5S

a user’s guide to achieving sustainedorganization and a visual workplace

for more 5S tools, training, & supplies - visit us at www.creativesafetysupply.com

3rd Edition
creative©2013 Creative Safety Supply, LLC.
safetypublishing
Published by Creative Safety Publishing.

What is 5S?

?

If your company is like most organizations
today, you’re searching for a competitiveedge. Something that will reduce costs,
increase sales and make you more agile
in a changing business environment.
Well you’ve found it.

Simply put, 5S is a systematic approach to workplace organization.
But it’s also much more than that. 5S is about efficiency,
competitiveness and survival. It is a deceptively simple system thatcreates an organized and productive workplace.
But it’s not just about cleaning up and eliminating toolboxes. 5S
creates a workplace environment that can adapt and succeed inthese turbulent times. Chaos and unproductively are your enemies;organization and efficiency are your allies.

5S: A User’s Guide3

If implemented correctly and followed diligently, 5S will lead to:

Lower costs
Better quality
Improved safety
Increased productivity
Higher employee satisfaction
From the offices of upper management to the workstations in the factory,
the power of this system will quickly reveal itself in your bottom line.

5S is sometimes called thefive pillars because just likethe physical pillars that holdup a structure, 5S has fiveelements that support theeffectiveness of the system.
And just like the pillars ofa building, if one was toweaken or fail, the entire
structure would fall.

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The 5 steps of 5S
Originally developed by Hiroyuki Hirano for manufacturing companies
in Japan, the principles of 5S translate well to the laboratory, therepair facility, and even the corporate office. Almost any workplaceenvironment will benefit from the structure and efficiency that thismodel provides.

Sort

Eliminate all the things in the workspace that are
not being used and store them away.

Set In Order

Arrange the items used on a daily basis so thatthey can be easily accessed and quickly stored.

Shine

Everything is cleaned and functioning properly.

Standardize

Develop routines for organizing your work spaces
as well as visual cues to assist in the process.

Sustain

Create a culture that follows the steps of 5S on adaily basis.

5S: A User’s Guide5

page 4Sort
Sort is the process of removing all the items thatare not needed for current production from theworkspace.
The goal is to eliminate all of the unneeded tools and materials and tocreate a space that is free of clutter- this allows for a workflow free from
distraction.
If you do not use it on a daily basis – throw it out. Leave only thethings that you absolutely need to get you job done. This includes
tools, materials and machinery.

Sorting is the cornerstone of 5S.
It will get rid of problems like:
•
•
•
•

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Tools and materials impeding workflow
Wasted time looking for parts and tools
Stockpiling unnecessary and expensive inventory
Safety hazards resulting from clutter

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Identifying unneeded parts and tools is not always an easy task.
Employees and managers get so used to the chaos that they don’teven see it anymore. 5S has an effective tool that will help you withyour sort – it’s called the Red Tag Strategy.
The Red Tag Strategy is a great way toidentify all of the objects that need to be
removed from the workplace. When you
see something that you think may need tobe removed, you literally put a “red tag”
on it. This is a flag that lets everyone knowthat this item needs to be evaluated.
There are a few actions that can be taken
at this point:

Need Red Tags? See our selection online atwww.creativesafetysupply.com

1 Leave the item where it is 3 Dispose of the item
2 Relocate the item
4 Place in Red Tag Holding Area ** The Red Tag Holding Area is a central location where you can put items that you aren’t
fully sure about disposing yet. Perhaps you’re not sure of the quantity that you need at
the workstation. Or maybe you don’t know how often you need it, or if you need it at all.

When executing the Sort step, you must be vigilant
and ruthless. Doing this first step correctly will lay thegroundwork and ensure a successful implementationof the 5S model.
5S: A User’s Guide

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Set in Order
Set in Order is the process of putting everything ina place that is easy to get to and easy to put away.
Everything should be clearly marked so that anyone
could easily find its proper home.
You begin the Set in Order phase of 5S only when the Sort phase iscomplete. This phase will be useless if there is unnecessary clutter inthe workspace.

Anyone that has ever shared a workbench, a laboratory or an office space withother people knows that searching and losing items can be a big problem.
How many man-hours have been wasted looking for lost or misplaced tools?

The goal of Set in Order is to create a standardized and consistent
way to store and retrieve tools and materials. The key here isstandardization. The user must develop this system based on how
often the tools and materials are accessed, and the process by which
they are used.

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Some guidelines to consider:•

If items are used together, store them together.

•

Put the frequently used items closest to the user.

•

If possible, devise a let-go system in which tools are attached to a
retractable cord and automatically go back to stored position.

•

Place items so that the user’s twisting and bending is kept at aminimum when accessing them.

•

Arrange tools and materials in order of use.

The Set in Order step utilizes several different strategies toaccomplish its goals, including (but not limited to):Label & Sign
Strategy

Paint & Tape
Strategy

Tool Outline
Strategy

Uses labels andsigns to indicate
where workplace
items are to be
stored, which items
are to be stored
there, and exactly
how many items
belong there.

Used to clearlymark walkways
from working
areas. Separating
operational areasfrom walking areas
allows for a safer& smoother flow ofgoods in the facility.

Creates a visualhome for your tools.
Each tool has an
outline drawn of
the tool so that you
know exactly where
it goes, and so thatyou also know whena tool is missing.

5S: A User’s Guide

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Label & Sign Strategy
A key component to any organization program, labeling is the easiest
way to quickly & visually identify proper placement of items, tools, andequipment. This makes it easy for even people unfamiliar with yoursystem to locate items, and return them to the right place. It also helps
with sustaining organization processes, because once everything isproperly labeled, it’s easier for employees to keep 5S in focus on adaily basis.
In addition, larger signs, banners, or posters
can be used to boldly convey messages oforganization or safety, including remindersof the 5S process.
Together, these create a great backbone forany visual organization or safety program.

5S Steps Awareness Package
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Maintenance work area organized and labeled with the LabelTac 4 Industrial Labeling System. Find out more at www.labeltac.com

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Professional labelsfrom any PC.
Create durable, 100% custom labels in-house while saving up to 75% vsusing other labeling methods.
Safety|Lean & 5S|

Facility

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Pipe Marking|

Arc FlashPaint & Tape Strategy
Painted or taped lines are often associated with Safety (pedestrianpaths, forklift and equipment paths, etc) but they are also very usefulfor marking work areas, as well as locations for pallets, raw materials,
finished goods, shipping areas, hazardous areas and other static
locations.

Production floor utilizing floor tapes for marking paths and work areas

Industrial Floor Tapes such as
SafetyTac are often preferred
to painted lines as they
are more resistant to footand forklift traffic and don’t
require long dry times which
can cause costly downtimes.
They are also easier to clean
and require less upkeep.

OSHA/ANSI Floor Marking Color Code Chart
Yellow

White

Red

OrangeMost pathways, including:Aisleways, Traffic Lanes,
Work Cells

Production, Racks,
Machines, Carts, Benches, andother uncategorized equipment

Defects / Scraps / Red Tag

Material or Product Inspection
OR
Energized Equipment Warning

Blue

Black

Green

Gray/Purple/Brown

Materials & Manufacturing:
Raw Materials

Materials & Manufacturing:Works In ProgressMaterials & Manufacturing:
Finished Goods

Markings that do not fallunder other color standards

Black&Yellow

Red&White

Black&WhiteGreen&WhiteAreas presenting Physical or
Health Risks- Extra caution should
be exercised

Areas to be kept clear for safety(ex: Emergency Access Points,
Electrical Panels, etc.)

Areas to be kept clear for
operational purposes (non-safety
related)

Health Emergency areas such as
Eye Wash Stations and First Aid
Stations

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Safety made simple.
SafetyTac is the leading brand ofindustrial floor marking tapes forgood reason- It’s strong enoughto hold up to forklift traffic as wellas outlast paint and all other floor
tapes on the market.
• 4 Varieties• 10 Colors

Free Samples• Hazard Options• 2”-6” Widths

Contact us at 866-777-1360 for a free sample of SafetyTac tape

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Paint & Tape Strategy (continued)
Often times companies with 5S organization programs will use thinner
vinyl tapes (0.25” to 2” width) of different colors to mark workbenches
and work cells to create visual cues for employees, or to mark thelocations of tools or equipment that shouldn’t move. This helps keep
work areas clear of clutter and keeps these static items in their optimal
positions.
This work cell organization
system can be used for work
cells of any kind- in both office
and industrial settings. This will
improve workflow and result
in better productivity and time
management. Additionallymisplaced items and equipment
are easy to spot.
A typical office work cell utilizing colored vinyl tape and labels fororganization

Smart Stripe Tape is an ideal choice forwork cell taping and light floor marking. It
is available in 10 different OSHA-standard
colors and is very durable.
Unlike most vinyl tapes, it features aremovable backing, and won’t curl, stretch,or snag.
For more information about Smart Stripe Tapes,
visit us at www.creativesafetysupply.com

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Tool Outline Strategy
Tool outlining simply means that you create a visual outline of your tool
to be able to quickly return it to its proper home.
For pegboards and other hanging tool systems, this is done using
painted or vinyl cutouts of your tools, which are then placed behind thetools. Vinyl “tool outlines” are preferred since they are easier to apply
and require no maintenance. This method is called shadow boarding.
For tool drawers, you can use customizable foam to create a toolorganization system to not only see where the proper homes are foryour individual tools and see when they are missing, but also to help
protect your toolbox and tools from damage.

Tool Outline Vinyl fromwww.creativesafetysupply.com
Simply trace your tools on theback, cut out, and apply!

Custom Foam Tool Organizers available atwww.creativesafetysupply.com

In the first step you eliminated the chaos of theworkspace, and in this second step you’ve put inplace a logical system of organization. Now we moveto the third pillar of the 5S philosophy – Shine.
5S: A User’s Guide

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ShineShine literally means to remove all the dirt and thegrime and to keep it that way on daily basis. You
want to get it clean and keep it clean.
You eliminated clutter with Sort and you organized with Set in Order,
now it’s time sanitize with Shine.
When you implement this step, two things will happen. First, youremployees will love coming to work in such a clean and brightenvironment. And second, because you are keeping the equipment
and your surroundings in such great shape, you will have fewer injuries
and fewer equipment breakdowns.

And that means greater productivity and fewer costs.
With the 5S system, cleaning is everyone’s responsibility.
Although you may still use a janitorial staff to tackle the dailylarge-scale jobs, the detailed cleaning will be done by youremployees. You must train your staff to view dirt and chaos as an
intolerable situation. It must be a culture that is followed from theCEO down to the apprentice.

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Standardize your cleaning program for best results. Train youremployees how to do it correctly. Make sure that they know what
they are responsible for and give them the tools to do the job. Utilize
checklists and diagrams for consistency.

Cleaning is just the first part of Shine.
The daily Shine ritual should also include
inspection and routine maintenance.
As your employees are doing their dailycleaning routine, they should be inspecting
the tools and machinery for damage ordefects as well. Include it in the daily
checklist to make sure it gets done.

Employee inspecting welding equipment during
the daily shine process.

Periodic routine maintenance should also bedone at this time. Some examples would be
to check the oil level in the machinery, tighten
up belts, hoses, nuts and bolts, or to check if
tools need sharpening.

The goal for Shine is to keep everything in great working orderto ensure that it doesn’t break down and that it lasts for as longas possible.
Clean and properly maintained tools and machines also greatly
increase the safety level in the workplace. Less injuries and lessdown time equate to higher morale and higher productivity.
5S: A User’s Guide

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What if an employee sees a pool of oil that wasn’t there before, ornotices a safety hazard?
If it’s a quick fix, put a maintenance tag on it on notify your supervisor.
If it is something that needs further evaluation, there should be amaintenance log that you can fill out that will ensure further action.
And don’t forget your computers and other office equipment! They
are some of your most valuable and important items. Teach youremployees how to clean and maintain them properly. They need to be
defragmented (PC’s) and air-dusted periodically to keep them in prime
running order.

Everything is coming together. The groundwork has been set fora successful 5S implementation. Now we move on to the pillar
that will be the glue that keeps it all together: Standardize.

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Standardize
Standardize creates a system of tasks andprocedures that will ensure that the principles of 5S
are performed on a daily basis.
We all have our own way of doing things. This kind of individuality isgreat in our personal lives because it makes life much more interesting
and fun.
But non-conformity can be unproductive in the workplace. If youremployees started doing things their own way, then things will start toget missed and conditions will slowly start to deteriorate.

The Standardize pillar seeks to utilize a set of schedules and checklists
that can be easily followed so that each step is performed exactly thesame way every day.
This way, each employee knows what he needs to do, when he needs
to do it, and exactly how to do it.
There is no room for uncertainty.

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Standardize uses three steps to make sure that the 5S pillars
are getting done consistently and correctly:
Make sure that each employee knows his responsibilities.
If they don’t know exactly what is expected of them, then how can they do it?
They should have a clear understanding of their daily and weekly Sort, Set to Orderand Shine tasks. Their responsibilities should be clearly written out on a checklist or achart so that it can be easily accessed throughout the day.

Make it a part of their daily routine.
If you train your employees correctly, they will be executing the steps of 5S
without even thinking about it‘That wrench is out of place- its home is here.’ -or- ‘I know the next tool I need isthe screwdriver because my tools are stored in the order that I use them.’ No extra
thought is needed; they flow through their daily routine because they can see that it
makes sense.

Periodic evaluation.
Once the steps are in place, you can evaluate the performance at regular intervals.
You can either form a committee made up of employees of different departments, orassign it to department supervisors. Either way, you will need a system to ensure thattasks are consistently getting done.
** Check out our helpful downloadable 5S Audit Scorecard available at www.creativesafetysupply.com

Standardize is essential to the success of your 5S
implementation. If your staff has procedures to follow to complete
the steps, you will ensure long-term success and reap all of the
rewards of 5S.

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Sustain
Sustain is the final pillar of the 5S system and its
chief objective is to give your staff the commitment
and motivation to follow each step, day in and day out.
Once you start the 5S model in your place of business, you will see theimprovements very quickly. But the key to key to long term success is
simple – diligence.

Have you ever gone on a diet to lose a few pounds? In the
beginning, you really keep at it. You stay away from those Frenchfries, eat more fruits and veggies, and may even go for a jog acouple of days a week. You lose six pounds in two weeks.
But inevitably, you start to slip. You’re out with friends and you
indulge in dessert. Or you hit your favorite fried chicken joint. It’s
only this one time, you say. Before you know it, you’re back toyour old bad habits and have gained all of your weight back.
That’s just human nature. If there is nothing to keep you motivated,
you will start to cut corners and slip. The fifth pillar, Sustain, is
designed to keep your staff motivated and on track.

5S: A User’s Guide

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Here are some great techniques to keep your staff motivated:
Assign the time to do it.
Give your staff the time to do the steps correctly. For example, designate thefifteen minutes before lunch and shift end as Shine time. During this time, theirmain focus is cleaning and organizing according to their checklists.

Start from the top.
Your whole organization must be on board if 5S is going to work in the long run. If
your employees see that management is not following the steps, do you think thatthey will continue to do it?

Create a reward system.
Have friendly competitions between departments each month and reward thewinner. Buy them lunch, let them go early one day, or give them priority parking. It
doesn’t have to break the bank; you just want to show them your appreciation fora job well done.

Get everyone involved.
Form a committee made up of employees and supervisors of different
departments. Their job will be to oversee the implementation of 5S for a fixed
period, maybe six months. Then you can rotate in new members.

Let them see it.
Posters, banners and newsletters can be a constant reminder of the importance of
5S.

That’s it. With these five pillars you will see a remarkable change
in your workplace. But there is one more point we want to cover.

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The “6th S”: Safety
Traditionally there are only 5 pillars or steps in the 5S system, but many
companies and organizations opt for adding a sixth pillar: Safety. Thissystem is then usually referred to, naturally, as “6S”.
Safety plays such a critical role in any company, and goes hand inhand with proper organization, so it makes a lot of sense to highlight itat the same time as 5S. In fact, implementing the 5S model is a huge
first step in creating a safe environment for you and your staff.

What are some other things you can do?
•

Make sure that your employees have the correct equipment for
their job. Hardhats, coveralls, gloves and steel toe shoes are sometypical items required in the warehouse or manufacturing complex.

•

Train your staff to use the equipment correctly. Heavy equipment,
electronics, forklifts and power tools are all dangerous to those who
use them incorrectly.

•

Easy to understand labels, signs and space markings contribute a
great deal to creating a safe, visual workplace.

•

Train your staff on exactly what to do in an emergency. From theseemingly small incidents like cuts and bruises, to the larger ones
like injuries and fire, each employee should know what they need to
do or whom they need to notify.

5S: A User’s Guide

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Summary
5S is a system, a philosophy and a culture. The true power of 5S
reveals itself when your whole organization embraces its ideals andyour employees see that your business is transforming itself.
The 5S model for workplace efficiency and organization is both
powerful and simple. It has the potential to transform your company
into a safe and productive warehouse, manufacturing facility or office.
One of 5S’s most powerful aspects is that it’s a visual model. Eachtool has an outlined home and each pathway is marked with lines.
Vision is our dominant sense, and because 5S uses colors and lines
and labels to organize, following the steps becomes second naturevery easily.
Remove the clutter with Sort, organize with Set to Order, clean
with Shine, set your routine with Standardize and motivate with
Sustain.

It’s that easy.

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Here at Creative Safety Supply, we have helped thousands of companies of all sizes withmany aspects of their 5S & Safety program implementation. Our knowledgeable staff can help
you find solutions custom tailored to fit the individual needs of you and your company.

We offer a variety of useful tools including:
Red Tags & Tag Boards

Label Printers

for clutter removal and sortingfor organization and safety signage

Floor Tapes

Floor & Wall Signs

for floor and workspace marking

for communicating facility messages

Tool Outline Vinyl

Custom Foam Tool Kits

for shadow boarding tool walls

for tool drawer organization

5S Books and DVD’s

5S Banners & Posters

for learning more about 5S

for continual 5S step reminders

5S Audit Scorecards

5S Starter Kits

for periodic evaluations

for easy 5S implementation

We’re here to help.
1-866-777-1360

www.creativesafetysupply.com

5S: A User’s Guide

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