Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (Cambridge CARES) implemented a Lean Six Sigma project to eliminate fume hood disorder. It was found that fume hood disorder could be grouped together into several components, and eliminated by a series of sequential improvements. The result demonstrates the effectiveness of Lean Six Sigma methods for establishing and maintaining laboratory order, while improving goodwill between the lab manager and research workers.