5S Steps

To perform a 5S process, you should follow the steps below:

1. Sort

Sort through all tools, equipment, furniture, etc. in an area and determine what should be kept and what should be removed. If you are uncertain about an item, attach a red tag to the item and set all red-tagged items aside. If a red-tagged item has not been used after a month (or another time period), it should be removed.

2. Set in order

Sort through remaining items and determine how they will be organized. Here are some questions to keep in mind:

• Who uses the items, and where?
• When are the items used?
• How frequently are the items used?
• Should the items be grouped with other similar items?
• Where is it logical to place the items to cut down on unnecessary motion?
• Will more storage containers be necessary to organize the items?
• What arrangement will cause the least amount of waste? (recall the 8 wastes in Lean manufacturing described earlier)

3. Shine

Proactively clean work areas and perform maintenance on equipment on a regular basis. Planning ahead of time for maintenance can prevent downtime and keep things running smoothly.

4. Standardize

Create a standardized operating procedure for 5S tasks. Posting instructions, assigning tasks, and creating schedules can help create a standard routine for employees to follow and help these practices become habits.

5. Sustain

Keep your 5S system running smoothly by maintaining the procedures you’ve developed and updating them if necessary. Ensure that everyone in your organization is involved, from people in the shop floor to office workers and management. Lastly, train new employees on 5S best practices, and make sure employees who switch departments are trained on their new area’s procedures.

Some companies follow a 6S system, with “safety” as the sixth S. This step involves arranging workspaces to eliminate safety risks, such as by making workstations more ergonomic or clearly labeling areas that are potentially hazardous. However, some companies argue that safety is an outcome of the other 5S’s rather than a step on its own. In either case, safety should be an important focus in the organization of any workspace.

How much does 5S cost?

While implementing 5S involves an up-front investment of time to plan and train, it generally does not cost much money, as the only purchases required are relatively inexpensive items such as floor markings, tape, and signs.

What tools do I need for 5S?

The following tools are often used for visual communication in 5S. Visual tools can not only make a workspace cleaner and easier to navigate, but also ensure that everything stays in its place:

• Shadow boards: trace the outline of each tool onto a pegboard where it hangs. This highlights where a tool should be replaced after being used and makes it obvious when a tool is missing.
• Floor markings: use tape to outline work areas, mark the positions where equipment should be located, and denote hazardous areas.
• Signs and labels: indicate the contents of contents and containers and highlight potential hazards.

Read more about visual management tools for 5S.

5S Education

Sustaining 5S is a long-term, ongoing effort that requires a high level of commitment throughout a company. It is critical to gain employee buy-in for a successful 5S program; in order for a 5S effort to last, it must become ingrained in a company’s culture. To achieve this, you can educate employees on the history and benefits of 5S and involve them in the planning process–it is important that the voices of the people using the program be heard, and that employees take ownership of 5S practices. Make sure that everyone participates, including company leaders, who set the tone for the rest of the company.

5S Program

Using the right tools to implement your 5S program can help sustain it long-term. 5S has been a tried-and-true methodology for workspace organization for decades, and there are more technologies available now than ever before to make implementing a 5S program simpler and more effective. Traditional paper-based processes are not ideal, because they are easy to ignore and hard to track.

A manufacturing app platform such as Tulip, however, can help manufacturers standardize and implement 5S procedures across their factories, easily make adjustments to keep them up to date, and automatically collect data from 5S processes, allowing manufacturers to promote accountability among their employees and monitor progress over time.

Implementing a 5S program in your workplace is a worthwhile endeavor that can go a long way toward a more productive and efficient factory. Investing time and effort now can set the foundation for a culture of continuous improvement in the long run.