5s method: definition and advantages

The 5S method makes it possible to create a functional and productive work environment to improve the working conditions and safety of employees, and the profitability of a company. It is part of a continuous improvement process that can be extended by the adoption of an easy-to-use CMMS solution.

What is the 5s method?

The 5S method is an organizational system that aims to rid the work environment of everything that clutters it and to keep it clean and orderly, in order to promote quality and just-in-time.

Why “5S”?

The 5s method consists of 5 steps. Each one is named after a Japanese word beginning with the letter S, hence the term “5s.”

What are 5S?

The 5s are: Seiri (), Seiton (), Seiso (), Seiketsu (), Shitsuke ().

Seiri (Eliminate)

The first S, Seiri, means to eliminate and involves getting rid of everything that is useless. It is therefore necessary to Do the sorting between what to keep, for its real use, and what to throw away, because it is superfluous in practice.

Seiton (Ranger)

The second S, Seiton, means tidy up and encourages position each object used in the work at a specific and identified location so that you can find it easily and quickly when you need it. In addition, it is recommended to choose a placement based on the frequency of use of each object.

Seiso (Clean)

The third S, Seiso, means to clean. He recommends not only keeping workspaces clean, but also maintaining tools and machines. So it's a first step towards self-maintenance, because cleaning is often an opportunity to detect premature wear or anomalies.

Seiketsu (Standardize)

The fourth S, Seiketsu, means to standardize. It encourages the establishment of common rules aimed at keeping the workplace clean and free of unnecessary objects.

Shitsuke (Respect)

The fifth and final 2, Shitsuke, means respect. It's about respect the established rules within the framework of the 5S method and to encourage all staff to adhere to it. The end goal is for this method to become a habit.

To do this, it is useful to regularly carry out 5S audits to ensure that the rules are respected and that the method is bearing fruit.

Download a 5S audit checklist

What are the advantages of the 5S method?

The 5S method has a number of advantages:

• It makes it possible to improve the productivity ;
• It improves the security of employees and reduces the frequency of accidents at work;
• It makes it possible to increase the quality products;
• it reduces the loss of equipment and therefore costs ;
• It improves the work environment and limits travel;
• It allows you to engage a continuous improvement process and promotes the trust of all stakeholders.

How to extend the 5S approach?

More than a simple organizational technique, the 5S approach is a participatory management method that allows empowering staff in the continuous improvement of working and production conditions. The 5S method is a prerequisite because it makes it possible to set up the logic of a continuous improvement process but it is not the result.

To go further in this approach, various tools are available to businesses. For example, in terms of maintenance, the adoption of a Intuitive and therefore easy to use CMMS by all personnel encourages their participation in the implementation of preventive maintenance that limits the number and duration of production shutdowns.