8

Environmental Improvements and the 5S Methodology

The third area that will be analyzed in this book is the work environment and how it can be improved. In the last decade, the number of implementation projects based on a methodology known as the 5S methodology has increased significantly. The name of this methodology corresponds to the initial letters of five Japanese words (also five English words) that are based on sort, organize, and clean.

However, the main objective of the 5S tool is to educate workers and encourage an attitude that supports worker habits. These habits will allow workers to maintain the work environment in an orderly (sorted, organized, and clean) manner with little effort. The ideas used in this methodology are simple, and most of them are based on common sense. However, in most companies, these procedures of organization and cleaning are not adhered to as well as they should be.

A CLEAN AND ORGANIZED WORKSPACE

Before getting started on production improvements, it is necessary to have a clean and organized workspace. Hiroyuki Hirano developed a methodology that leads to “working with essential elements,” as well as to an organized and clean workspace (Fig. 8.1).

The 5S methodology has brought a new awareness of, as well as a respect for, organization and cleaning into the company environment. This attitude is not based on posters or stereotyped slogans hung on factory walls. The 5S methodology is based on inculcating, through 5S tools, good habits that will ease future implementation of improvement tools.

Figure 8.1. The 5S methodology allows one to avoid the situation on the left and maintain the one on the right.

For this reason, in the just-in-time (JIT) philosophy, the 5S tool occupies the first place in the diagram (Fig. 8.2). The 20 keys methodology also separates this key from the rest and locates it outside the circle (key number 1).

The 5S methodology is identified with five Japanese words:

• First pillar: sort (seiri). When applying this pillar, elements that are necessary and those that are not should be differentiated.
• Second pillar: set in order (seiton). The objective of this pillar is to be able to organize the necessary elements so that anyone can find them, use them, and return them to the same place after their use.

  

  Figure 8.2. Location of the 5S methodology in just-in-time and 20 keys diagrams.

• Third pillar: shine (seiso). This pillar focuses on the necessary tasks to clean the working area.
• Fourth pillar: standardized or visual control (seiketsu). This pillar keeps active the three previously listed pillars. After the effort that these three pillars supposes, one cannot let the work already done go to waste. In addition, detecting anomalies in the process becomes easier.
• Fifth pillar: sustain (shitsuke). These new working procedures need to be enforced until they become habit.

5S IMPLEMENTATION METHODOLOGY

Getting Started

Before starting with a 5S implementation, there is an initial step that is basic to success of this methodology. This initial step consists of convincing management that even though at first the 5S methodology presupposes taking time away from production to implement and that new tasks (shine and sustain) will remain forever, in the long run this methodology will increase productivity. It is also necessary to

1. Prepare didactic material.—to explain to all the workers the importance of the 5S methodology and the basic knowledge that all of them should have about this methodology.
2. Choose a pilot area.—where spectacular results can be achieved in a short period of time or where workers are more motivated with the project. This area should not be very big. The objective of the pilot experience is to create and spread out expectations into other areas. If it is possible, avoid choosing an office as the pilot area because it is difficult to extrapolate the achieved results to the production area.
3. Design a working plan. There are some questions that should be answered before starting with the basic formation: When will the team work? Who will be on the team? Will the work be remunerated? Will this project change the incentive system?
4. Prepare the training plan and complete the methodology for the working team. The 5S methodology proposes for each S the following plan of action: (1) Train workers on each S, (2) put it into practice, and finally (3), share the experience. In addition, the working team should have a panel, a digital camera, and other small but important devices such as portfolios, pens, etc.

Once the results of implementation of the 5S methodology in the pilot area are known, the methodology can be extended to other areas, where members of the first working group typically become facilitators for the new groups.

It is not unusual for some improvements that were implemented in the pilot area to solve problems in other areas. If this is the case, and especially if the implementation will take time, it is convenient to carry out those small improvements in these “other areas” to avoid stress among the workers.

However, the same situation can have a negative effect because in these areas workers have not been trained or traveled the road to discover the need for the 5S methodology and also because the 5S team can feel underappreciated.

Training programs concerning the reasoning behind and the scope of the 5S implementation are considered a basic step. Nevertheless, it is very important to count on the support of management. Without this support, the 5S implementation will fail because in some cases it will be necessary to impose certain procedures, and only a person with higher authority will be able to impose them.

Finally, it is important not to set very demanding goals in a 5S project. If the intention is to develop many improvements, and some of them fail, the whole project can be seen as a failure. For example, the 5S methodology may intend to improve worker results or methods. However, this represents a process improvement and should be viewed as an independent project. As a result, it should be separated from the 5S implementation process. That is to say, it should not appear in the 5S panel or be discussed in the meetings.

Common Steps in the Five Pillars

The 5S plan cannot be based on intuition or implemented in pieces. A simple methodology that has been successful in many companies is described by 5S author Hiroyuki Hirano. In addition, the 5S methodology can be studied in specialized books, and all of them recommend the same steps before implementation of this methodology. In Europe, there is also an extended 5S methodology that was developed by Bekaert Consulting.

In both approaches, the methodology is carried out in a systematic way. The procedure to follow for each approach is as follows:

• The team is formed.
• The tools of each pillar are used (these tools are explained at the end of this chapter).
• Some indicators that allow verification of the state of the implementation are established.

First Pillar: Sort

In any company, numerous disorganization symptoms can be found:

• Obsolete or retired equipment that is frequently placed in low-traffic areas near walls. The equipment remains there for a long time, and if it does not interfere with normal plant operations, it never get stored or disposed of. Another disorganization symptom is the lack of a specific area for work-in-process (WIP).
• In some companies, workers have to move around machines, objects, and parts in order to go from one area to another. The problem becomes more serious if the workers are manipulating parts with forklifts.
• Another cause of disorganization is the accumulation of obsolete pieces from machines that are no longer used or products that are no longer manufactured.

People usually place a high sentimental value on familiar objects: tools, machines, documents, etc. As a consequence, workers cannot decide which objects are necessary and which are not. The usefulness for almost all the objects can be found easily.

The message that the first pillar tries to get across is very strong: It is necessary to get rid of all the unnecessary objects! In order to achieve this goal, objects can be grouped into three categories:

• Those that are used frequently.
• Those that probably will be used.
• Those that never will be used.

Elements belonging to one of the last two categories should be taken out of the work area. Temporarily, those from the group of elements that “probably will be used” can be stored in a special area that should be prepared, to avoid throwing them out.

Second Pillar: Set in Order

The second pillar for 5S implementation requires that the first pillar be completed because it does not make any sense to set in order unnecessary objects. The main goal of the second pillar is to cut the time required for (or completely eliminate) material searches as well as to facilitate the movement of objects through the factory. Some of the most common wastes are an inability to find a tool, to have a drawer with mixed and unordered components, to have unnecessary doors that open and potentially endanger somebody that is near, etc.

Hiroyuki proposes not only to organize but also to take advantage of these improvements in order to facilitate manufacturing processes (Fig. 8.3).

In order to carry out these improvements, methods and time-study tools, already studied in previous chapters, can be applied. However, this process can suppose, in some cases, an important investment of time to achieve the improvement objectives. Therefore, it is recommended that at first you only carry out those actions that are urgently needed and then assign the needs discovered to other independent projects.

Third Pillar: Shine

This pillar attempts to implement factory cleanliness. It simply states, “Get rid of dust, grease, filings, or oil from the working places.” In other words, maintain the factory clean and swept at all times.

In a factory, as in a house, when cleaning is not practiced routinely, the windows are dirty and less light gets in, the corridors seem darker, and there exists a risk of injury because of such conditions. The lack of cleaning supposes risks (Fig. 8.4). For example, oil on the floor produces a slick surface, a nail can pierce shoes, etc.

Figure 8.3. Organization sometimes implies task improvement.

Finally, the lack of cleaning also can facilitate equipment breakdowns. For example, dirt can hide the oil-level indicator, which could lead to machine failure and reduce its lifetime.

The Labor Risks Prevention Law is a mandatory law for companies. It has begun to make companies more aware of the importance of maintaining a clean workplace.

Owing to the effort required for cleaning, many companies now outsource these services to specialized cleaning companies. Such companies usually take care of general cleaning, but in most cases they do not clean machines and tools (very important cleaning areas).

Regardless of the cleaning method selected, it cannot be limited to “spring cleaning.” It should be a constant attitude and, if possible, a daily task. That is, cleaning should become a habit.

Once a cleaning method is implemented, inspection elements also can be added to it or, more appropriately, carried out simultaneously. At this point, the company is able to implement some autonomous maintenance procedures.

It is important to keep in mind that the starting point for this improvement was the 5S implementation, not a maintenance project. Therefore, it is recommended that these maintenance inspection elements not be included in a 5S project, and a separate maintenance project should be conducted. This point shows, once again, the close relationship between 5S and other improvement activities.

Fourth Pillar: Standardize

The fourth pillar does not pursue a concrete objective like the three previous pillars do. The standardize pillar is achieved when the three previous pillars are implemented and running routinely (Fig. 8.5), basically making these activities easier for workers to maintain (reinforcing the habit). There are some tools that make standardization of the sort process, order, and cleaning operations easier to transform into habits.

Figure 8.4. The lack of cleaning can result in a risk of sliding.

The standardize pillar adds the word preventive to each one of the three pillars so that now the objective is to avoid the need to repeat the initial effort of each pillar. For example, if workers step on oil, then everywhere they go will become a mess. As a result, it is necessary to clean regularly. Preventive cleaning looks to eliminate the source (the oil source in this case) of the problem. However, the proper approach would be to start an equipment maintenance study that potentially would eliminate the oil source by means of a corrective or preventive maintenance task.

Figure 8.5. Visual control allows us to detect anomalies with just a quick look.

To achieve the fourth pillar goal, which involves transforming the preceding three pillars into habit, it is necessary to assign responsibility to the workers. In other words, it is necessary to integrate some cleaning and ordering tasks in the worker's regular work (daily routine) and, if necessary, to watch over their execution by means of 5S audits.

It is usually possible to detect anomalies in a visual way, and the action to correct the anomalies should be immediate (what is known as the “5 minutes of 5S”). For this reason, this pillar is also known as visual control (Fig. 8.5).

Fifth Pillar: Sustain

In many aspects of our daily life, discipline helps us to achieve our objectives. If we decide to lose weight via a diet, we start with great enthusiasm, but then we will lose motivation as time goes by. Therefore, discipline is important to achieve any goal (Fig. 8.6). In order to maintain motivation, it can be useful to know beforehand the benefits that will come from the assigned tasks.

In a company without discipline, the working space can become eroded in a heartbeat, and unnecessary objects will accumulate again. We recommend that it is made very clear from the beginning of 5S implementation that if discipline does not exists, these goals will never be achieved.

An important point to make is that if the workplace returns to its initial state of “disorganization” after implementation of the 5S methodology, it will be more difficult to implement 5S again. It should be done properly right from the start.

Figure 8.6. Knowing the benefits allows us to maintain our motivation.

We impose discipline at the beginning of 5S implementation with the hope that later on, the 5S approach will turn into habit. Few people have the authority to impose tasks on workers in a company (company mangers and section heads). It is also important to count on the support of workers who lead worker groups (shift leaders or other similarly titled people). Therefore, discipline is the pillar that sustains the four previous pillars because it leads to good work habits in the workforce.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 5S METHODOLOGY IN OFFICES

Many corporate offices are more disorganized than the production plants of our preceding discussion. Although the 5S methodology describes numerous improvement examples in the production environment, it is not limited to the shop floor. We should not forget other higher-expense areas of the company, such as offices, warehouses, common areas, etc. Table drawers accumulate useless objects, especially in the middle drawer! The same scenario happens with closets and paper piles. In implementing the “organize” pillar, we recommend avoiding generic words such as others, several, and similar words. They can be confusing and meaningless to a third party.

The last point to consider in offices is office supplies. There should be a procedure to restock office supplies. In some companies, printing supplies such as ink and paper are stored in such a way that after a certain level is reached, an order goes out to the supplier (for a specific reorder level). Supplies typically are low-value items that seldom become obsolete, so we recommend not going to extremes in setting up a system.

Applying 5S to Computers

The human brain carries out a technique called self-erasing—forgetting those things that they are not used frequently. Using this technique on the computers in each office could lead to significant improvements (Fig. 8.7).

In order to be efficient at work, it is vital to maintain computers in an organized and clean (lean) manner. The fear of loosing information should not stop workers from updating and cleaning their computers and other information system equipment.

Figure 8.7. Computers are office machines that also need 5S implementation.

Folder trees can be designed so that information can be organized in a standard way. Information then can be “backed up” only for data files rather than the entire computer memory. The same recommendation can be applied to the e-mail inbox.

5S TOOLS

Red-Tagging Strategy

This is a simple and visual method to separate necessary elements from unnecessary ones, and it is also used in the first pillar (sort). This technique consists of assigning a red card to elements that are not used or whose use is unlikely.

There are many reasons to use red (Fig. 8.8). It is a bright color; it is the color that is used in traffic lights to indicate a stop; and in Japanese, the word red is used to denote “dirty” (although in Russian it means “beautiful”). The reason for placing red cards, instead of removing the elements directly, is that it allows a picture to be taken that will be placed in the panel in order to illustrate the evolution of the workspace (before and after).

Figure 8.8. The red color is used in wrong situations.

When carrying out the red card campaign, it is not necessary to be embarrassed if the entire plant becomes red. It is recommended to put red cards on elements that will not be used in the next month, although at first red cards will be placed only on elements that are completely unnecessary.

Red cards should never be placed on people's tables. In a manufacturing company, red cards should be placed on equipment and on obsolete inventory.

If somebody asks a worker if an object is necessary, the answer always will be affirmative. Therefore, when in doubt, it is recommended to place a red card on the object.

Using a second color, yellow, for example, for a card that implies “may be useful” should be avoided. In a company where this methodology was used, the 5S team opted to place yellow cards for “may be useful” objects, and no red cards were placed. Therefore, only red cards are allowed.

Sign Strategy

In cities, on highways, in clothing stores, and virtually everywhere in our daily life, signs that facilitate our ability to locate a place or an object can be found easily. A simple example is the sign for a men's or women's restroom. However, in factories, posters and signs are considered decorative elements. It sometimes seems that they do not add any value to the plant, and they only generate wasted time that could be dedicated to other productive tasks. The signs strategy is used in the second pillar (set in order).

Signs can be placed on machines (Fig. 8.9), as well as in various areas of the plant, but the most important are those that make reference to stock and tools because they facilitate the searching tasks.

Using posters and signs has many advantages. One of the most important advantages is for new hires to the company so that they can easily find their way around and learn what each factory section does while learning the language of the other production workers. It is recommended that signs be placed and displayed in factories in a similar way to how they are placed in cities. In some warehouses, this methodology is applied to the layout and labeling of the aisles (streets), where the even numbers correspond to one side of the plant and the odd numbers correspond to the other side (Fig. 8.10).

Figure 8.9. Signs facilitate production processes.

The element sign makes it easy to see if an element is placed correctly. For example, in a private parking area, it is hard to ensure that vehicles are located correctly if the parking identifier does not correspond with some characteristic of the car. For example, the registration number (license plate) should coincide with number of the car's slot (Fig. 8.11). Products and raw material do not have registration numbers, but they can be coded (Fig. 8.12).

Besides product codification, certain other codes, such as product quantity signs, can ease inventory management. Product quantity signs help workers to manage inventory levels in a visual way because the minimum and maximum quantities of each articles can be preassigned. In order to implement product quantity signs, a study of the warehouse may be needed. The 5S tools do not provide any methodology to carry out this type of study. Therefore, it is convenient to carry out this procedure only looking for volume capacities and, if needed, carry out a more exhaustive warehouse study later.

Figure 8.10. Warehouse signs can be similar to those used for streets.

Figure 8.11. The sign in the left figure does not ensure that the correct car is parked in the slot.

Painting Strategy

The painting strategy focuses primarily on floors and walls. Its main goal is, in the first place, to separate walking areas from working areas. It is also a tool used in the second pillar (set in order).

Thanks to the painting strategy, materials handling becomes easier because the working areas are delimited. Also, areas where workers should not enter are clearly identified.

It is strongly recommended that when painting the plant along with the corridors and corners, the painting design should be as straight as possible. Avoiding corners and twisted shapes like those on the right side of Fig. 8.13. Moreover, when painting the plant, bright colors should be used for the lines (yellow, orange, or white). Green and blue should be used for working areas.

Areas where doors open also should be painted so that fork trucks are not parked within them, thereby preventing their use or potentially causing accidents. Areas designated for work-in-process again should be painted. It is recommended to paint only the corners of these areas; otherwise, the factory floor can end up looking like a sports center. Lastly, areas of high risk should be identified with tiger marks (yellow and black), e.g., a hose across a corridor or the action area of a robot.

Figure 8.12. Product codification facilitates product arrangement.

Figure 8.13. Factory painting should be as straightforward as possible.

The ordering of templates and tools was analyzed in detail when the SMED methodology was studied. It quite possible that it is not necessary to implement the SMED system for all equipment, but rather to implement the 5S methodology for simple systems. In this case, the recommended strategies are the silhouette method or color coding (Fig. 8.14). In a SMED implementation, the 5S methodology offers uniformity in the corridors and shelving coding for all company areas.

Preventive Order

The preventive order has the principal objective of avoiding a return to the disordered scenario. Preventive ordering looks for challenging tasks that might easily fall back into disorder. For example, in the case of hand tools, three techniques that prevent chaos are

Figure 8.14. Color coding facilitates tools ordering.

• Suspension. Tools are suspended from above with a pulley and a spring. This technique is used frequently for pneumatic tools, where the weight of the tool also can be offset.
• Incorporation. Some gauges or rules can be glued to the machine to facilitate the adjustment of some measures, with target marks specifically identified.
• Use elimination. Many times combining tool functions or eliminating tools by using a standard size nut or bolt can be achieved with minimal investment. It also may be possible to change the fixing device (snap versus a screw).

Preventive Shine

The objective of preventive shine is to anticipate sources of dirt or foreign matter before they occur. That is to say, the objective is to avoid the need for cleaning (Fig. 8.15).

It is necessary to develop an in-house awareness of use of safety devices such as guards. They are required by the Labor Risks Prevention Law (Europe) and the Occupation Health and Safety Administration (USA).

Promotional Tools

In Japan, the team responsible for implementation of the 5S methodology has a clear vision from the very beginning of the need for discipline and the importance of transforming the new working procedures into habit. In order to promote this idea, the team uses some promotional tools in the project that have the goal of motivating factory staff.

Figure 8.15. The machine tray allows one to avoid cleaning the machine's surrounding area.

The main promotional tool is the enthusiastic way in which the team carries out the 5S implementation project (Fig. 8.16). This reduces the disruption that implementing the process may bring to shop floor workers.

There are a great number of promotional tools. Some of them are listed below:

• Slogans. In Japan, posters are used in the 5S implementation. These posters contain short sayings (called haiku). For example, “Even factories feel good taking a bath.”
• 5S news bulletins. Reports that are published in a very simple way but that present ideas, improvements, and pictures also can be effective.
• Pictures panels. The placement of a panel with pictures of the workspace evolution reflecting the steps that have been taken can be highly motivating for the workers.
• 5S competition. The Japanese carry out competitions among different sections over a two- or three-month period every year. During these months, called 5S months, seminars about the importance of 5S are given.
• Emblems and buttons. Buttons or patches are prizes that are granted to workers from the sections with the most points or those that receive a specific level that the 5S auditors compute.
• Pocket manuals. The publication of small manuals that illustrate ideas to implement the 5S methodology in the workspace is very useful. These pocket manuals are distributed to all workers and help to diffuse resistance to improvements among different departments.

Figure 8.16. Enthusiasm is the main promotional tool.

5S BENEFITS AND EFFECTS

The benefits obtained when applying and maintaining the 5S methodology go beyond just improving the workspace environment. It is possible to relate the 5S implementation to other improvement tools, as will be shown next.

The 5S methodology, independent of SMED implementation, can improve tool and die location in a warehouse and, as a result, can indirectly decrease equipment setup times. This can increase the variety of products that can be produced economically and, therefore, equipment flexibility.

Thanks to the 5S methodology, the probability of assembly errors (wrong parts) is decreased by having coded stock cases with well-identified parts. In the case of automatic equipment, performance normally is more efficient when the equipment is clean. Thanks to the 5S methodology, product quality is higher.

A large portion of the equipment waste (idle time) is related to component and part searches, which are eliminated thanks to 5S. Therefore, idle time and cost decrease, as well as the cost of the product.

Clean and well-delimited floor spaces avoid the risk of sliding or falling. Properly organized warehouses avoid clutter and its associated risks. The Labor Risks Prevention Law forces management to carry out many of the activities already conducted in the 5S methodology.

Cleaning can increase equipment availability by reducing the time required to carry out maintenance tasks. Therefore, 5S implementation has proven to have a significant impact on other areas in the company. SmEd, TPM, quality, labor risk prevention—almost all these tools are made easier thanks to 5S. One should not make the mistake of thinking that the 5S methodology solves all these problems because it is not true. The habits resulting from 5S implementation will ease the future implementation of other improvement tools.

Habit is the main 5S benefit, and it allows us to understand why, in the just-in-time and 20 keys philosophies, 5S implementation is one of the first and higher-priority points. Some companies are aware of the difficulty of achieving the benefits that the 5S habits provide. Therefore, it might be a good idea to get started with the 3S strategies (organization, order, and cleaning) first. Another advantage of the 5S methodology is that it is possible to put it into practice very quickly (Fig. 8.17). It is possible to achieve order and good cleaning habits before beginning any production in a company.

The 5S implementation program has a deeply personal reward. The main personal reward of 5S implementation is to work in a pleasant place. It is said that in a third-class workspace, people leave garbage, and nobody stops to pick it up; in a second-class workspace, people leave garbage, but somebody stops to pick it up; finally, in first-class workspace, nobody leaves garbage, and, everybody is willing to pick it up.

Figure 8.17. 5S at home is the best practice area.

SUMMARY

This chapter, focused on one of the extended tools of the lean manufacturing philosophy, gathers together some common actions explained in previous chapters. Nevertheless, the 5S methodology has an objective that cannot be reached by means of any other improvement methodologies: Educate and maintain an attitude in order to support workers' habits. The 5S methodology builds a culture in the company that eases the implementation of the rest of the improvement methodologies and techniques.

RECOMMENDED READINGS

Hiroyuki Hirano, 5S for Operators: 5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace. Portland, OR: Productivity Press, 1996.

Hiroyuki Hirano and Bruce Talbot, 5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace: The Sourcebook for 5S Implementation. New York, NY: Productivity Press, 1995.