Worse, some executives like Mr. Konishi complain of managers at Toyota factories who have not adhered to some of the company's most basic creeds, like allowing workers to stop factory lines when they spot defects.

Workers receive periodic refresher courses to make their plant efforts more efficient and to spot defects.

These programs are grounded in the premise that workers know more about their immediate surroundings than anybody else, and are smart enough to spot defects in products and procedures and to figure out solutions to them.

Japan says they are used to spot defects.

In the second trimester, doctors measure abdominal circumference, and check the chambers of the heart, the kidneys and bladder to spot defects and monitor growth.

We also tried, at Chevy, to spot defects which escaped our assembly line inspections by placing quality control personnel in key dealerships around the country.

Ms. Saunders is among the inspectors who go over cars literally with white gloves to spot defects before they are shipped.

And no trouble spotting defects under the stadium-style lighting.

Under the new policy, which will begin next week, 300 inspectors in the Department of Housing Preservation and Development will receive training from the Buildings Department about spotting structural defects.