The principles of 5S / Lean minimize waste and emphasize efficient workflows. Learn more about this workplace approach and how to implement 5S on your construction sites.

What Are the 5S Lean Principles?

The 5S approach prioritizes order and efficiency in the workplace. The term 5S refers to the strategy’s five components, which all start with the letter “s” — sort, straighten, shine, standardize and sustain. The 5S approach originated in Japan as part of the Toyota production system.

5S lean principles eliminate waste and keep operations as lean as possible. It encourages employees to use limited materials and equipment only when necessary. The fewer materials you use, the cleaner your workplace becomes. In addition to physical trash, waste can take on many forms, including:

• Product defects
• Wasted time
• Under-utilized workers
• Extra workflow steps

5S principles can increase organization and efficiency in construction sites and other applications. Disorganized or excessive tools or machines impede productivity and decrease safety. By implementing 5S lean principles, you keep your construction workplace as efficient and secure as possible.

Learning more about each principle helps you apply them in your workplace. Here’s a closer look at each 5S principle:

1. Sort

The first step helps you determine the necessary materials for your workplace. You sort through equipment, resources and workflows and identify what benefits or limits your efficiency. Then, you move materials with limited applications to designated storage areas or dispose of them. This practice creates a lean work environment.

The most important materials to keep in immediate reach are the ones you use daily. For instance, you might keep a piece of equipment on the floor that is only useful for rare tasks. To free up more space in your work area, you could move the component to storage.

2. Straighten

This stage focuses on organization. After you sort materials, identify a designated space for each of them and arrange them without clutter. You can straighten your immediate work floor and storage spaces for comprehensive decluttering. Organized spaces make it easy for workers to find materials, which boosts efficiency.

3. Shine

After you organize your materials, clean them regularly. Consistent cleaning increases safety and improves your workplace’s appearance. Many sites clean as they work, minimizing large messes later. Excessive dirt can cause corrosion or damage that restricts machine function, which could lead to costly repairs later.

With regular cleaning, you can prevent dirt and debris from accumulating on equipment and other resources, which can increase the tool’s life span.

4. Standardize

Next, you develop rules and standards to maintain cleaning and organization practices. You can integrate the standards into your workflows and explain them during employee training, which ensures all workers understand the expectations. Standardized procedures are easier to follow because they provide a routine way to complete tasks.

5. Sustain

The final principle prioritizes self-discipline so workplaces can maintain the 5S principles in daily operations. Sustaining regular organization and cleaning can be a large transition, and it becomes harder without consistency. As you try various implementation techniques, explore which strategies work and which ones don’t. Find techniques that work for your workplace environment and employee needs, then stay with them.

Why Are 5S Principles Important In Construction?

5S principles benefit construction sites and other workplaces in many ways, including:

• Increased safety: Cleaner and more organized work sites are easier for workers to navigate. Construction sites face many hazards, from chemical exposures to equipment malfunctions. By implementing the 5S method, you remove hazards that occur due to disorganization. For instance, after cleaning and organizing your tools, you significantly reduce the possibility of a worker tripping over a stray component.
• Improved work environment: The construction industry is facing a critical worker shortage, with millions of employees leaving since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Many employees left the industry to find better pay and improved work conditions. The 5S principles help you establish a safer and cleaner environment. The enhanced conditions can convince more workers to stay or apply to your site. The more workers you have, the more efficient your organization becomes.
• Reduced waste: 5S in construction also decreases your waste production. By identifying materials and processes you don’t use, you minimize waste in all workflows. These techniques reduce your carbon footprint and environmental impact.

How to Implement 5S Principles

The most effective way to implement 5S principles is with thorough training and standardized procedures. You can develop specific 5S action plans to address these needs. It’s best to tailor your 5S approach to the unique needs of your workplace — that way, you can gain the most benefits possible.

These are three steps to get started with 5S implementation in construction:

1. Identify Efficiency Issues

You can start by evaluating your workflows and materials and determining areas of improvement. Consider your organization’s current issues and how the 5S strategy could resolve them. A great way to identify inefficiencies is by mapping out your workflows from start to finish. Determine what tools, resources and processes you need for each step. If you notice procedures or materials that reduce productivity, consider how 5S could benefit them.

For example, you might notice a particular workflow step takes more time than others. By sorting, straightening, shining, standardizing and sustaining, you could improve its efficiency.

2. Determine a Budget and Timeline

As you determine processes and materials that benefit from 5S approaches, consider your available resources and time to implement them. To sustain 5S in construction, you need proper amounts of training and time. Determine your budget and availability to initiate and explain the new standards.

In addition, it helps to develop an implementation timeline. The more specific your goals are, the better you can track your progress. For example, you might set dates for training or when you hope to have all five steps integrated into your operations. Once you reach those dates, you can view your progress and adjust approaches as necessary.

3. Create a Checklist for Each 5S Step

Lastly, you can build a checklist for each 5S step according to your workplace’s needs. Write down how you can sort, straighten, shine, standardize and sustain each area of inefficiency. This checklist provides a basis for future training and standardization purposes. Remember that a 5S construction implementation requires trial and error — a continuous improvement mindset helps your organization adjust operations to get better with each try.

Adopt 5S Principles to Keep Construction Operations Lean

The 5S principles create safe, more efficient work environments. With proper implementation, these practices can boost productivity, minimize waste and enhance output.

Construction & 5S Resources:

• Safety Tips for Nighttime Construction
• 6 Smart Tips to Reduce Waste on Your Construction Site
• Top Causes of Back Injuries in Construction
• Browse 5S solutions at ComplianceSigns.com
• Browse construction safety signs and labels

The post How to Implement 5S Lean Principles on Your Construction Sites appeared first on SafeWork Insider.

In moments like these, the urgency to locate tools quickly can be a matter of safety, and the inability to do so can leave you feeling helpless and overwhelmed. This is where the true value of our MOBILE Clean & Sweep Shadow Boards shines, providing a practical and efficient solution to avoid such frustrating and hazardous scenarios.

Mobile Shadow Boards: The Answer for Your Industry

At ComplianceSigns.com, we’re all about keeping things organized, efficient, and most importantly, safe! That’s why we’re super stoked to introduce our brand-new MOBILE Clean & Sweep Shadow Boards. Mobile shadow boards are portable, compact, and organized systems for managing tools and equipment. They use shadows to outline the shape of each item, making it easy to identify missing tools and maintain a clean workspace. These boards are mobile, allowing them to be moved to different locations, making them ideal for industries that require tool transportation

Mobile shadow boards designed to make your life easier, no matter what industry you’re in. Let’s take a closer look at how various industries can benefit from using these nifty tools.

Manufacturing Marvels

In the fast-paced world of manufacturing, every second counts. Our MOBILE Clean & Sweep Shadow Boards can be a game-changer for production lines and workshops. With easily accessible tools and a well-organized layout, your team can bid farewell to wasted time searching for equipment. Plus, these boards are available in various materials to match your environment, ensuring they’re tough enough to withstand the hustle and bustle of manufacturing.

Air Transportation

When it comes to air transportation, safety is paramount. Whether it’s on the tarmac or inside the aircraft, having tools readily available is a must. Our MOBILE Shadow Boards provide a maneuverable solution that is perfect for basic maintenance and janitorial usage around airports. Imagine having all your essential tools on hand without the need to trek back and forth. Cool, right?

Food Service

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Healthcare Heroes

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Educational Institutions

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Construction Champions

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Retail Wonders

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Customizable Shadow Boards for Business

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Get Organized for Safety’s Sake!

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Check all our 5S Tool Shadow Boards here. Stay safe, stay organized, and keep rocking in your industry!

The post What Industries Can Benefit the Most from Using Mobile Shadow Boards? appeared first on SafeWork Insider.

The simple answer is that they run out of fuel. The fuel for behavior. 

What is that fuel?  Let’s find out. Most machines have operating buttons.  Metaphorically speaking, so does behavior. Why do people do what they do?

There are 3 buttons for behavior:

START = Anything that tells you to do something.

You see a sign saying ‘masks required’ and put on your mask, you hear instructions from a team leader or you follow the task sequence on a standard work chart – these are examples. 

How long you continue doing the behavior depends on the next button, the ‘fuel flow’ button called CONTINUE.

CONTINUE = Something encourages you while you do the behavior (or shortly thereafter). 

Someone points at you and says “Mask on. Good!” 

The team leader sees you following her instructions and says “Good follow-up.”  

You follow the standard work chart and your work flows smoothly and meets Takt time.  You think “Wow! This works!”  These are all things that encourage you.  As long as this psychological ‘fuel’ flows during these behaviors, odds are you will continue these behaviors. They won’t fade.

STOP = Something discourages you while you do the behavior (or shortly thereafter). 

Your teammate says “You really look stupid wearing that mask.” 

The team leader never notices or comments about how well you followed instructions.  

The standard work chart adds steps that make it more difficult to get your work done. If these negative consequences persist, you will stop doing these behaviors. They fade away.

So, why do Lean process improvements sputter and run out of fuel and fade away?

Two possibilities:

1. Nobody is pushing the CONTINUE button.  Nobody is noticing and making positive comments of encouragement on how well the team is doing the behaviors of the new standard work process (invented during Kaizen events).  And, nobody has commented on how well the new standard work process is working. The team’s reaction?  “We are making the extra effort to follow Lean procedure, but nobody seems to notice or care.  If nobody else cares, why should we?”  Result?  The slow fade of Lean.
   
2. People or the tasks themselves are metaphorically pushing the STOP button.  If you are criticized for doing new Lean behaviors, or the task becomes too difficult, odds are you will stop doing the behavior.  Result? The quick stop of Lean.

So, how can you use the CONTINUE button to SUSTAIN your team’s gains – and avoid Lean fade?

Press the CONTINUE button daily & weekly for the new Lean process behaviors.  

How? 

Walk the Gemba and look for people following the steps of the new process.

When you see someone doing the new behavior, be EPT (opposite of inept). 

E = eye contact
P = point to what they are doing
T = thumbs up to signal approval

Or the “4 second fuel flow” comment – “Following the new process. Good.”  (Time yourself. It really does take less than 4 seconds to say this!)

The goal of Lean Kaizen is often stated as finding the “one best way” to do the work.
The “one best way” to avoid Lean fade and sustain Lean is one best button: CONTINUE with positive recognition and encouragement for the new process behaviors.

When?  Daily and weekly.

Positive recognition and encouragement are now part of your Leader Standard Work.  Just as you periodically add fuel to your lawn mower to keep it running, add the psychological fuel of positive recognition and encouragement to your Lean team on a daily and weekly basis to avoid Lean fade. 

Who?  You as the team leader.

Begin to grow future team leaders by asking team members to also make comments of positive recognition and encouragement to their teammates when they follow the new Lean process.

To sustain Lean, push the Green: CONTINUE!

About the Authors:

Michael McCarthy has been an author, trainer and consultant for over 35 years. He worked on Performance Improvement with Ford, Emerson Electric, and Philadelphia Electric Co. He worked on Process Improvement with 3M, New York DMV, Preston Trucking and Georgia Power Company. He worked on Lean with Sonopress and Eaton Electric. He was editor of Performance Management Magazine.

He authored: Sustain Your Gains – The People Side of Lean/Six Sigma.

Co-authored with Janis Allen: You Made My Day – Creating Co-Worker Recognition & Relationships, How to Engage, Involve, and Motivate Employees, and
Ready? Set? Engage!
mikemccarthy@sustainleangains.com

Janis Allen has been a corporate trainer, consultant and author for over 35 years. Her clients include: BMW, 3M and Department of the Army. Internal consultant with Milliken & Company. Vice President of Operations at the consulting company Aubrey Daniels International.

Author of seven books: Performance Teams ~ Completing the Feedback Loop; I Saw What You Did & I Know Who You Are; Team Up!; From Boo-Hiss to Bravo – Behavior-Based Scorecards People Will Use and Like
Co-authored with Michael McCarthy:
You Made My Day – Creating Co-Worker Recognition & Relationships; How to Engage, Involve, and Motivate Employees; and Ready? Set? Engage!

janisallen@janisallen.com

The post The Solution to Lean Fade: Sustain Lean with Just One Behavior Button appeared first on SafeWork Insider.

Signs a Company Needs 5S Workplace Organization

While any business would benefit from an organized office, there are some clear signs that indicate the need for an organizational overhaul.

• Increased departmental costs: Overproduction and overstocking may result from lack of organization, causing your company to lose valuable time and money.
• Lack of consistent quality: Sub-par workplace layout and ergonomics requires excessive time and energy to be spent on accessing necessary tools, equipment, and materials. This causes inconsistencies in operational output and quality.
• Operational inefficiencies: Poor workspace design, housekeeping issues, and ergonomics may result in failing to meet target outcomes or benchmarks for operational capacity.
• Customer complaints: When customers are complaining about your products and services, you should take notice. By addressing workplace organization, you will be better situated to address customer issues.
• Need for improved strategies: When company leaders embrace an organizational philosophy, the initiative becomes a company-wide effort. 

Benefits of 5S Workplace Organization

The 5S system, based on the five visual pillars of an effective workspace, is intended to reduce waste while maximizing productivity through the maintenance of an organized workplace. There are numerous benefits to implementing a 5S system.

• Organization: Data from the International Data Corporation indicates $2.5 million in lost productivity due to time spent searching for missing documents. The 5S philosophy focuses on accessibility and use of organizational tools to decrease this wasted time.
• Efficiency: The 5S method encourages eliminating waste by streamlining systems and improving processes through use of organization products. 
• Storage: Implementation of 5S includes eliminating unnecessary items from the facility, reducing the necessary square footage and clearing space to be used in more effective and productive ways.
• Safety: Streamlining production, reducing clutter, and addressing ergonomics all lead to improved workplace safety as the functionality of the production environment is upgraded and hazards are eliminated.
• Morale: An organized environment has psychological benefits such as reducing stress, communicating a sense of professionalism, and encouraging creativity.
• Cost Savings: Time is money. A Harvard University study showed that people can maintain focus at work for 7.5 minutes longer if they are located in an uncluttered environment. Overall improvements in efficiencies, quality, and safety all result in bottom line improvement.
• Cleanliness: The 5S system focuses on good housekeeping practices. A clean workplace presents a professional impression, increases employee satisfaction, and reduces absenteeism.
• Self-Discipline: Employees who are trained in 5S principles develop an enhanced level of self-discipline as they become practiced in daily cleaning and maintaining organizational procedures.
• Identification of abnormality errors: A workspace with visual organization enables quick and efficient identification of abnormalities such as air leakages, computer issues, machine vibrations, and oil leaks. Material flow problems are also more easily noticeable when the process is streamlined, enabling workers to quickly spot part shortages, excess inventory, or line imbalances.
• Global Success: 5S implementation helps businesses to grow and compete on a global scale by decreasing expenses due to waste, streamlining organizational processes, improving safety, and increasing workplace morale.

Organization Tools: 

• 5S Labels
• 5S Floor Tapes – Aisle Markers
• TPM: Total Productive Maintenance
• 5S Holders
• 5S Magnets

Visual Management Controls

One of the most important aspects of the 5S system is improving visibility of existing problems so that they can be addressed and eliminated.

In a disorganized workspace, excess inventory and work-in-progress cannot be easily distinguished. Standard work processes are difficult to inspect and ensure because all workspaces look different.

With implementation of the 5S system, a process of organization enables quick identification of inventory or production problems. Standard work processes are clearly defined, as all tools and raw materials have assigned places.

A streamlined, pared-down, organized workspace utilizes visual organization tools to cut excess, eliminate problems with disorganization, and allow for easy visual identification of areas that need improvement.

Visual Management Tools: 

• 5S Visual Management
• Color Coded Cleaning Tools
• 5S Organization and Tool Control Systems
• 5S Red Tags

Visual Managemnt Examples

Teamwork and Employee Participation

The 5S model provides the tools for workplace organization and increasing efficiency, but it is only effective when there is complete corporate buy-in.

The use of quality circles, groups that focus on quality improvement throughout the organization, are a great way to involve the entire staff. An overall focus on employee morale, personal discipline, and cohesive teamwork are all critically important to making long-term improvements in productivity and efficiency. Management should also make it a point to solicit feedback from all employees to ensure that issues are examined and addressed in the early stages before they become problems.

When employees are involved in all stages of implementation and maintenance of an important initiative, they feel ownership and a sense of belonging, which creates a positive cycle of improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the examples of 5S?

While Toyota is the flagship example of the 5S model, there are a number of other successful companies that have implemented its tenets. Hewlett-Packard started 5S in its organization as a storage solution. Boeing implemented 5S workplace organization in offices and on its factory floor to simplify its processes. Harley-Davidson streamlined its warehouse locations by implementing lean 5S strategies. All of these companies created an efficient workplace to save money and improve time and safety factors through 5S processes.

How can you apply 5S in your everyday life?

5S processes are not just for the workplace. Anyone can implement the five pillars to organize their personal space.

1. Sort – Eliminate any unnecessary items, including trash, duplicates, and infrequently used items.
2. Set in order – Place items according to usefulness, with necessary items easily accessible and less used items stored away.
3. Shine – Keep things clean every day.
4. Standardize – Use visual signs and organizational tools to help keep items organized on a daily basis.
5. Sustain – Create habits to ensure your organizational system works for you on a continual basis.

Whether you are running a business or a personal workspace, the 5S Store at ComplianceSigns.com can assist with implementation of 5S principles to help organize and streamline your procedures, increase your productivity, and improve your overall success.

Learn More:

• Review a list of 5S and Lean manufacturing resources at ComplianceSigns.

The post The Importance of a 5S Organized Workspace appeared first on SafeWork Insider.

• Do you experience machine breakdowns on a regular basis?
• Have your machines or equipment failed to produce with consistency?
• Must you remake items often because they fail quality inspections?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you could benefit from implementing an efficient TPM process.

An Introduction to Total Productive Maintenance

The origins of Total Productive Maintenance go back over 70+ years. It is often considered as an innovative Japanese concept. The overall goal of a TPM program is to improve the integrity of production and the quality of products through regular equipment maintenance. Simply put, TPM is preventative medicine for your machines and equipment. TPM helps your business increase production processes.

Therefore, preventative maintenance is a strategy that focuses on routinely checking machinery and equipment before they break down or cause expensive, unnecessary issues. Oftentimes machine or equipment maintenance is considered the less desirable and difficult lean manufacturing tool; however, it is worth the time and investment in the long run.

In order to implement a successful TPM process, your workplace needs to be organized and clean. Could we be suggesting a 5S workplace? Of course! Because the goal of 5S is to create a work environment that is clean and well-organized. A successful 5S process is an important pre-requisite to have before diving into TPM.

How Does Total Productive Maintenance Work?

With TPM implemented in your workplace, running equipment and machines until they break down is part of the past. Preventative maintenance allows your organization to focus more on production time, instead of wasting time on emergency and unscheduled repairs.

In order to improve the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and eliminate production waste, create small multidisciplinary teams to measure processes. OEE is part of the improvement step of process worth management and takes into account all losses including availability, performance, and quality. Tracking and collecting the OEE data is an integral component of the TPM process. Each collection aims to stop all defects, breakdowns, and stops.

3 Questions that Measure Overall Equipment Effectiveness:

1. Availability – What is the percentage of time that a piece of equipment or a particular process is available for production, without downtime from breakdowns?
2. Performance – How well is the production process performing? Has the speed or efficiency of the equipment changed?
3. Quality – How many products were of good quality? Has the defect-rate of produce goods increased or decreased?

The 8 Pillars of Total Productive Maintenance

1. Autonomous Maintenance: Place the responsibility for maintenance, cleaning, and inspection on the operators of machinery and equipment.
2. Development Methods: Get team leaders and managers together to collect information from operators to predict or prioritize preventative maintenance.
3. Quality Maintenance: Operators and team leaders apply root cause analysis to prevent recurring defects in machines and products.
4. Process Worth Management: Implement small groups of employees to proactively work together to find any needed improvements in equipment.
5. Improvement Stages of New Equipment: Use TPM data (maintenance reports and equipment lifecycles) for the enhancement and redesign of new equipment.
6. Education & Training: Train operators, managers, and maintenance personnel to recognize proactive and preventative resolutions.
7. Safe and Healthy Workplace: Eliminate unsafe risks and focus on an accident-free workplace.
8. Administrative Work: Remove unwanted waste beyond the plant floor by making improvements with processes throughout the workplace.

“S.M.A.R.T.” Goals Achievable with TPM

Although this acronym often refers to attributes of a goal (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely), in the TPM mindset, they stand for the goals you can achieve through a Total Productive Maintenance initiative:

• Save money when equipment and products meet company standards.
• Manage a clean and organized workplace.
• Avoid product, material, and time waste in a rapidly changing economic environment.
• Reduce accidents and repairs.
• Develop Teamwork and confidence among your employees through TPM processes.

In conclusion, Total Productive Maintenance focuses on cultivating the overall success of your facility. It requires the total participation of your workplace. Strive to get your entire company on board and start recognizing problems, finding solutions, and preventing breakdowns of equipment or machinery.

Total Productive Maintenance Resources:

• Browse TPM supplies for gauge marking and more.
• Lean thinking and methods page at EPA.gov
• Info on Early Equipment Management

The post Total Productive Maintenance: Why You Need TPM appeared first on SafeWork Insider.

Lean warehousing is the way of the future. In an April 2014 report, the Council of Supply Management Professionals identified Lean as a projected characteristic for the supply chain by 2025. According to the report:

• The pressure to do more with less will not subside. Lean and Continuous Improvement practices will be essential
• Implementing 5S is a key step in establishing a Lean warehouse.

5S’s basic objective is to make problems visible. Having a clean and organized warehouse is about more than looking great. It’s about having an efficient fulfillment warehousing operation. A warehouse should be able to identify issues quickly. Then, address their root causes thereby preventing recurrences. If replenishment is needed, if something is out of place, or if tasks are being done incorrectly, 5S can identify these issues and highlight them for quicker resolution.

So what are the principles of 5S? 

1. Sort

As a first step in the 5S process, Sorting is key. Sorting out what’s not needed to operate the warehouse daily and to provide the team with a clean slate to organize. Dive into every corner, cabinet, pallet rack, or storage area in the warehouse. Look top-to-bottom and left-to-right. Leave no area unturned.

2. Set

This step is defined as straightening or streamlining. Traditional Lean practices encourage a streamlined warehouse setup. An optimal warehouse setup will have the shortest possible distance between movement and pick.

Warehouse managers often fall into the trap of using established categories when sorting, instead of thinking about a Lean warehouse. The warehouse can be organized by type of object, chronology of order cycle or most-to-least used. Lean warehousing requires a willingness to implement whatever system will result in the most efficient warehouse. Once you establish the right categories and sort criteria, it’s important to make sure that there is a place for everything. Everything should have an intentional place and a transaction, or a set method of use. This is part of the established process that must be followed.

3. Shine

When you walk into a Lean warehouse, the results of this step should be immediately visible. Warehouse operations suffer when cleanliness is considered an expendable element. A clean warehouse frees up space to be more productive and profitable and operates better. If warehouse managers skip this crucial step they will pay a price in efficiency, productivity and increased operating cost.

Cleanliness also contributes to an overall standard of behavior on the part of the employees. It signals that order is an expectation of the warehouse. Regular, daily, sweeping should be a part of this Lean warehouse process It should also include safety inspections (decreasing injury liability) and equipment maintenance checks (increasing equipment longevity).

4. Standardize

Standardizing is the hallmark of the Lean methodology. An example of this is the use of standardized labels. Labels that have all the information needed for any container or product in the warehouse will greatly increase storage and retrieval efficiencies. Eliminating waste is another Lean warehouse tenet. Standardized labels will get rid of wasteful or unnecessary information or clutter.

In Lean warehousing, standardization also applies to a values-driven culture. In it core values drive behavior. Top-down implementation of strong core values results in a consistent and model warehouse culture.

5. Sustain

The final step to any successful organization methodology is the sustaining step. A successful Lean warehouse will have implemented an efficient process, taken ownership of the Lean warehouse practice and have a transparent and visible way to record and measure every 5S activity.

Sustaining is also where regular analysis and reassessment occurs. A Lean warehouse prioritizes Continuous Improvement. Metrics must show results or the system must be reassessed. Practice and measurement will set the warehouse operations up for current and long-term success.

5S is sometimes called 6S, highlighting Safety as the 6th S. Whether you call your program 5S or 6S, safety should always be an overarching theme. Whatever work is done must ensure worker safety and proper ergonomics. Otherwise, the program is flawed and must be corrected immediately.

Utilizing Lean practices in your warehouse, beginning with 5S, will yield great results.

Making 5S a part of your warehouse culture will create an environment where problems are immediately visible, and every employee is engaged in solving them, for their own, as well as for the company’s benefit.

Warehousing 5S Resources:

• Shop for 5S supplies for your warehouse at ComplianceSigns.com.
• Warehousing safety resources from OSHA.
• Visit the Warehousing Education and Research Council site.
• Learn about warehouse floor marking.

The post 5S in the Warehouse: Why It Makes Sense appeared first on SafeWork Insider.

Color-coding standards are a vital part of any 5S lean or productivity initiative. With color-coding, it’s easier to find designated critical zones and control points and to reduce wasted time.

5S Color-coding goes beyond cleaning and material handling tools.

Don’t let systems or standards fool you. Even though color-coding is not a standard rule, it’s a practice regulatory authorities agree with. According to the FDA, “any action or activity that can be used to prevent, eliminate or reduce a significant hazard” is concerned a control measure. Therefore color-coding is an ideal control measure. Also, it is easily documented and followed by employees.

Accessories such as bins, clipboards, tapes, document holders, tools and more can be color-coded to increase organization in a big way. For example, using the same color bins, labels, tools, floor tape and binders can indicate that space is considered a red zone, wet zone, or dry zone.

Aisle and floor marking are considered one of the most useful processes used for the 5S set in order phase. With floor marking tapes, shapes, markers and stencils you can create organized spaces on your production floor. You can also use 6S aisle marking to direct traffic, provide non-slip walkways and keep forklift and pedestrian traffic separated.

Potential Industrial and Environmental Benefits of a 5s Color Code System

The five pillars of the 5s standards operate as a cycle to help organizations optimize productivity and reduce waste. A more orderly workplace leads to more consistent and efficient operations. Each of the pillars help your workers maintain an organized routine, thereby ensuring a better workplace conditions:  

• Sort (seiri)
• Set in order (seiton)
• Shine (seiso)
• Standardize (seiketsu)
• Sustain the cycle (shitsuke)

The sort and set in order pillars involve removing unnecessary or redundant materials and supplies from the workplace and then organizing and storing those that remain. Implementing a consistent 5s color code system decreases the square footage that your operation needs, thereby reducing light and heat requirements.

Along the same lines, maintaining an organized area where materials, parts and equipment are labeled with 5s colors can decrease unnecessary purchases. When employees can easily find supplies and materials and determine the remaining content, they are less likely to unnecessarily open a new container or order more before finishing the current batch.

5S Color Coding Tools

Incorporating the shine pillar reduces your workplace lighting energy requirements by keeping windows sparkling clean and by painting equipment and machines in light colors. Similarly, keeping your workplace brightly painted and clean improves worker response to spills. A faster response means less waste from spill incidents and subsequent clean-up.

Standardization using visual cues using 5s colors helps your employees understand appropriate waste management and handling. Implementation of the 5s color code system on laminated procedure placards, signs and scorecards improve your workers’ operating procedures for hazards and emergency response procedures.

Six best practices for using a 5S color-code system effectively

1) Keep your 5S color-coded system simple.

It’s a great idea to limit the number of colors you decided to use with your color-coded system. With too many colors employees tend to become confused and fail to follow the standard. Popular solid colors used for color-coding are black, white, yellow, purple, green, orange, gray, blue and red.

2) Select consistent colors for each area.

Try to choose colors that make the most sense in each area – like red for quality issues. Don’t use the same color for equipment, sanitized, raw, processed, etc. areas. Employees will remember what colors mean. However, if you aren’t consistent, it can become hard to standardize the colors in your facility.

3) Avoid complex color projects.

Try not to mix and match your color-coded strategy. For instance, if you mix and match a red handle with a blue brush, you’ll have to decide what colored zone the tool should stay in. Mixing colors of tools, bins, totes and containers will create confusion. After all, we encourage color-coding to solve problems – not create new ones. Avoid mixing color-coding in the same area.

4) Introduce the 5S color-coding program at one time.

You might want to tackle color-coding on one side of your facility because it’s easier for you – but it’s best to incorporate the program at one time. Introduce the color-coding program during your 5S lean initiatives. Then, once the area is cleaned up, take the opportunity to designate specific colors to areas.

5) Reinforce 5S color-coding with labels, signs and posters.

Eliminate any confusion with what the specific colors mean by posting labels, numbers and tags. You’ll want to ensure the process is easy for everyone – not a guessing game.

6) Match the color of the tools and storage areas.

If red tools are stored on a red Tool Shadow-Board, never hang a different color on the board. The idea is to keep color-coding separate. Eliminate cross-contamination and using the wrong items in specific work zones with color-coding.

5S Color Visual Standards

If you look around for a moment, you’ll notice a ton of visual cues. You’re probably not surprised, right? It is no longer enough to hear the hard facts – these days you need to see them, too.

A visual workplace helps close the communication gap – and so much more. Visuals:

• Reinforce standards and highlight critical information.
• Sustain lean improvements.
• Assist continuous improvement in a constantly changing industry.
• Are the glue that holds everything together

Too often, 5S leaders neglect this crucial standardizing practice. Without visible, publicized standards for visual colors, you create ambiguity throughout your team. Therefore, make it a point to develop these standards and post them sufficiently throughout the plant.

5S Floor Marking Options

Having color visual standards is a critical component of your standardization phase of 5S. Without these standard colors, your workers are likely to choose whatever color tape, aisle marker or signal they happen to find lying around. Moreover, the workplace simply doesn’t look organized in the least. So help them help you by putting some standards in place.

Typical 5S Color Standards:

Use visual communication boards to turn your vision into your team’s vision.

Reinforce important objectives, display KPIs, highlight Lean/Kaizen activities and share planned initiatives through visual communication. KPI boards enable you to effectively communicate your message to support and influence your business objectives.

5S Resources:

• Browse 5S materials and supplies at ComplianceSigns.com.
• The intersection of 5S and Lean Manufacturing
• Why 5S makes sense in the warehouse
• 5S and Lean manufacturing organizations

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When 5S Training Programs Go Wrong

What is most common is to see theoretical presentations given to the masses (“death by PowerPoint”) and supervisors constantly putting out fires, simply maintaining the status quo.

These shortfalls cause a lack of interest and enthusiasm and they leave employees confused about what they are supposed to do and when they are supposed to do it. While businesses conduct their 5S training programs with the best of intentions, many miss their mark because neither the content nor the approach is effective.

The following advice was originally provided by Steve Lage from PDG Consultants on a previous version of the 5S Best Practices Blog.

Part 1: Effective Materials and Engaging Approach

To make 5S training effective you need sound materials and an approach that teaches people exactly what they need to do in a way that is consistent with the principles of adult learning. More specifically, the training program and trainer must:

• Engage participants with active learning modules that promote the discovery of key principles using the active learning model.
• Use practical language and tools that are easy to understand and apply in the workplace.
• Use a variety of teaching methods to keep the subject interesting and appeal to various learning styles.
• Provide relevant application to real-life problems that currently exist and need to be solved.
• Provide training just before it will be applied in order to create short term wins and reinforce learning.

Part 2: High Performing Supervisors

An often-overlooked strategy to ensure the sustainability of a 5S program is high performing supervisors. These folks are on the front lines. They need to be prepared and hold their staff accountable when they don’t follow the program.

The importance of supervisors is something most organizations just don’t get, and consequently, the impact is staggering. High performing supervisors are leaders that run their departments like business owners. These supervisors:

• Set goals and measure performance.
• Take swift and effective action when goals aren’t met.
• Facilitate problem-solving teams.
• Coach and mentor employees and peers.
• Hold people accountable for performance and behavior.
• Build high performing teams.
• Engage employees through shared decision-making.
• Continuously improve productivity, quality, delivery, and safety performance.

Unfortunately, it is more common to find these critical people firefighting; reacting to the most urgent issue with little control over how they spend their time. We call this the addiction to the heroic recovery.

While we always want people to be willing to go the extra mile, supervisors who spend all of their time on defense aren’t able to move their departments forward and continuously improve performance.

5S Training Resources

• Browse 5S materials and supplies at ComplianceSigns.com
• Learn how 5S Audits help sustain your program

The post 5S Training Tips: What to Do – and NOT Do appeared first on SafeWork Insider.

5S is a business philosophy that infuses its practices, when applied correctly, into a company’s culture.

Global pandemics, furloughs due to budget cuts, and supply chain issues have more than a few organizations backburnering their 5S initiatives. As a longtime warehouse guy, I find this a troubling trend. Call me biased, but I find this moment to be a perfect example of why adhering to 5S basics is so important. When life is in constant motion, the 5S Methodology is an essential guardrail. It’s something like a set of bumpers on a bowling lane: Training us to stay on the most successful pathway.

When stress levels are high and budgets squeezed, it’s easy to forget why 5S is a necessity. But the truth is, how well your 5S program is working often correlates to how successful the company is. That’s why 5S matters now – maybe more than ever.

Achieving more with fewer resources isn’t a new concept to a 5S practitioner.

5S principles are the most effective way I know to audit the health of company culture. It’s about way more than efficiency.

So what exactly is 5S?

The 5S Method is a standardized process that, when properly implemented, creates and maintains an organized, safe, clean and efficient workplace. Common 5S tools include 5S floor tapes, tool organization and control boards and color-coded cleaning tools. Improved visual controls are implemented as part of 5S to make any process violations obvious and easily detectable. 5S is often one element of a larger Lean initiative and promotes continuous improvement. The term “5S” specifically stands for:

1. Seiri / Sort: Separating the essential from the nonessential items
2. Seiton / Straighten: Organizing the essential materials where everything has its place
3. Seiso / Shine: Cleaning the work area
4. Seiketsu / Standardize: Establishing a system to maintain and make 5S a habit
5. Shitsuke / Sustain: Establishing a safe and sanitary work environment (Safety)

By following these five steps, we reduce waste in a variety of ways. That’s one reason why 5S matters now.

The eight forms of waste typically considered in 5S:

1. Overproduction – Producing more than required or producing parts faster than they can be used.
2. Excessive Inventory – This can be a direct result of overproduction or it could be due to poor purchasing practices. Over purchasing supplies because we got a great deal sometimes is no deal at all.
3. Inappropriate Processes – Waste happens through the use of the wrong tools. It can also happen by performing needless tasks. Using less efficient processes and tools can cause waste too.
4. Waiting – Time and resources are wasted when waiting on parts, supplies, or information.
5. Transportation – Excessive travel or movement of materials is waste.
6. Unnecessary Motion – Any movement or motion that does not add value is waste.
7. Defects – This form of waste is one of the worst of all. Defects can also create additional waste in the form of wait time.
8. Untapped Employee Potential – Modern successful organizations create a culture where employee’s ideas are really heard and valued.

By relentlessly working to eliminate these wastes, we create stronger organizations. The 5S Principles are recognized in many industries as effective tools for improving workplace organization, reducing waste, and increasing efficiency.

(Learn more about what 5S is here.)

The longer we work in this new environment, the more obvious the need for 5S becomes.

As every company whose spent time on this journey knows, sustaining is the difficult part. Vigilance over time is not easy. We tend to slip back into old habits. Handwashing with the intentionality of a surgeon slips into a quick splash. We get into each other’s space for convenience, forgetting social distancing. Visual standards, continuous small improvements, and consistent audits help keep us on track. That’s another reason why 5S matters now.

Delaying 5S initiatives now might backfire in the future.

There is a well-worn English phrase that says: “When times get tough, the tough get going.”

I bet one or two of us used this line with our teams over the last six months. As budgets are slashed, tensions rise. It’s tempting to forget that efficiency, risk mitigation, teamwork, and systematic improvement are the cornerstones of financial success. Without this, we waste money, time, and resources. Most importantly, we waste the goodwill of our people–as errors occur and fingers are pointed. 5S helps us to reduce the risk that the stresses of a difficult year will turn into significant errors, delays, and malfunctions.

We recommit to our 5S initiatives to reinforce our commitment to our teams and their safety. Another reason why 5S matters now.

Are we truly committed to the 6th ‘S’ – Safety?

I made my first visit to a pharmacy, in a post-COVID world, in the Spring. It was a common chain and few things were different about the experience. Sure, we were wearing masks, but I could still see that the cashier was smiling from the twinkle in her eyes.

Pleasantries were still spoken. The social distancing didn’t seem to change much, except when standing in line. That’s where I noticed the floor markings so familiar to me. Where many others might find these types of visual queues new, it made me smile with a familiar reminder about why I do what I do: 5S is ultimately about people.

In every warehouse, manufacturing facility, or humble gymnasium I’ve been inside, floor taping is used as a universally understood queue about where to go (or not) to stay safe. The lines on the floor at my local pharmacy do the same.

5S tactics ultimately help us come together–whether or at work or at the store–in safe and productive ways.

We want people to be safe at work. And safety is not only about social distancing during a pandemic or avoiding a tripping hazard. It’s also about job security, team cohesion and the comfort it gives us humans to know what the rules are. That’s why 5S matters now.

At the end of the day, 5S is a powerful indicator of how an organization’s culture is manifesting day-to-day.

We believe that sustaining your 5S program is more important now than ever. As every consultant and practitioner will tell you, your program is only as good as your communication and consistency. Sustaining is difficult not because we are lazy or inept. It is difficult because we are human. And humans want to feel seen, safe and served. If we’re doing those things well, we will not only have strong 5S initiatives. We will have strong cultures too. And, as every strong leader will tell you, our company’s culture will determine whether we get going or fizzle out in tough times like these. That’s why 5S matters now.

Visit The 5S Store at ComplianceSigns.com for all your 5S needs.

The post Why 5S Matters Now. Sustaining 5S Through Thick and Thin appeared first on SafeWork Insider.

The merger will improve internal efficiencies of both companies, and the combined inventory of 5S products and stock and custom safety signs and labels will result in a greater product selection for all customers.

Good for 5S and Lean Manufacturing

“By joining the ComplianceSigns, LLC organization, The 5S Store will be able to reach a much wider audience with its message about the 5S methodology,” said Lain Livingston, Director of E-Commerce at ComplianceSigns. David Visco, who founded The 5S Store with his wife Barbara, is an acknowledged 5S expert and author. Together they created The 5S store as a one-stop-shop for everything 5S, including products, expert advice and answers to 5S questions. The 5S Store will continue its legacy of providing guidance and answers about 5S products via an expanded customer service team.

Good for Customers of The 5S Store

Customers of the 5S Store will immediately notice a much wider selection of workplace safety and compliance signs and labels, including OSHA safety signs and labels, safety tags, ADA braille signs and other related safety products. That includes innovative Flap Tags and EVERCLEAR Flap Tags and the EZMake printing system developed by ComplianceSigns brand SafetyCal. These are in addition to an extensive collection of 5S tools and products.

Good for ComplianceSigns Customers

“We are very excited that ComplianceSigns customers will have easy access to the wide variety of 5S organizational products that customers of The 5S Store have enjoyed for years, including aisle and floor marking, color-coded tools and storage boards, visual management and much more,” said Livingston. “Adding 5S products to the ComplianceSigns store will introduce or promote the 5S concept to thousands of people every day. 5S workplace organization helps companies in any industry improve worker safety, productivity, quality and efficiency – and we’re proud to be part of promoting this methodology.”

To learn more about ComplianceSigns or to view the full product offering, including parking signs,  chemical, hazmat, and pipeline signs and labels and NFPA 704 Diamond Placards, visit www.compliancesigns.com.

About ComplianceSigns:
ComplianceSigns.com is among the nation’s leading suppliers of OSHA, NFPA and other safety and compliance signs and labels. The online store allows customers to easily search and shop more than 100,000 products. All signs and labels are manufactured in Florida and sold online. ComplianceSigns was designated as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. by “Inc. Magazine.” ComplianceSigns clients span a wide range of industries, including military and government agencies, industrial and chemical manufacturers, retailers, schools, physician offices and health care facilities, professional buildings, churches and more.

Resources:

Learn about 5S methodology

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