Kaizen introduces the concept of ‘events’ being the process by which
carry out something. Again, we shall discuss briefly some pointers for
developing a 5S’s event.
1. Decide upon 5S teams for different section of your business, ensuring
that all supervisors and managers full understand the logic.
2. Over a period of a few months get all the individuals trained up in the
5S’s logic. This could be through the supervisors and managers.
3. Ensure your workforce is given suitable literature and that 5S’s
control boards are placed within the workplace.
4. Obviously the logic applied to an office environment as opposed to a
shopfloor environment will vary.
5. In a office environment you would look for a standard desk policy for
all staff; differention between personal/business files; clean understandable
noticeboards; clean drinks making areas; clean computers/telephones/fax
machines; signs for fire exits/first aiders.
6. In a shopfloor environment you would look for clearly safe working
environments; all dangerous substances under lock & key; all tooling
safely stores; clean noticeboards; clean eating areas; machines utilizing
correct safety guards; all WIP safely transported, etc.
7. In addition to this the business needs to make employees aware of health
and safety, environmental and quality procedures and apply them to the 5S’s
event.
8. There is no clear cut definition of how to organise a 5S’s event, the
most simplistic manner would be to firstly ensure that other areas of the
business are not doing the event at the same time as your department.
9. Let the teams be led by area managers or supervisors to ensure order.
10. The best way to look at individual working areas is to get different
employees looking at different peoples work spaces.
11. Simply apply the 5S’s to individual work spaces.
12. Carry out the 5S’s as most suitable to your business and ensure the
process is reviewed and maintained. It will be a lengthy process at first but
should become more and more reduced as all areas for improvements will become
fewer.