Workplace Organisation 5S

What is 5S? Free Download

The basic ideas are simplicity itself: keeping things scrupulously clean and orderly will increase both efficiency and employee moral. It is impossible to implement the 5S Programme without the enthusiastic support of people in the workplace. The motivation cannot come solely from managements desire to have a more efficient work force but from the employees desire to have a more congenial work environment.

• S1: Seiri - clearing up (Sort) Red Tags?
• S2: Seiton - organising (Store)
• S3: Seiso - cleaning (Shine)
• S4: Seiketsu - standardising (Standardise)
• S5: Shitsuke - training and discipline (Stick to / Sustain)

Group discussions can be an excellent device for eliciting comments and suggestions from employees in a systematic and focussed way. If you can get even one or two suggestions that meet with general approval and which lead to improvement there will be increased enthusiasm on the part of all to investigate other possibilities.

Essentially the 5S programme affects:

• Safety
  A place for everything and everything in its place. Basically accidents tend to happen less when the workplace is well organised.
• Efficiency
  The more attentive and interested people are in their work the more efficiently they will perform.
• Quality
  Clutter, dirt, & grime will increase the risk of mistakes. This will have a negative impact on quality performance of the product, process or service.
• Breakdown Elimination
  Clear labelling can help to prevent putting a machine out of action by someone pushing the wrong button. Dirt and grime produce unnecessary wear and tear on machines, causing breakdowns that need never have happened.