"Clean House With Lean 5S"
Quality Progress
June 2005, pp. 27-32
The author defines 5S as "systematic and organic to lean production, a business system for organizing manufacturing operations that requires less human effort, space, capital and time to make products with fewer defects. It creates a work environment that is disciplined, clean and well ordered...When 5S is properly implemented, it creates a visual factory that allows for quick determination of the workplace status. At a glance, managers and supervisors can see when things are out of order, production has fallen behind or stalled, or WIP is not where it should be."
Though the 5S system originally used Japanese words, the author lists the 5S as:
- Sort—Get rid of what is not needed
- Set in order—Arrange what is left to minimize unnecessary movement of materials and employees
- Shine—Define and follow the standards of cleanliness
- Standardize—Time and systems are provided to maintain the 5S organizing on a regular basis
- Sustain—All employees are involved in the effort so that it takes deep root
The author notes that he has seen company after company fail when they only implemented the first 3 of the 5S, and failed to formalize the standardize and sustain aspects. It is recommended to appoint a designated management 5S champion, to involve top management, and to consider 5S shop floor coordinators.
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