What is 5S ? * 5S is a Japanese philosophy that focuses on effective workplace organization and standardized work procedures. 5S simplifies the work environment, reduces waste and non-value activity while improving quality efficiency and safety.
* 5S is a structured program to systematically achieve total organization, cleanliness and standardization in the workplace.
What are 5S ? Seiri : Sort
Seiton: Straighten
Seiso : Shine
Seiketsu : Standardize
Shitsuke : Sustain
What does that mean? â¢Seiri : Put things in order
(Remove what is not needed and keep what is needed) â¢Seiton : Proper Arrangement
(Place things in such a way that they are easily accessible whenever they are needed) â¢Seiso : Clean
(Keep things clean and polished; No trash or dirt in the workplace) â¢Seiketsu : Standardize
(Standardize the best practices & process of cleaning the workplace. For example, develop a habit of cleaning your workplace.) â¢Shitsuke : Commitment & Self-discipline
(Develop an attitude to follow the above â4Sâ) Everything in more detail :
â¢Seiri : Sort
Keep the necessary things in work area. Dispose or keep in a distant storage area less frequently used items. Discard unnecessary items. The idea is to ensure that everything left at the workplace is related to work. Seiri fights the habit to keep things because they may be useful SOMEDAY. It helps to keep work area tidy, improves searching and fetching efficiency and clears most of the space consumed by unnecessary things.
â¢Seiton: Proper Arrangement
Systematic arrangement for the most efficient and effective retrieval. This step is all about putting things to its assigned place so that it can be accessed easily and quickly. Seiton Saying will be : âA place for everything and everything on its place.â
â¢Seiso : Shine/Cleaning
After the first thorough cleaning when implementing 5S, daily follow-up cleaning is necessary in order to sustain this improvement. Regular cleanliness is always helpful in identifying damages to equipments such as leakages and breakage etc. This in turn helps in protecting equipments failure and loss of production. Seiso is all about shining the workplace and viewing it through the eyes of a visitor.
â¢Seiketsu : Standardize
Once the first 3S have been in place, it should be set as a standard so to keep the best practices in place. Without it the situation will deteriorate gradually and will be back to its old condition in no time. The first 3S can often be executed by order. Seiketsu helps to turn it into natural, standard behavior and habit.
â¢Shitsuke : Sustain
Develop an attitude to maintain the other 4S alive. Create a discipline in whatever you are doing. Shitsuke helps in ongoing improvement and be expanded beyond initial limits. The emphasis of Shitsuke is elimination of bad habits and constant practice of good ones. The effect of continuous improvement leads to less waste, better quality, high morale, cleaner workplaces and faster lead times.
Benefits of following 5S
Once fully implemented, the 5S process can increase morale, create positive impressions on customers and increase efficiency and organization. Not only will the people feel better about where they work, the effect of continuous improvement can lead to less waste, better quality and faster lead times.
This is the whole epitome of 5S concept which is being acquired by most of the organizations today. 5S may also be applied to one's personal life.
