What is 5S?
Also called: 5S methodology, five S
Last updated
5S is a lean method for organising a workplace so it is clean, safe and efficient. Its five steps, from Japanese words, are usually translated as sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain. Teams apply them area by area and check them with regular 5S audits so the improvements last.
In more detail
Sort removes what is not needed. Set in order gives everything that remains a marked place, close to where it is used. Shine cleans the area and the equipment, which also shows up leaks and damage. Standardise writes down how the area should look and who looks after it. Sustain makes the habit stick through audits and leadership attention.
The fifth step is the hard one. A 5S effort often looks good for a few weeks and then slips, which is why most teams score each area against the five steps on a regular audit and act on what the score shows.
Example
A maintenance workshop sorts its benches and removes broken tools, outlines the place for each tool on a shadow board, cleans the floor and machines, posts a photo of how the area should look, and audits it every Friday, scoring each S from 1 to 5.
5S in CheckFlow
In CheckFlow a 5S audit runs as a checklist on a weekly schedule: a drop-down score for each S, photos uploaded as evidence, and a step for actions that appears only when an area scores low. Each audit is kept, so you can see whether an area is holding its standard.
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