The "5S" Philosophy
Essential in the Lean Manufacturing Structure

Seiri	Seiton	Seiso	Seiketsu	Shitsuke

The 5S Philosophy focuses on effective work place organisation and standardised work procedures. 5S simplifies your work environment, reduces waste and non-value activity while improving quality efficiency and safety.

Sort – (Seiri) focuses on eliminating unnecessary items from the workplace. An effective visual method to identify these unneeded items is called red tagging. A red tag is placed on all items not required to complete your job. These items are then moved to a central holding area.

Set In Order/ Simplify: (Seiton) is the second of the 5Ss and focuses on efficient and effective storage methods.

Shine / Sweeping: (Seiso) Once you have eliminated the clutter that has been clogging your work areas and identified and located the necessary items, the next step is to thoroughly clean the area. Daily follow-up cleaning is necessary to sustain this improvement. Workers take pride in a clean work area and the Shine step will help create ownership in the equipment and facility.

Standardise: (Seiketsu) Once the first three 5S’s have been implemented, you should concentrate on standardising best practice in your work area. Allow your employees to participate in the development of such standards. They are a valuable but often overlooked source of information regarding their work.

Sustain / Self Discipline: (Shitsuke) This is by far the most difficult S to implement and achieve. Human nature is to resist change and more than a few organisations have found themselves with a dirty cluttered shop soon after their attempt to implement this. Sustain focuses on defining a new status quo.