Workplace Organization & Visual Control - 5S

Most 5S programs are based on the Japanese concept of 5S as presented by Hiroyuki Hirano in his book 5 Pillars Of The Visual Workplace. The five pillars are:

1. Seri – Organization – Sort
2. Seiton – Orderliness – Set In Order
3. Seiso – Cleanliness – Shine
4. Seiketsu – Standardized Clean up – Standardize
5. Shitsuke – Discipline – Sustain

Sort means that you remove all items from the workplace that are not needed for current production operations. Many workplaces are filled with a clutter of tools, papers, product, broken items, etc. – a hodgepodge of useful items and things kept around without a good reason. This mess makes it hard to put your hands on the things you really need to do your work.

Set In Order means that you find the best way to store items so that you always know where they are and so that you can find them easily

Shine means sweeping floors, wiping off equipment, and generally making sure that everything in the workplace stays clean. This component of the 5S program emphasizes the removal of dirt, grime, debris, and dust from the workplace

Standardize differs from Sort, Set In Order, and Shine, all of which are activities. In contrast, Standardize is the result of continuous maintenance of the first three activities (sometimes known as 3S). Standardize means finding ways to make the 3S activities into a habit.

Sustain is different from that of the first four pillars in the sense that the results are not visible and cannot be measured. Commitment to it exists in people’s hearts and minds and only their behavior shows its presence. Because of this, it cannot be implemented like a technique. However, you can create conditions that encourage the implementation of the Sustain pillar.

5S has been shown time and again to have a positive impact on employee performance and morale. Findout more about this effective tool by searching the internet or selecting some of the links on this blog.

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