Making 5S Work
July 20th, 2005 by Hal
Visual management of a workplace is foundational to lean. The intention is to be able to see at a glance that everything is going well or see what needs attention. When visual management is done well anyone visiting the location can make sense of what is going on. When I work in fabrication operations I routinely start with 5S. It results in more space, easy-to-see workflow, and an all around safer work setting.
Here's a quick summary of the 5S approach to visual management.
- Sort
- Separate what you need on an everyday basis from everything else. Toss those things that you aren't using at all.
- Set in order
- Place tools and materials close to where they will be used and in a way that is ready-to-hand.
- Shine
- Clean, clean, clean.
- Standardize
- Do things that help keep tools and materials in the intended place.
- Sustain
- Keep adjusting to the changing situation of your operations. Revisit the first four steps on a regular basis.
So how do we make this work? It starts with an intention to make it work. (Don't proceed if you can't bring that intention.) The secret is in the standardization. You want to make it easy to return items to the intended place.
Do you need a drill at a particular point in an operation? Have a holder for the drill at that place. Color code the drill and the holder. Have a chuck key attached to the cord. And keep just those bits needed in that operation in a bin next to the drill.
Do you use a Greenlee storage box on your jobsites? They are great for moving tools to where they will be used. The problem with most boxes is they function as a catch-all chest. Workers toss their tools in without regard to giving ready access to the next person. The chest is also rarely prepared with just the tools needed for the operations that will be performed. The solution is to prepare boxes for the operations that are coming. Have just those tools, consumables, and material that is needed. And present those tools in a way that is ready-to-hand.
Visual management produces the biggest returns for the investment in time and money. If you don't know what else to do, then start with 5S.
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July 21st, 2005 at 8:06 am
I recently heard from a lean manufacturing practitioners group that one of their members approached an Indy car team and asked if she could take a crack at 5S-ing one of their toolboxes. Surprisingly, they said OK. After her work, they were able to cut pit time by 2 seconds. People who follow racing tell me that is enough to be a competitive advantage.
July 21st, 2005 at 10:11 am
The 5S’s work great in construction areas - office, shop, field and even in service trucks. One company I worked with had its engineering design group do the 5S’s and they were able to salvage $5000 worth of stuff they got rid of. They are only 6 engineers! In doing the 5S’s most people get real excited in the sorting step. It just feels good to get rid of stuff. The next 4S’s are harder to do but without them there is no long-term payoff. Another area to apply 5S’s is in one’s computer files & past emails. What is really needed?
Speaking about Lean applications at home. I was always frustrated that my children never put my tools back where they belonged. In learning the 5S’s I realized that I knew where I wanted my tools to be stored but it was not marked or explained to my children. How would they know?
There is much for all to learn.
July 23rd, 2005 at 1:58 pm
using 5S in construction or in a new venture requires some good thinking.
There is nothing to sort until construction starts, so start with *set in order* - plan the site before you arrive so that when you arrive everyone knows where things go — and agree it as the site *standard*; involve everyone in developing the plan, make it part of the initial and any subsequent phase scheduling/programming workshop; get your logistics people to make sure it happens that way.
Then *sweep and shine* to keep the site clean and tidy.
audit site workspaces on a regular basis (at least weekly) to help you *sustain* the standard
if things get out of hand *sort* — this might be good way to begin phases after the first or second for example.
This only applies to new sites/projects.
tradesmen’s toolboxes usually benefit from the full “manufacturing” 5S sequence. they generally carry many more tools than they will need on this project. how can we help them only carry the tools they need and make sure that they can find them within 5 seconds every time they want them? how can we help them see when a tool is not in its place? how can we help them take pride in having a neat and tidy workspace, toolbelt, etc.
August 15th, 2005 at 3:15 pm
I am wondering if anyone has applied the 5Ss to project management (other than the construction site example above).
July 18th, 2007 at 11:02 am
You mentioned color “coding the drill”. This raises the question as to whether there is a color coding standard for use with 5S. I’ve found that the answer is “no”, there is no official standard. However, a defacto standard has developed as a result of common use.
Using a standard color coding system throughout your organization helps to eliminate confusion and reduce training time.
A free reference showing the 5S Standard Color Code is available at: http://www.duralabels.com/free-5S-color-code-guide.asp