One of first tools applied by most companies as they start their journeys towards a becoming lean enterprises is often Workplace Organization, or 5S.
The 5S system is based on the concept of eliminating waste, allowing workers to control their workplace . . .not allowing the workplace to control them. The fundamental vision of 5S is to create a workplace that is clean and organized, efficient, pleasant and safe, therefore reducing waste and costs.
Why is workplace organization referred to as 5S? The 5S system is based on the concepts of:
- Sort
- Set in Order
- Shine
- Standardize
- Sustain
The purpose of the first S – Sort, is to identify and eliminate from the work area anything not needed by an operator to perform his/her job. These items include clutter, fixtures, tooling, tables, equipment, cabinets, workbenches and even inventory. A process often referred to as "Red Tagging" allows the sort to be performed systematically.
The second S – Set in Order, is creating "homes" for items which will remain in the work area after Sort. If Sort is performed correctly, items not needed have been removed, and everything else is assigned a "home." Set is often defined as ‘a place for everything and everything in its place’. In Set, the best locations for all items are identified and temporarily labeled for point of use, frequency, ease of access and return, and safety. Shadow boards for tooling are one option to set tooling within a work area.
The third S – Shine, is cleaning and inspecting the workplace to identify problems with equipment and to identify sources of contamination (dirt, dust, materials, debris, oil leaks, etc.) It is important to note that the Shine effort is not about cleaning and painting, but more about bringing equipment up to the best operating condition from the inside out, i.e., it’s a maintenance function!
The last two S’s refer to Standardize and Sustain. Standardize is creating the rules for the first 3 S’s in order to maintain workplace organization on a daily basis. This includes creating uniform standards, checklists and training so the area will not revert back to its inefficient condition before the 5S process was implemented. Often companies that fail in their 5S implementation do so because sufficient rules have not been created or communicated. Without effective standards, it will be impossible to Sustain the 5S effort.
Implementing workplace organization/5S at the beginning of the lean transformation allows improvements to begin immediately, and incorporates many of the other lean methodologies. Improved layout and flow, visual controls, point of use storage, standardized work, TPM, and inventory reductions are all implemented once 5S is performed correctly!
For more information about Workplace Organization/5S training and implementation, please contract the TAP/MEP office at 1-800-877-5182.