Overview

5S is the name of a workplace organization method that uses a list of five Japanese words: seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, and shitsuke. 5S was developed in Japan and was identified as one of the techniques that enabled Just in Time manufacturing. 5S is now being applied to a wide variety of industries. It has expanded from manufacturing to health care, education, government, and many other industries. Although the origins of the 5S methodology are in manufacturing, it can also be applied to knowledge-economy work, with information, software, or media in the place of physical product. There are five 5S phases: They can be translated from the Japanese as "sort", "straighten", "shine", "standardize", and "sustain". Other translations are possible.

Seiri (sort) – Eliminate all the things in the workspace that are not being used and store them away.

Seiton (Systematic Arrangement) – Arrange the items used on a daily basis so that they can be easily accessed and quickly stored. Seiso (Shine) – Everything is cleaned and functioning properly.

Seiketsu (Standardize) – Develop a routine for sorting, setting and shining.

Shitsuke (Sustain) – Create a culture that follows the steps on a daily basis.

Additional Ss

Other phases are sometimes included e.g. safety, security, and satisfaction. These however do not form a traditional set of "phases" as the additions of these extra steps are simply to clarify the benefits of 5S and not a different or more inclusive methodology.

Who can it benefit?

Organization of all types and sizes can benefit from energy and cost efficiencies through the implementation of this standard. However organization with significant energy expenditure is likely to see most benefit in the standard.

Benefit of ISO 50001 certification

• Lower costs
• Improved quality and efficiency
• Improved safety
• Increased productivity
• Higher employee satisfaction