Maintain Measuring Instruments

1. 5S
2. Lubrication
3. Cleaning
4. Storage

1. 5S System
5S was created in Japan, and the original “S” terms were in Japanese.

Step Name Japanese Term Explanation

1. Sort Seiri (tidiness) Remove unnecessary items from each area
2. Set in Order Seiton (orderliness) Organize and identify storage for efficient use
3. Shine Seiso (cleanliness) Clean and inspect each area regularly
4. Standardize Seiketso (standardization) Incorporate 5S into standard operating procedures
5. Sustain Shitsuke (discipline) Assign responsibility, track progress, and continue the cycle

A. Sort
Clearing the Work Area

Clear up space

Red-Tagging Unknown Items

Temporarily attaches a highly-visible tag to the item, which notes where it was found and when.
Red-tagged items from all work areas are collected in a single location: a “lost and found” tools, materials,
and equipment. If a work area is missing an important tool, check the red tag collection area to see if it was
found somewhere else. Supervisors for each work space should check the red tag collection area
periodically, in case something has been missed. Anything that belongs in a work space should be taken back
there.

Reassigning Tagged Items

Items may wait in the red tag collection area for a long time. In that case, the original work area
doesn’t seem to need it anymore. It may be useful elsewhere, though.

One common approach is that if items are left in the red tag collection area for thirty days, any
supervisor may claim the item for their own work area. If nobody wants it for another week, the item can be
removed from facility entirely. Sell it, recycle it, or throw it away.

If an item will definitely be needed by the company, but isn’t needed right now, it might be best to
store it later. Just be sure it will be actually needed again. Don’t store things “just in case” without good
cause, and keep track of what’s been stored.

A. Set in Order
Systematic Organization / Straightening Out / Simplify = organize the work area for effeciency

Building a 5S Map

Tools that are used frequently should be stored near the place they are used, and tools that are used
less often can be kept in a central location. Items that are used together should be stored near each other.
 Each of these decisions will make sense on its own, but it may become difficult to keep track of everything. It
may be helpful to create a 5S map as part of this process.

A 5S map is a diagram or floor plan that provides an overview of a work area, process, or station. It
provides a visual reference to show where the tools, supplies, workers, and travel paths are, and how they
relate to each other. A good map may also include a description of the work that happens in the area shown.

Depending on your facility’s needs, you may find one approach easier than another:

 Draw up a map, and then implement it

 Physically arrange the workplace first, and then map it out
 Map as you go, testing and writing down what works well.

No matter which approach is used to create I, the resulting 5S map should be kept as a training tool,
used for reference in later step of 5S, and updated over time as the work are changes.

Communicating the Plan

Once storage locations are assigned, each storage area should be labeled. Label the outside of
cabinet doors to help workers quickly identify what’s inside each one. Then label any interior shelves to
show where different supplies belong. The same ideas can be applied to other storage systems.

Many facilities use a “shadow board” for tool storage, to ensure that each tool is easy to put back in
its correct storage place. With this approach, a label matching the shape and size of the tool is placed where
the tool belongs. Workers can immediately spot where each item belongs, and know at a glance if the item is
there or not. No more time wasted looking through drawers and bins.

Organization can extend to the floor, too. Work areas, movement lanes, and storage for supplies and
finished products can all be marked with floor marking tape.

B. Shine
It is about removing the dirt and grime that inevitably builds up underneath the clutter, and works to
keep it from coming back.

Routine Cleaning

Shine moves far beyond just pushing a broom around every now and then. It involves regular
cleaning of every part of the work area – often a daily wipe-down, and a more thorough cleaning each week.

Importantly, the Shine step is not meant to be a job for the maintenance or janitorial staff. Each
worker should clean their own work area, and the equipment they. This approach has several benefits:

 Workers who are familiar with the area will quickly notice any problems that arise
 Hazards or difficult situations will be understood and accounted for
 Items that are out of place or missing will be recognized
 Workers will tend to keep their own workplaces cleaner during normal operations

Everyone should pay attention to the overall cleanliness of the workplace, being willing to pick up
trash and so on. But for 5S to give the best results, each worker should take personal responsibility for their
own working place.

Shine as Preventive Maintenance

One important advantage is that it’s easy to spot leaks, cracks, or misalignments. If the people
keeping the area clean are the same people who work there regularly, they will be quick to recognize any of
these problems.

Leaving those problems unnoticed and unresolved could result in equipment failure, safety hazards,
and loss of productivity. With the constant cleaning and inspections in the Shine step, the 5S system can feed
 into a preventive maintenance program. This way, 5S can extend the working life of equipment and help
reduce emergency downtime.

C. Standardize
By writing down what is being done, where, and by whom, you can incorporate the new practices into
normal work procedure. This paves the way for long-term change.

The Power of Writing Things Down

“If it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen.” Writing down the decisions that you make in your 5S
program will help ensure that your work doesn’t just disappear. If you made a map in Set in Order step, that
map can be part of you new standard for the area. In the same way, the process that you use for red-tagging
items can be written down and included in the standards.

Writing out you decisions doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind, though. The purpose of 5S is to
make your workplace better, not to make it unchangeable. You are writing the standards for your facility,
and you can change them to fit new information or new business needs.

Tools for Standardizing

Once you’ve made decisions on how to change your work practice, those decisions need to be
communicated to workers. This communication is key part of the Standardize step. Common tools for this
process include:

 5S checklists – listing the individual steps of a process makes it easy for workers to follow
that process completely. It also provides a simple auditing tool to check progress later on.
 Job cycle charts – identify each task to be performed in a work area, and decide on a
schedule or frequency for each of those tasks. Then, assign responsibility to a particular
worker. The chart can be posted visibly to resolve questions and promote accountability.
 Procedure labels and signs – provide operating instructions, cleaning steps, and preventive
maintenance procedures right where that information is needed.

D. Sustain
“Continuing commitment.” It’s important to follow through on the decisions that you’ve made – and
continually return to the earlier steps of 5S, in an ongoing cycle.

Never “Once and Done”

The 5S approach was never meant to be a one-time event, but an ongoing cycle. Apply the idea of 5S
as a routine part of normal work.

Sustaining a 5S program can mean different things in different workplaces, but there are some
elements that are common in successful programs.

 Management support – without visible commitment from managers, the 5S process won’t
stick around. Supervisors and managers should be involved in auditing the 5S work
processes, and getting feedback from workers. They also need to provide the tools, training
and time for workers to get their jobs done right.
 Department tours – bringing teams from one department to visit other departments will
help familiarize the entire workforce with the processes of your facility. This type of “cross
pollination” helps to spread good ideas, and inspires people to come up with new ways to
improve the 5S implementation.
 Undated training – as time passes, there may be changes in your workplace, such as new
equipment, new products, or new work rules. When this happens, revisit your 5S work
standards to accommodate those changes, and provide training on the new standards.
  Progress audit – the standards that are created in the 5S program should provide specific
and measurable goals. Checking on those goals with a periodic audit can provide important
information and guidance. Where is 5S working well? Where are teams falling behind?
 Performance evaluations – once you know your goals are reasonable, make performance
part of each employee evaluation. When teams and individuals perform well, celebrate it,
and post overall results so each team can see how they compare to the rest of the facility.

Sustain is Not the End of 5S

While it’s the last step in the sequence, Sustain is not the end of 5S as a whole. One pass through the
steps can expose problems that were hidden beforehand. Following the steps again can resolve those
problems, and help discover new ways to improve. Continue through cycle again and again to keep your
facility at top of its potential.