5S Housekeeping Helps You Organize Your Workplace

SORT (Seiri) - The 5S workplace organization process usually starts out by sorting the useful from the unnecessary. The only things that should remain in a work area are the parts, tools, & instructions needed to do the job.

Straighten (Seiton) - Everything has a place; everything is in its place.  This is also a good time for your team to create a Visual Scoreboard, Jidoka lights, floor paint, kanbans, and other visual controls.

Sweep & Shine (Seiso) - Do an initial spring cleaning.  Maybe painting, scouring, sweeping, washing, rinsing, scrubbing, and whatever else is needed to make your work place shine.

Standardize (Seiketsu) - In the Standardize phase of Lean 5 S, routine cleaning becomes a way of life. Preventative maintenance is routinely performed, perhaps with planning and scheduling and some responsibilities done by your central maintenance department, and as much routine maintenance as possible performed by the people that know that work center better than anyone else.

Sustain (Shitsuke) - Shitsuke is when five S becomes a routine way of life.  Root causes are routinely identified and dealt with.  The Systems2win 5 S forms and the Standard Work Audit are very familiar to everyone - both supervisors and the workers that have come to appreciate the benefits of Five S and Lean methods. 

Safety (The 6th S) - If your company has a 6S program, it will also address Safety issues. The Systems 2 win 5S template is actually a 6S audit that includes sections for safety and ergonomics.

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