Re: Consumable Parts Monitoring and Reordering - Gloves, grinding discs, earplugs, et
One rule I followed which worked for keeping track - "no reissue/replacement unless damaged or otherwise unusable" First time users of a product got put on a list kept in the bin for each product - name on list, no reissue without turn-in. If you had something to turn in, no further paperwork required. Cut down on hoarding - an understandable ploy by employees if the policy makes it difficult to get replacements.
Rapid consumables (cutting inserts, gloves, earplugs, etc.) were issued in lots (one package of ten inserts, one bundle of six pairs of gloves, six sets of ear plugs, etc.)
We asked employees to help us determine which products gave value in use or should be replaced with something else.
Some things we found easier to just keep stocked at each work station instead of requiring checkout through a storekeeper (whether one storekeeper for entire organization or one for each department.)
Thus we ended up having dispensers at each station for earplugs, wiping rags, etc. with cutouts in the dispenser to see stock was low and time to reorder/restock from central supply.
My reasoning was this - if I can trust an operator with a $500,000 machine, I ought to be able to trust him with a 50 cent pair of gloves!
More expensive items (calipers, micrometers, etc.) still went through the turn in/reissue system, not because of trust, but so we could track value usage or identify failure, misuse, or abuse which might lead to changing product for a sturdier one or retraining user to use the product more efficienty/effectively.