What is 5S and Basic Steps? (R)

5S is a system for setting up workplaces so that work may be done effectively, safely, and efficiently. This approach emphasizes placing everything in its proper place and maintaining a tidy workplace, which makes it simpler for individuals to execute their jobs without wasting time or running the danger of getting hurt.

The Origins of 5S

The Toyota Production System (TPS), a manufacturing approach pioneered by executives at the Toyota Motor Company in the early and mid-20th century, included 5S at its inception. This method, known as Lean manufacturing in the West, strives to raise the perceived value of goods and services for consumers. Finding and reducing waste from industrial processes is frequently used to achieve this.

Numerous tools, including 5S, kaizen, kanban, jidoka, heijunka, and poka-yoke, are used in lean manufacturing. Since attaining consistently outstanding outcomes is challenging without a clean, orderly workplace, 5S is regarded as a fundamental component of the Toyota Production System. A cluttered, disorganized environment can cause errors, production delays, and even accidents, all of which disrupt operations and have a negative effect on a business. 

5S Meanings

The term 5S system is established from Japanese words.

1. Seiri
2. Seiton

3. Seiso

4. Seiketsu

5. Shitsuke

These words are frequently used in English as

1. Sort

2. Set in Order

3. Shine

4. Standardize

5. Sustain

Each S stands for a stage in a five-step procedure that can enhance a company's overall performance.

A business can boost the possibility that manufacturing will proceed exactly as it should by having a facility that is methodically arranged.

Benefits of 5S

The 5S technique yields numerous advantages over time, including:

Lower expenses
Superior quality
A rise in productivity
Higher levels of employee satisfaction
A safer work environment

Who can contribute in 5S?

Here is the quick response to this query: everybody. Managers and every other staff should be involved when a department starts using 5S. If someone is left out, it could cause confusion or messes that nobody wants to accept responsibility for.

It's probable that some individuals will contribute more to 5S than others, and that's okay. The duty of establishing and maintaining 5S labeling, keeping track of assigned responsibilities, and introducing new department members to the 5S system may fall within the purview of 5S coordinators. Compared to others, these folks will undoubtedly devote more time to thinking about 5S. However, everyone should regularly reflect on 5S. 5S may begin as an occasion, but ultimately, it should become a part of daily work for everyone.

Keeping in mind that 5S should be a business-wide initiative, it's also crucial to note that company executives should get involved. People will be more likely to take 5S seriously when they observe their superiors partaking in it.

Start with 5S Principle

Even though the 5S principle is quite straightforward, starting a new 5S program can be intimidating. It's like starting a significant cleaning project in the garage or basement at home; there is a lot to accomplish and starting probably doesn't sound like fun.

Start by taking actionable measures like choosing the departments and people who will participate, the type of training required, and the technologies to be used to streamline the process. Establishing these specific details will aid in starting the 5S implementation process.

(Click to buy the best training 5S Books here)

What are the 5S's and How to implement in the Shop floor

At this point, the 5S idea might seem a little abstract, but it's actually a very useful, hands-on tool that everyone in the office can use.

The 5S method entails evaluating everything in a place, getting rid of unneeded items, organizing items rationally, doing housekeeping chores, and repeating this cycle. Clean, organize, and then repeat.

Let's examine each component of 5S in more detail.

Sort / Seiri

Going through all the tools, furniture, supplies, equipment, etc. in a workspace to determine what must remain and what may be removed is the first phase of the 5S process, known as sorting. During this stage, some inquiries to make include:

What does this object serve?
How often is it utilized?
This item was last used when?.
Its users who?
Should it even be here?

These inquiries aid in determining the worth of each object. A workspace might function better without unused or infrequently used elements. These objects could take up room or get in the way.

Remember that those who work there are the best qualified to evaluate the products there. The above questions can be answered by them.

Consider the following choices when a group has determined that some items aren't necessary:

• Move the goods to a different department.
• Sell, recycle, or throw away the stuff.
• Put items in storage.

Use the red tag approach in situations where an item's value is unsure, such as when a tool hasn't been utilized recently but someone believes it might be needed in the future. Typically, red tags are cardboard labels or stickers that can be applied to the questioned products. Users enter details about the product, including.

• Location
• Description
• Name of person applying the tag
• Date of application

The item is then put in a "red tag area" with other dubious goods. It's time to remove the item from the workspace if it hasn't been used after a predetermined period of time (maybe a month or two). Keeping goods that are never utilized is pointless because they merely take up room.

Tip: To ensure that you don't forget to check the red tag area, set a reminder on your phone, computer, or posted elsewhere in the workspace.

(Click to buy the 5S red tags for your industry)

Set in Order / Seiton

It is simpler to distinguish between things after the extra fill is gone. The remaining items can now be sorted using the strategies developed by the task groups. Things to think about

• What individuals (or workstations) use what things?
• Where would it make the most sense to put things?
• Would some work environments be more ergonomic than others for employees?
• Would certain positions reduce motion that isn't necessary?
• Are additional storage bins required to maintain order?
• When do things get used?
• What items are utilized the most often?
• Should products be organized by type?

Everyone should decide what arrangements make the most sense during this stage. This will necessitate consideration of tasks, their frequency, people's movements through the area, etc.

Businesses might wish to pause and consider how their firm fits into bigger Lean initiatives. Which configuration will result in the least amount of waste?

Click the below links to buy for your industry

1. Scrap / 5S Dust bins

2. Storage Cabinets

3. Document Storage Racks

Waste can be eliminated in this system

• Defects
• Waiting period
• Extra inventory and mobility
• Overproduction
• adding processing
• transportation that is not required
• untapped potential

Instruction: Regarding 5S, pay close attention to how a space's design and arrangement may lengthen or shorten lines of traffic and need less travel.

Shine / Seiso

Everyone believes they are familiar with housekeeping, but it is one of the things that is most easily forgotten, especially when work gets busy. Cleaning up the workspace is a key component of the 5S Shine stage. This involves tasks like sweeping, mopping, dusting, wiping down surfaces, storing equipment and materials, etc.

Shine entails routine maintenance on machinery and equipment in addition to basic cleaning. By anticipating maintenance needs, firms may identify issues and avoid breakdowns. That means there will be less time wasted and no lost revenue as a result of job interruptions.

Although cleaning the office might not sound interesting, it is crucial. And the janitorial staff shouldn't be the only ones in charge. Everyone in 5S is accountable for keeping their workspace tidy, ideally every day. People will eventually become more invested in their work and the firm since doing this encourages people to take ownership of the environment.

Instruction: Make sure that people know how to properly Shine their spaces. Cleaning may seem obvious. Show staff members, especially new ones, how to use cleansers, where to store cleaning supplies, and how to properly clean any potentially brittle equipment.

Click the below links to buy for your industry

1. Sweeping Mops

2. Cleaning Liquids

3. Cleaning Tools

Standardize / Seiketsu

After completing the first three phases of 5S, everything should appear to be in good shape. Everything is tidy and organized, the premises have been cleaned, and the equipment is in good operating order.

The issue is that it's simple to clean up and get organized when 5S is first implemented at a company...and then let things slowly go back to how they were. 5S distinguishes itself from the traditional spring cleaning project through standardization. Everything that just transpired is systematized by standardization, which also creates habits out of one-time actions. To make these actions ordinary, standardize assigns regular tasks, makes schedules, and provides instructions. It creates 5S standard operating procedures to ensure that cleanliness doesn't suffer.

A chart or a daily 5S checklist may be helpful, depending on the workspace. Another useful tool is a written schedule that specifies who is in charge of which cleaning duties and how frequently they need to be performed.

People will undoubtedly require reminders about 5S at first. Daily time allocation for 5S chores may just need to be a small amount. However, with practice, activities will become automatic, and 5S cleaning and organizing will become a routine aspect of work.

Instruction: The 5S methodology also heavily relies on visual signals such as signs, labels, posters, floor marking tape, and tool organizers. In many circumstances without using words, they can direct people and keep things in their proper places.

Sustain / Shitsuke

Businesses must carry out the continuing job of maintaining those procedures and updating them as appropriate after standard 5S procedures are in place. The term "sustain" describes the procedure for maintaining 5S operational as well as for keeping everyone in the organization engaged. 

Employees in the office, in the warehouse, and on the production line all need to participate. Making 5S a long-term program rather than a one-time event or quick endeavor is what sustainability is all about. 5S should ideally become ingrained in an organization's culture. Businesses will begin to realize consistent positive benefits when 5S is maintained over time.

Instruction 1: Make sure all new hires (or employees who change departments) receive training on their department's 5S practices to aid in the sustainability of the practice.

Instruction 2: Maintain a sense of intrigue. Take a look at how other businesses are implementing 5S. Organizational innovations can protect things from getting worse and help maintain employee interest.

Safety - the 6th S (Optional)

Safety is a sixth S that some businesses prefer to add to their 5S program. The system is frequently referred to as 6S when safety is added. By organizing things in specific ways, the Safety phase focuses on what can be done to avoid hazards in work processes.

This may entail arranging workstations in a more ergonomic manner, adding signs at crossings (such as those where forklifts and pedestrians cross paths), and labeling the cleaning chemical storage cabinet to alert workers to any potential dangers. Dangers should be minimized to the greatest extent practicable if the design of the workplace or the jobs people do are hazardous. The sixth S is centered on that.

Some people argue that a sixth S is unnecessary because safety may be achieved by following the other five S's correctly. They believe that a separate safety measure is not necessary if the workstation is well-arranged, well-maintained, and equipped with useful visual safety cues.

Both methods of safety are acceptable. But regardless of how a company chooses to approach safety, it should be conscious of how crucial safety is.

Instruction: In the case that a mistake or accident occurs, pause to assess whether a 5S enhancement could have avoided it. Would a difference have been made by reduced litter, cleaner walking surfaces, or clearer signage and labels?

Click the below links to buy for your industry

1. Safety Posters

2. Safety Shoes

3. Safety Gloves

4. Safety Goggles

5. PPE Storage Stand

Training for 5S System

Everyone who will take part in 5S activities must be trained. This could be carried out in a classroom setting, via a training DVD, or even by engaging in practical exercises. Also helpful could be an example of how 5S might be implemented at a workstation.

Employees should be provided a quick overview of 5S, its components, and its advantages so they can comprehend why the organization will begin using it and why it's necessary.

It's likely that one business or even one department will implement 5S differently than others, therefore groups using 5S for the first time may need to choose the best way to carry out the steps of 5S in their environments.

In any case, when 5S is first implemented, everyone should receive training, and any later-hired personnel should also undergo 5S training.

(Click the link to buy the best 5S Awareness boards for industries)

5S and Visual Control System

Making places cleaner and hence easier to navigate is a crucial component of 5S. This makes it simpler for people to complete their work. Space navigation can be made even easier by using visual communication tools like labels, floor markings, cabinet and shelf markings, and shadow boards. Additionally, these technologies can maintain organization in the workspace. It's common to refer to a workplace that employs visual management in this way as a visual workplace.

Common visual tools

Floor Marking Tape

These tapes can be used to identify the locations where tools or materials are placed, demarcate work cells, or draw attention to dangers. They can be used on shelves, workbenches, cabinets, and other surfaces and come in a range of colors and patterns.

(Click  the link for various floor marking tapes)

Labels and Signs

Text, colors, and symbols are used in these images to communicate information. They can highlight dangers, identify the contents of drawers, or direct employees to certain parts storage areas. There are many different shapes and sizes available, and some companies even decide to create them in-house using a label and sign printer.

(Click the link for various labels and Sign boards)

Shadow boards & Toolbox Foam

In workstations where there are many tools, these images are useful. Tool cutouts are used on shadow boards, which are positioned behind the pegboard peg where a tool would normally hang. Similar to toolbox foam, but designed to fit into a toolbox drawer. A top layer of foam is sliced away to form the tool, allowing the colorful bottom layer to shine through. Both of these approaches point out missing tools and specify the precise location where tools should be put away after use.

Companies may decide to use some, all, or none of these visual aids. They all contribute to realizing the oft-quoted 5S maxim, "A place for everything, and everything in its place." These tools make it obvious where items belong, preventing clutter from rapidly becoming an issue.

(Click the link to buy the best shadow board and Tool box foam)

Instruction: Make sure everyone is aware of any color-coded floor markings, tapes, or other visual clues before using them. If necessary, post a color chart.

Note: This section features several affiliate links, meaning we will earn a small commission if you purchase through these links...