5S

5S is the name of a workplace organization method that uses a list of five Japanese words: seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, and shitsuke. Transliterated into Roman script, they all start with the letter "S".5S (FIVE S)

   5S is the name of a workplace organization method that uses a list of five Japanese words: seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, and shitsuke. Transliterated into Roman script, they all start with the letter "S".[1] The list describes how to organize a work space for efficiency and effectiveness by identifying and storing the items used, maintaining the area and items, and sustaining the new order.[2] The decision-making process usually comes from a dialogue about standardization, which builds understanding among employees of how they should do the work.

Other than a specific stand-alone methodology, 5S is frequently viewed as an element of a broader construct known as visual control, visual workplace,or visual factory.Under those (and similar) terminologies, Western companies were applying underlying concepts of 5S before publication, in English, of the formal 5S methodology. For example, a workplace-organization photo from Tennant Company (a Minneapolis-based manufacturer) quite similar to the one accompanying this article appeared in a manufacturing-management book in 1986

Sort (Seiri)

• Make work easier by eliminating obstacles.
• Reduce chances of being disturbed with unnecessary items.
• Prevent accumulation of unnecessary items.
• Evaluate necessary items with regard to cost or other factors.
• Remove all parts or tools that are not in use.
• Segregate unwanted material from the workplace.
• Define Red-Tag area to place unnecessary items that cannot immediately be disposed of. Dispose of these items when possible.
• Need fully skilled supervisor for checking on a regular basis.
• Waste removal.
• Make clear all working floor except using material.

Set In Order (Seiton)

• Arrange all necessary items so that they can be easily selected for use.
• Prevent loss and waste of time by arranging work station in such a way that all tooling / equipment is in close proximity.
• Make it easy to find and pick up necessary items.
• Ensure first-in-first-out FIFO basis.
• Make workflow smooth and easy.
• All of the above work should be done on a regular basis.
• Maintain safety.
• Place components according to their uses, with the frequently used components being nearest to the work place.

Shine (Seiso)

• Clean your workplace on daily basis completely or set cleaning frequency
• Use cleaning as inspection.
• Prevent machinery and equipment deterioration.
• Keep workplace safe and easy to work.
• Keep workplace clean and pleasing to work in.
• When in place, anyone not familiar to the environment must be able to detect any problems within 50 feet

Standardize (Seiketsu)

• Standardize the best practices in the work area.
• Maintain high standards in workplace organization at all times.
• Everything in its right place.
• Every process has a standard.

Sustain (Shitsuke)

• Not harmful to anyone.
• Also translates as "do without being told".
• Perform regular audits.
• Training and discipline.
• Training is goal-oriented process. Its resulting feedback is necessary monthly.
• Self discipline
• To maintain proper order

Sort: Remove unwanted item from workplace and dispose them properly

Set in order: Arrange every item as per its usage frequency making it easily available for use - “A place for everything and everything in its place”

Shine: Clean the workplace and look for the source, which is adding dirty substance and work towards eliminating that source

Standardize: Everything in right order as per set standards, with high standard of housekeeping. Each workplace should have proper layout display

Sustain: Properly trained team / individuals which practice 5S without being told. Series of audits are done to understand the effectiveness

10 Steps for Effective Implementation of 5S

1. Complete buy in from top management for 5S implementation - It is very important before you go for 5S implementation you should bring top management onboard. They should know clearly about the difficulties and benefits of 5S implementation, and ready to give their full support for it.

 2. Prepare Internal trainers on 5S topic – Develop internal trainers for 5S implementation. Internal trainer must be trained properly by 5S expert or from formal institute. Select internal trainer from employees who is keen to become trainer and willing to spare his time for the effective implementation of 5S.

 3. Departmental training by internal trainers - Train senior team members of each department, clearly making them understand the benefits and commitment required by each team members towards 5S implementation. Prepare detail time and action plan for training each department team.

4. Initiate pilot implementation in each department - Each department should initiate the 5S project in their respective work area. All projects need to be documented.

 5. Train all employees in each department with Pilot implementation example of 5S - For successful company-wide 5S implementation; training of all employees in each department is necessary. Pilot 5S implementation example could be used for training and motivating other employees, since it was being done by their team leaders of department. 5S posters, banners and pocket books should be distributed in each department.

 6. Take commitment from each employee for initiating 5S in their work areas - During 5S training take commitment from all employees for initiating 5S in their respective work area. Every individual employee’s contribution is required for the sustainable 5S implementation.

 7. Facilitate and supervise the mass implementation of 5S - Employees need guidance and hand-holding during implementation. They might have lots of queries while doing implementation. In such case internal trainer need to answer their questions and verify their understanding for effective implementation.

8. Weekly and monthly audit for checking the performance of 5S implementation – In order to make company-wide 5S implementation sustainable, regular audit needs to be performed with set standards for each work place. Audit summary report need to be circulated among all departments.

 9. Evaluate and identify the best 5S implementation in each department - After audit best 5S implementation needs to be identified in each department and also best 5S implemented department on monthly basis.

10. Celebrate through monthly recognition from top management for the best 5S implementation - Best 5S project and departmental performance need to be rewarded. This keeps high motivation towards 5S projects which helps to sustain the company wide 5S implementation.