5S Philosophy

5S is the name of a list of 5 words (or ‘key factors’) designed to develop an efficient and effective working environment. It is made up of 5 Japanese words which begin with ‘S’; these words can also be translated into English definitions, also beginning with the letter S.

5S consists of:  

1.     Seiri (Sort)

2.     Seiton (Systemise)

3.     Seiso (Shine)

4.     Seiketsu (Standardise)

5.     Shitsuke (Self Discipline)

Hiroyuki Hirano, developed 5S in Japan. Hirano set a structure to what was already known: that cleanliness and order could improve productivity and increase cost effectiveness. He taught that any effort to improve flow and eliminate obstacles, would lead to a solution to prevent lost time and finances. Hirano set out to remove all of the necessaries of the common workplace. When he revealed this to many western managers, they were already aware of the benefits that a tidy environment with no distractions could have, but were enlightened by the set rules he had put in place. Toyota adapted a 4S philosophy where 2 of the letters, (Seiton and Seiso,) were combined; originally this was known as JIT (Just In Time) but is commonly know now as TPS or the Toyota Production System.

Together these 5 categories aim to make a workplace as simple and hassle-free as possible, making all tools available and easy to obtain.  

Seiri (Sort)

Sorting helps eliminate unneeded tools and equipment, to make the needed objects easier to locate and obtain. This leaves no chance of employees being disturbed by unnecessary items. Sorting through a work space regularly will prevent the accumulation of unnecessary objects that will hinder production.

Seiton (Systemise)

Systemisation helps arrange work, employees and instructions to create a waste-free workplace. Systemising workspaces to make all tools in the same location in every bay and department, will mean that people will be able to find a desired tool without having to look for it - even in an unfamiliar work environment. This means that time and waste will be reduced in a systemised workplace, as flow will be increased and work processes will be carried out smoothly.

Seiso (Shine)

Regular cleaning assures a clutter free space and also will keep machinery in a better condition, allowing repair or service work to be carried out more effectively. If machinery and environments are cleaned and maintained correctly then it is easy to spot any abnormalities or defects within them. Safety will also be increased by regular tidying of an area and its periphery.

Seiketsu (Standardise)

Having a procedure throughout a process will ensure that all work is carried out to the same quality and standards. If work is carried out differently from one time to the next, then it will be obvious that some work is carried out to a better level than others. Standardisation will maintain a higher quality of work at all times and also maintain cleanliness and orderliness, consistently.

Shitsuke (Self-discipline)

Many good working habits can be forgotten or relaxed over a period of time, hence why self-discipline is very important. Complete submission to all rules and regulations will make sure that all working practices will be maintained and followed. Employees need to abide by all rules, without being told to or ordered, this will make 5S the ‘norm’ and will create a good attitude to correct work practises.

Many people also add a further 2 S’s to 5S, these are Safety and Security. Safety is debatable because many people believe it undermines the current safety procedures in place. However, this could also be seen as reinforcing the current procedure and making it stronger. Investment is seen as cost reduction method and not an expense; this also backs up TSM, Total Security Management.

There are 3 main benefits to implementing a 5S system, these are; increase in productivity, increase in quality and reduction in cost.

Increases in productivity:

•  Reduces lead time and improves customer satisfaction.
•  Reduces time looking for equipment and tools
• Reduces machine and process downtime and increased OEE (Overall         Equipment Effectiveness)
•  Decreases shift start up times and machine or job changeover times.

Increases in quality:

• Implements standardisation and consistency
• Reduces defects and scrap parts
• Simplified areas will increase employee morale

Reduction in Cost:

• Reduces scrap and cost of raw material
• Reduces Inventory and inventory loss

5S reduces downtime, and unneeded activities, through tidiness and organisation - two things that I strongly believe in. I also agree that everybody can use 5S every day, to bring order to everything from offices, factories, warehouses and even their personal lives and homes.