What is 5S?

Based on the principle that having visual control of a workplace means that problems cannot be hidden, 5S Visual Management is a form of house-keeping derived in Japan in the 1960s. Today, it forms an integral part of any Lean deployment.

Lean, of course, deals with waste reduction and the 5S process reduces waste and non-value activity by organising the workplace, standardising procedures, improving quality efficiency and creating a safe working environment. The name of the process simply refers to five words beginning with ‘S’ in Japanese that relate to the five stages required, namely:

• Seiri – roughly translated; organisation.
• Seiton - orderliness
• Seiso - cleanliness
• Seiketsu - standards
• Shitsuke – sustaining discipline

Hiroyuki Hirano, award-winning author of ‘5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace’, seen by many as the definitive guide to 5S, describes a factory as a "living organism" and as such "if they don’t adapt to their changing environment, they perish". Many are fooled by the simplicity of the system and put off as a result, but although it can be implemented on its own, it is only usually as part of a broader organisational quality programme – i.e. Lean – that its true value flourishes. It not only gives immediate results, but its implementation sets the foundations for a successful large-scale change.

To go into further detail on the five steps: ‘Seiri’ focuses on discarding any non-essential items from the work area and putting them into storage, or throwing them away as waste. This is to facilitate fewer hazards and less mess in and around the work area leading to increased productivity through greater visibility. A frequently used method at this step is ‘Red Tagging’ items suspected of being non-essential for inspection and removal.

During ‘Seiton’, the essential work items are arranged and organised in such a way as to give efficient ease-of-use: 'everything in its place'. It is at this stage that items are labelled, signs are put up and masking tape is used to delineate where things should be. Once this has been done, it must be maintained, which is where ‘Seiso’ comes in. Regular cleaning of the work area ensures the visibility and the ease-of-use are kept up, as well as affording the opportunity to inspect tools and machinery to check that everything is in order.

‘Seiketsu’ enshrines the responsibility for housekeeping standards into the roles of the individual and the organisation, making them an integral part of work routines, and ensuring that best practice is standardised. And finally ‘Shitsuke’ ensures that the new practices are sustained and engrained, and a return to ‘the old ways’ is avoided through diligence and discipline in maintaining the new order.

These stages have been westernised in various ways, such as:

• Sort
• Straighten
• Shine
• Standardise
• Sustain

Additionally, this list is sometimes expanded to include a sixth ‘S’, Safety - although proponents have claimed that safety is a integral part of efficient housekeeping.

There are many Western alternatives that are derived from 5S, such as CANDO (Cleanup, Arranging, Neatness, Discipline, and Ongoing improvement), 5S Plus, 6S. Its benefits in manufacturing workplaces are obvious, but as with Lean and Six Sigma, can also be applied in transactional service environments with great success.

As with all improvement systems, it is important to ensure that the system is being used for the right reasons and that the organisation remains focused on them. Whilst the safety and environmental aspects of a clean, organised workplace are obvious and vital, 5S as a process enables problems to be spotted and dealt with quickly, and efficient production to be maintained as a result.

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