5S (methodology)

thumb|upright=1.3|5S methodology

thumb|5S resource corner at Scanfil Poland factory in [[Sieradz]]

5S (Five S) is a workplace organization method that uses a list of five Japanese words: , , , , and . These terms are often translated as 'sort', 'set in order', 'shine', 'standardize', and 'sustain'. The list describes how to organize a work space for efficiency and effectiveness by identifying and sorting the items used, maintaining the area and items, and sustaining the new organizational system. The decision-making process usually comes from a dialogue about standardization, which builds understanding among employees of how they should do the work.

In some organizations, 5S has become 6S, the sixth element being safety (safe).

Other than a specific stand-alone methodology, 5S is frequently viewed as an element of a broader construct known as visual control, visual workplace, or visual factory. Under those (and similar) terminologies, Western companies were applying underlying concepts of 5S before publication, in English, of the formal 5S methodology. For example, a workplace-organization photo from Tennant Company (a Minneapolis-based manufacturer) quite similar to the one accompanying this article appeared in a manufacturing-management book in 1986.

Origins

thumb|The scheme "Correct Arrangement of the Tool" from a [[USSR Central Institute of Labour instruction sheet, 1920–1924]]

5S was developed in Japan and has been identified as one of the techniques that enabled just-in-time manufacturing.

Two major frameworks for understanding and applying 5S to business environments have arisen, one proposed by Takahashi Osada, the other by Hiroyuki Hirano. Hirano's work, published in 1995, referred to five "pillars",

Each S

There are five 5S phases. They can be translated to English as 'sort', 'set in order', 'shine', 'standardize', and 'sustain'. Other translations are possible, usually with English words starting with an S.

Sort ( )

thumb|1S – a red tag area containing items awaiting removal

is sorting through all items in a location and removing all unnecessary items from the location. The terms "simplify" and "systematisation" are also used.

Goals:

Reduce time lost looking for an item by reducing the number of unnecessary items.
Reduce the chance of distraction by unnecessary items.
Simplify inspection.
Increase the amount of available, useful space.
Increase safety by eliminating obstacles.

Implementation actions include:

Checking all items in a location and evaluating whether or not their presence at the location is useful or necessary.
Removing unnecessary items as soon as possible, placing those that cannot be removed immediately in a "red tag area" so that they can be easily removed later on.
Keeping the working floor clear of materials except for those that are in use for production.

Set in order ( )

thumb|2S – simple floor marking

Seiton is sometimes shown as Straighten, but it is also known as Orderliness where writers are willing to substitute words without an S. This change positions Safety at the forefront, stressing its critical role in operational settings. Safety's integration fundamentally alters the approach to organizing workplaces, ensuring that safety considerations are integral from the outset. The 6S model promotes a comprehensive strategy where safety and operational processes are interlinked and equally important. This adaptation underscores the importance of active hazard prevention and a robust safety culture in improving overall workplace efficiency and employee health. To successfully implement the 6S Lean method in a workplace, organizations require:

A deep understanding and prior experience with the 5S methodology.
A mechanism for hazard identification and reporting.
Industry-specific safety training for heightened safety awareness.
A commitment to conduct regular discussions with employees about the principles and practices of 5S/6S.
Endorsement and continuous support from senior management, including the allocation of necessary resources.

7S

The 7S methodology incorporates 6S safety, adding a new element for oversight or spirit.

Variety of applications

5S methodology has expanded from manufacturing and is now being applied to a wide variety of industries including health care, education, and government. Visual management and 5S can be particularly beneficial in health care because a frantic search for supplies to treat an in-trouble patient (a chronic problem in health care) can have dire consequences.

Although the origins of the 5S methodology are in manufacturing, it can also be applied to knowledge economy work, with information, software, or media in the place of physical product.

In lean product and process development

The output of engineering and design in a lean enterprise is information, the theory behind using 5S here is "Dirty, cluttered, or damaged surfaces attract the eye, which spends a fraction of a second trying to pull useful information from them every time we glance past. Old equipment hides the new equipment from the eye and forces people to ask which to use".