Hi readers! This article will help you to understand about 5S. It is one of the most fundamental tool of Business Excellence that can be implemented in any organisation like Manufacturing/ Service / Hospitals /Mall etc. 5S can be practised even at home.
This initiative will help to form effective people culture through participation of workmen and continuous improvement. It helps to eliminate waste, unwanted material from work place and maintain an efficient, safe and clean work environment.
Why 5S required?
- Reduces cost
- Increases productivity
- Searching time reduces
- Self-Speaking Work Place
- Good & Safer working environment
- Increase visual control
- 5S is fundamental pillar for implementation of TQM Initiative like TPM, Six Sigma, Kaizen, Lean manufacturing, Quality circle etc.
- It does not require much money for implementation
Steps of 5S
1) Sort. (Seiri )- It is also noted as 1S. Seiri is a Japanese word. According to methodology of 1S, materials/items of defined process need to be frozen. Let’s understand with some examples like Pizza making process in which we need to identify items which are needed for making the Pizza. Like Dough, toppings (Onion, capsicum), tomato Sause, some creams so these items are to be listed as frozen items/material of pizza making process. Apart from listed items, others are known as unwanted items for said process. Like in this process if some material like fried rice, mustered oil, Milk shake are lying nearby where pizza making process is taking places, these materials need to be considered as unwanted items for said process and these unwanted items need to be sorted out.
Process owner should identify the unwanted items and keep it in Red Bin Area. Red bin area is a designated place where unwanted items can be kept by all process owners. It also creates a small open market within the premises, suppose a process owner is reviewing the unwanted materials of red bin area, if he thinks that some unwanted items are useful for his process he can keep those items.
2) Set in Order. (Seiton) – In 1S material list/items is frozen, so these items need to be placed in orderly manner. In other word we can say PEEP, it means Place for everything and Everything in its place. Marking should be done for everything which is part of process like – Name, category, batch, gangway marking etc. Suppose one pallet jack is kept on the shop floor so in this case place of pallet jack should be marked. Poka Yoke (Mistake proof) system need to be followed for better control at work place.
3) Shine. (Seiso) – The third step of 5S is Shine means cleanliness. All employees of an organization need to clean the dirt, dust of his workplace by his own in routine way. Suppose one machine was purchased 3 years back and operators of this machine were continuously cleaning the machine every day, then only machine condition can be kept as new as when it was purchased. The amount of dirt deposited on the machine on day one we need to remove the same amount of dirt on day two from the machine. We need to do follow cleaning with meaning strategy. During cleaning we need to identify the sources of contamination dirt, dust or any abnormality seen then red tagging should be done.
4) Standardize. (Seiketsu) – Forth step of 5S is to follow and implement 1S, 2S, 3S at the work place. New standard need to be made for a better working culture. It also encourages people to participate and promotes to become role model for others.
5) Sustain. Shitsuke – Fifth step of 5S is all about to maintain 5S culture at the work place by practicing and implementing 5S. Fifth step can only sustain if first 4S is strictly followed. Clean the equipment, machine and follow the Work Instructions which is defined at work place for every process.
How to implement 5S at the work place?
Suppose ABC is a pizza making company, area of work place/Shop floor need to be divided into zones. Let’s say 6 zones, (as mentioned in below pictures). All zones should have one Zone owner. It is the responsibility of Zone owner to implement 5S activities in his area.
Now One 5S steering committee need to be formed and all Zone owners should be members of this committee. Steering committee should be chaired by top management of the organization for successful implementation of 5S.
