THE 5S METHOD AND ITS BENEFITS

• The 5S method is one of the tools employed as part of the broader “lean production” approach: a series of management procedures that aim to reduce and eliminate waste by creating standardized processes in which resources are optimized. More specifically, the 5S method is one of the ways to comply with the third principle of the lean model by making value flow thanks to a clean and tidy workplace. The five S’s (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain) help to get everyone involved in a continuous improvement process that has very low investment costs but brings numerous concrete benefits for staff and companies.
  The main advantages are:
• Less time wasted looking for materials or equipment
• Instant reporting of any anomalies or deviations from standards
• Better quality of work
• Greater safety – and therefore greater peace of mind – at work
• Lower costs

• As the name of the method suggests, it involves repeating a number of steps in order. They revolve around three principles: cleanliness, tidiness and discipline.
  Below we’ll take a more detailed look at the five phases, which are:
• Seiri – Sorting through items and removing the unnecessary ones
• Seiton – Setting in order by putting the strictly necessary items in fixed, clearly marked positions
• Seiso – Sweeping and cleaning the workplace, to remove dust and left-over or discarded materials
• Seiketsu – Standardize by setting standards and establishing rules
• Shitsuke – Sustain the improvements made by complying with the standards and updating them.

THE SECOND S – SET IN ORDER

Once the tools, equipment and materials that are required in the workplace have been “sorted”, the next step is to find the optimal place for them.
This means they must be:

• easy to reach, with no obstacles in the way between items and the people who need to use them
• easy to pick up and use
• easy to put back in their places once they’ve been used.

In other words, everything has its place and there’s a place for everything. It’s important to bear in mind how often items are used when trying to find the right place for them. For example, something that’s used less than once a month can be placed in a company’s central storage area, something that’s used less than once a week should be put in a container in the department, something that’s used less than once a day should be kept near the workstation and something that’s needed once or more a day must be kept within easy reach, directly on the workstation where it’s used.

THE FOURTH S – STANDARDIZE

It’s essential to make sorting, setting in order, cleaning and inspecting part of the everyday routine. In order for this to happen, it’s necessary to set standards that are simple to understand and follow. The “rules” must be devised and created by the people who will be putting them into practice, because they’re less likely to be followed if they’re deemed to be imposed from above. Once a standard has been created, clear details of it must be shared with all interested parties.

ONE METHOD AND A MULTITUDE OF BENEFITS FOR COMPANIES AND STAFF

As we’ve seen, the principles and procedures of the 5S method bring significant, concrete benefits for production staff and organizations as a whole. For the management, it optimizes space and time while also giving greater precision – and therefore better quality – in processes and offering greater cost efficiency. For staff, setting cleaning, tidying and discipline standards leads to better working conditions and environments that are safer and more organized, for greater peace of mind.