TIPS FOR 5S ON THE SHOP FLOOR

“Good factories develop beginning with the 5 S’s;

bad factories fall apart beginning with the 5 S’s.”
– Hirouki Hirano
Some of the things we’ve learned are as follows:
SORT: Keep nearby only those things we use every day; things used weekly are kept further away

 Materials and equipment for the next job are staged as needed and should be put away
when the job is complete
 Discard old labels so they aren’t accidentally used on next (wrong) job

STRAIGHTEN: A place for everything and everything in its place – no searching

 Arrange needed items so they are easy to use and label them so they are easy to find and
put away. Use the US Postal System as a guide – every piece of equipment is like a piece of
mail with an address for delivery; every home has a house number as well as street address
and zip code.
 Use tape (or paint if you’re really sure your layout won’t change) on the floor to mark
designated areas for aisle ways, auxiliary equipment, WIP, even trash

SHINE: Clean machines work better; a clean floor and work area is safer

 Also includes saving labor by finding ways to prevent dirt, dust and debris from piling up
 Everything doesn’t have to shine at the end of your first 5S event. A little cleaning every day
and weekly cleaning get the job done and form good habits

STANDARDIZE: The method used to sustain the first three Ss – the condition that results from
practicing the first three for some time

 Set color standards to be used throughout the plant

 Set clear expectations for cleanliness and orderliness

SUSTAIN:Make a habit of maintaining correct procedures – this is the most challenging “S”

 Set aside time for 5S. Ten minutes at the end of the shift plus a half hour every week should
be adequate.
 Daily 5S audits in each area by the lead people
 Management audits – the higher the management level, the better. This is what lets people
know that this is an important part of their jobs.
 5S scoreboard: allows you to take pride in keeping a clean work area

Some of the benefits are as follows:

 A clean shop is a safe shop – less tripping and slipping

 An organized shop saves time searching for things we need; also we’re less likely to make
mistakes that could lead to quality issues
 Things out of place become obvious, so it’s easier to identify them and fix the situation
 Equipment leaks are easier to spot, report and repair
 Feels good – people like working in a clean, organized environment
 Sets expectations and gives feedback that they are being met
 Less frustration over searching for tools and supplies
 Helps us deliver good products on time
 Gives the right impression to customers and other visitors that we care about them and
about what we do
 Helps create a culture of discipline – critical for execution excellence

The biggest benefit of all is the mindset and discipline 5S helps create. This mindset helps in many
ways. For example, since our last 5S event that raised the bar, we’ve had the longest streak in the
history of the company without an injury resulting in lost time. The discipline to keep things
organized, uncluttered, and clean provides improved results in teamwork, throughput, efficiency,
utilization, quality and safety. So if you hear “we don’t have time” for 5S, ask why we have time to
get frustrated searching for things and time for days lost due to injuries but not time to prevent
these things.

TPM (Total Productive Maintenance)

TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) is a holistic approach to equipment maintenance that strives
to achieve perfect production:
No Breakdowns
No Small Stops or Slow Running
No Defects
In addition it values a safe working environment:
No Accidents
The Eight Pillars of TPM
The traditional approach to TPM was developed in the 1960s and consists of 5S as a foundation and
eight supporting activities (sometimes referred to as pillars).
The eight pillars of TPM are mostly focused on proactive and preventative techniques for
improving equipment reliability.
Pillar What Is It? How Does It Help?

Pillar What Is It? How Does It Help?

Autonomous Places responsibility for routine
Maintenance maintenance, such as cleaning,
lubricating, and inspection, in the
hands of operators.
 Gives operators greater
“ownership” of their equipment.
 Increases operators’ knowledge
of their equipment.
 Ensures equipment is well-
cleaned and lubricated.
 Identifies emergent issues before
they become failures.
 Frees maintenance personnel for
higher-level tasks.

Planned Schedules maintenance tasks  Significantly reduces instances of

Maintenance based on predicted and/or
measured failure rates.
unplanned stop time.
 Enables most maintenance to be
planned for times when
equipment is not scheduled for
production.
 Reduces inventory through
better control of wear-prone and
failure-prone parts.

Quality Design error detection and  Specifically targets quality issues

Maintenance prevention into production with improvement projects
processes. Apply Root Cause focused on removing root
 Analysis to eliminate recurring
sources of quality defects.
Focused Have small groups of employees
Improvement work together proactively to
achieve regular, incremental
improvements in equipment
operation.
Early Equipment Directs practical knowledge and
Management understanding of manufacturing
equipment gained through TPM
towards improving the design of
new equipment.
Training and Fill in knowledge gaps necessary
Education to achieve TPM goals. Applies to
operators, maintenance personnel
and managers.
Safety, Health, Maintain a safe and healthy
Environment working environment.
sources of defects.
 Reduces number of defects.
 Reduces cost by catching defects
early (it is expensive and
unreliable to find defects
through inspection).
 Recurring problems are identified
and resolved by cross-functional
teams.
 Combines the collective talents
of a company to create an engine
for continuous improvement.
 New equipment reaches planned
performance levels much faster
due to fewer startup issues.
 Maintenance is simpler and more
robust due to practical review
and employee involvement prior
to installation.
 Operators develop skills to
routinely maintain equipment
and identify emerging problems.
 Maintenance personnel learn
techniques for proactive and
preventative maintenance.
 Managers are trained on TPM
principles as well as on employee
coaching and development.
 Eliminates potential health and
safety risks, resulting in a safer
workplace.
 Specifically targets the goal of an
accident-free workplace.
TPM in Apply TPM techniques to  Extends TPM benefits beyond
Administration administrative functions. the plant floor by addressing
waste in administrative
functions.
 Supports production through
improved administrative
operations (e.g. order
processing, procurement, and
scheduling).