The 5s

The 5S process involves 5 steps: sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain.

Sort- The first thing to do in a workplace is to sort through a work area and remove anything that isn’t needed to perform that operation. The goal is to reduce the number of items in the work area. The items that are used in the area then need to be organized in appropriate locations according to the frequency of use. Objects used more often are kept closer to the worker where they are handier and objects that are not used as much can be put farther from the operator or in other storage areas.

Shine- Clean the workplace. This means removing any dirt, dust, or other debris. When done cleaning the area it is then possible to locate the source of contamination and work on eliminating it. While cleaning it would also be a good idea to inspect the equipment used in a work area.

Set in Order- During this operation look at the processes and movements taken by the worker and map them out. Then look for wasted movements or processes taken by the worker that could be eliminated. Analyze the current map and create a new map moving items around to see if the area can be more efficient.

Standardize- It is important that everyone in the company is on the same page. Make sure all workers understand the locations of items, what delivery methods for items is going to take place and where the items are going to be delivered to, how many items are going to be produced at a single time and when they are due, and the procedures that are going to be taken to produce the items.

Sustain- Reevaluate the work areas to ensure that the steps above are sustained. Forms can be used to help the evaluation process and to document anything that is not sustained (MacInnes).

The theory was created by the Japanese. The name of the 5 S’s comes from five Japanese words: Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, and Shitsuke (Saferpak). They used the techniques for not just improving the physical environment of the company but also for improving the everyday thinking process. In summary, using the 5S process in an organization will improve the quality of the environment. With the use of this process, reduced cycle and set-up times, more floor space to use, and less labor wasted on non-value added activities can be expected. All of those will help to increase profits and improve the overall quality of the environment.

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