5S Management in Workshops and Factories

What Does 5S Mean?

5-S refers to five Japanese words that all start with the letter “S.” These are:

1. SEIRI (Sort)
2. SEITON (Set in Order)
3. SEISO (Shine/Clean)
4. SEIKETSU (Standardize)
5. SHITSUKE (Sustain — following the rules, maintaining continuity)

Why Should 5S Be Implemented?

5-S should be implemented to reduce SPACE SHORTAGE caused by excess and unnecessary material, clutter, and poor use of volume,

To reduce LABOR STRAIN caused by workplace accidents, transporting, relocating, searching, walking, waiting for things, excessive walking, carrying things unnecessary distances, having to pick the necessary out of the unnecessary, and other forms of labor waste,

And to reduce INADEQUATE TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS caused by unnecessary relocating and transporting.

The Core Objectives of 5S

Saving space,
Saving labor,
Lightening the load on transport equipment and tools
Solving problems such as breakdowns, quality issues, and reluctance to work caused by dirtiness,
Reducing downtime,
Reducing waiting,
Improving occupational health and safety performance,
Creating a workplace environment people can be proud to work in,

First Steps for 5S Management

1- Linking 5S to the company’s vision.
2- Define and announce 5S’s aims and goals.
3- Establish a 5S decision and steering committee

4- Train the committee
5- Prepare the initial 5S standards
6- Set up a “5S pilot implementation area”
7- Prepare a 5S audit and rating guide and standard
8- Identify and train area supervisors
9- Provide 5S training to the rest of the organization

The Origin of 5S

The 5S management system takes its name from the initial letters of five Japanese words (Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, Shitsuke).

Increased Productivity

A properly implemented 5S system boosts productivity by reducing the time spent searching for materials in the workplace.

The Sustainability Challenge

The biggest challenge in 5S implementation is maintaining discipline (Shitsuke) continuously after the initial organization.

The Stages of 5S Management

1-Seiri (Sort)

This is the process of classifying (sorting) all the equipment and materials in the work area according to their necessity and how often they’re used.

What matters in sorting is grouping items from the same category close to each other and ensuring easy accessibility. As follows:

While sorting, the following questions should be asked, and unneeded items should be sorted out based on a checklist.

Is there any unnecessary item creating clutter in your work area?
Are there unnecessary items, such as cables or pipes, left lying around?
Are there hand tools or equipment sitting on the floor?

Have all materials been sorted? Have they been stored? Have they been labeled?
Have all hand tools, equipment, measuring instruments, materials, and documents been sorted and placed in their own locations?

2-Seiton (Set in Order)

This is the process of removing unnecessary materials from the area, placing necessary materials in the most suitable location for themselves and their users, and defining designated locations for them.

total quality 5-S example implementation

5S management set-in-order in workplaces

3 Keys to Setting in Order

The goal of setting in order is to be able to find the desired material, in the desired quantity, at the desired time, and in the desired condition, prevent workplace accidents, and thereby reduce labor losses.

how to organize a tool crib in 5S management

Setting in order can be described as “a place for everything, and everything in its place.”

Things to Watch Out for While Setting in Order

Try to reduce the variety of materials. Doing this is necessary for reducing stock, shrinking storage areas, and eliminating the need for extra equipment.

A color standard should be prepared for the facility and painting should be done according to that color standard. The floor of the production area should be painted after the planned changes to the layout plan have been made.

How the area should look should be determined, and an area layout plan should be drawn.
Cables should be coded. Pipes should be painted in appropriate colors, with flow directions marked by arrows. Floor markings should be drawn; if the floor isn’t level, it should be repaired before painting.

Stacking should be done properly
Shelf labeling will be an important step for the organizing effort.

example shelf labeling for 5S organization

5S example implementation, organization in material cabinets

Stock Quantities Should Be Marked

setting stock limits under 5-S management in workplaces

Create a coordinate system for the work area. The building’s columns can be used for this. Write letters and numbers large enough to be readable.

5S management example of creating a coordinate system for a work area — Example of creating a coordinate system for a work area

Open shelves should be preferred over drawers and cabinets with doors. (This way, whether something “is there, in its place” can be seen at a glance)

Tools and fixtures should be visible at a glance. They should be placed side by side, not stacked on top of each other.

Make sure it’s obvious at a glance whether materials that get used and returned (binders, hand tools, etc.) are back in place and in the correct location.

(Do a variety-reduction exercise). Set maximum and minimum levels for stock. Visualize the max. and min. stock levels. (labels, markers, etc.)

The floor should be painted a light color so the work area looks good.

3- Seiso (Shine/Clean)

The goal is to create a spotless work and living environment. Because dust, dirt, and debris are the source of clutter, lack of discipline, inefficiency, defective production, and workplace accidents.

Cleaning covers activities such as wiping down, sweeping, and, if needed, repainting work areas, machines, and equipment so they look good.

example 5S cleaning implementation on a lathe

Sources of dirt include;

1- things brought in / coming from outside
2- things inherent to the nature of the process
3- errors, breakdowns, and incorrect actions

The Stages of Tackling a Source of Dirt

1- dry up the source
2- prevent it from spreading
3- make cleaning easier

Everything relating to cleaning should be clearly defined and communicated. Otherwise, it looks like a lot is being done for cleaning, or seems to be being done, while nothing actually gets done, and the place ends up buried in dirt.

4 – Seiketsu (Standardize)

This is establishing the operating standards needed to maintain the good results achieved in the first 3 steps.

3 key points for standardization:

1- Observe
2- Identify the problem
3- Define control points.

It removes the possibility of everyone doing things their own way based on their own judgment. Standardization creates work discipline. Standardization ensures the same results are achieved no matter who does the job. Standardization ensures the work is done according to the required standard, not according to the individual doing it.

5-S management standardization implementation

Some standardization topics include;

1- cleaning
2- inspection
3- safety
4- organization, layout plan
5- color

5- Shitsuke (Sustain)

The goal is to follow and stick to the rules. Some changes have taken place in the workplace and order has been established. So, is this being sustained? What measures have been taken to ensure continuity? If we don’t take this item seriously, the activities carried out in the other steps will lose their effect over the long term, and the workplace will drift back toward its old, disorganized, chaotic state.

Positive Results Achieved by Implementing 5-S

Accidents and injuries are eliminated. Wasted time is eliminated.
Machine breakdowns decrease, machine performance improves. Abnormal conditions are noticed at a glance. A sense of unity develops among coworkers.
Overall productivity increases. Efficiency and quality increase.