5S Housekeeping Is  Fundamental
(For 5S Housekeeping at homes, refer:  
(Housekeeping at Home)
- 5S Housekeeping is fundamental for enhancing  the value for the customer 
- 5S Housekeeping is the foundation for all the  organizational systems/processes
 which, in turn, enhance value to  customers
5S Housekeeping: A  Glance- Since early 80’s in Japan 
- Pioneer- Toyota, Japan 
- Systematic approach to good housekeeping 
- People oriented approach: every individual can contribute to improve his  workplace 
- Practice oriented approach: cleaner, better, effective and safer workplace 
- 5S stands for the five good housekeeping principles
Vision- To keep both one’s external and internal house in order, develop a  sensitivity for one’s surroundings and a concern for the environment at large 
- A systematic and rational approach to workplace organization and methodical  housekeeping with a sense of purpose
Advantages- Workplace becomes cleaner and better organized. 
- Shop floor and office operations become easier and safer. 
- Results are visible to everyone- insiders and outsiders. Problems detected  fast. 
- Visibility gives rise to further improvements. Increased number of  suggestions. 
- People are disciplined. 
- It instills pride among people. 
- Happier employees with high morale and greater employee involvement. 
- Better use of floor space. 
- Less work in progress and inventories. Less time in material handling. 
- Retrieval time minimized. Better flow of work. More time for improvement  activities. 
- Low machine breakdown rate. Low down time. Better preventive maintenance. 
- Low accident rate. 
- High yield of materials. 
- High and consistent product quality. Low overall cost. 
- Company image enhances and generates more business. 
Steps to Implement the 5 Elements of  5S
Seiri
•Classification- sort out
•Elimination-  remove unnecessary items as appropriate
•Storage- frequent use/rare use  items
- close location/distant location
- identification of items
•Fix  responsibilities and share responsibilities
•Monitor progress
Rough Criteria for Seiri
•Not used for a year- Check and throw
•Used only once in last 6 to 12  months- Store at a distance
•Used only once in last 1 to 6 months- Store at a  central place in the work area
•Used weekly/hourly/daily- Store near work  site
Seiri:  Obstacles
•Seiri  is not as easy to practice as it seems
•It is wasteful to throw things  away
•We might possibly use them later
•It was so much trouble for me to  make these things
•I know it is not used but it is in good condition, let it  be there
•I want every thing here. I may use these any time, I can’t tell  when. So don’t remove any thing
•If you think it is “such a waste to throw it  away”, we can’t get started
Seiton
Ensure rational layout of machines, equipment, cabinets
•Place frequently  used items at the point of use
•Prefix a place for every thing and put every  thing in place
•Use labels, color codes to identify
•Use index for files,  records and drawings
•Plan storage with easy 
irretrievability
•Mixed up  items in cabinets should be organized
•Make cabinets, shelves, racks self  explanatory through identification aids
•Have visual controls for checking  missing items
Seiso
•Develop standards of cleaning
•Clean up work  place, machines and tools after use
•Clean up supply line (no leakage,  blockage, clogging with oil/dirt
•Assign responsibilities and schedules for  cleaning
•Clean waste bins at end of shift/day
•Clean light bulbs, fans,  shades, reflectors
•Pay special attention to scrap yard, gardens, godowns
•Scrap and chips  from machines could fall directly in to collecting bins
Seiketsu
•Identify 5 S areas
•Develop  standards/evaluation criteria with workmen (SOP’s and housekeeping  standards)
•Establish checking procedure 5W + 1H
•Establish feedback  procedure 5W + 1H
•Wear neat and clean uniform
•Wear protective  clothing
•Provide adequate lighting, ventilation, exhaust
•Check  electrical wiring, cables, switches
•Maintain sanitary/hygienic conditions in  wash rooms, locker rooms, canteen and kitchen
•Earmark smoking and eating  areas
•Look for heavy noise, vibrations and heat in machines, analyze for  root cause and take action
•Create visual control systems
•Devise ways to  expose hidden problems
•Create standards
Shitsuke
•Create awareness of first 4 S’s
•Develop  action details for maintaining standards
•Make them easily  understandable
•Give specific directions
•Display correct work procedure  on the floor
•Correct deviations on the spot
•Maintain  punctuality
•Conduct audits
•Demonstrate sincerity in following  rules
•Share success to enthuse others
Consequences of Not Practicing  5S
Seiri
•The unwanted clutters up the place and the wanted is hard to find
•More  time spent for searching things
•More space required
•We can’t bring in  new things in the same place
•Causes 
mis-identification and rejected  parts are moved to work station
Seiton
•Things are seldom available when needed. More  time spent for locating misplaced things
•Defective and good items/similar  looking items get mixed up
•Items are lost
•Prone to accidents
•Loss of  production
•Excess inventory
•Pressure for more space
Seiso
•Dust and dirt will affect the machine  performance
•Cleaning reveals hidden problems which may get overlooked  otherwise
•Dust and dirt affect performance and aesthetic  quality
•Unpleasant work place
Five Levels of 5 S  Housekeeping
•Housekeeping of one’s inner self
•Following  the 5 S principles and reducing waste
•Extending the 5 S concept to include  ergonomics
•Extending the 5 S concept to include aesthetics
•Maintaining  records and educating others
Stages of 5S  Housekeeping
Stage 1: Floor is full of unwanted material
Stage 2:  Clutter found by the walls
Stage 3: Factory/office is clean but  tools, papers, files and materials dis-organized
Stage 4: Storage  area/offices are clean and furniture, documents, material organized
Stage  5: Factory/office is immaculate
Critical Factors/Steps in Implementing  5S
- Top /Senior Management commitment 
- Leadership by location heads 
- Awareness training programs for all employees 
- Launching of 5S program  
- Allocation of funds 
- Identification on 5S areas 
- Team formation involving employees 
- Developing standards 
- Developing checklists 
- Guidance, training, sorting out problems 
- Developing audit check lists 
- Publishing audit results 
- Reviewing audit findings, follow up corrective actions 
- Holding competitions- awards
Implementation  Methodology- All employees to undergo 5 S Housekeeping  training 
- A vision statement to be evolved and started  with all employees 
- Divide the organization into convenient  zones 
- Divide each zone in to convenient  sub-zones 
- Decide on date(s) for launching 5 S in each  zone, sub-zone 
- Take pledge (refer the section titled "5S  Pledge" for couple of formats of the pledge as examples. they can be customized  to your requirements) 
- Apply 5 S principles step by step 
- Form audit teams 
- Carry out audits
5S Pledge
Examples of Pledge  Formats:
Example 1: It shall be my (our) constant effort to maintain my  workplace in an excellent order by sorting out unwanted material periodically  and discarding them, assigning a place for everything and keeping everything in  its place and keeping my 
workplace neat and clean all the time everyday.
Example 2: It shall be my (our) endeavour to delight our customers  (or internal and external customers) by adhering to the standards of putting  things in order and maintaining cleanliness at our workplace.
Criteria for Good Housekeeping  Award
- Space occupied 
- Ease of retrieval 
- Ingenious storing methods 
- Waste elimination 
- Aesthetics
5 S Audit- Form an audit team for each zone consisting of 4-5 members. The members  should belong to that zone. One member may belong to another zone so as to  maintain impartiality. 
- Auditing should be carried out once a month or once in two months based on a  carefully prepared check list.
An Example of Auditor’s Check  List
•Documents maintained as per retention plan : 10  points
•Other items at assigned places : 10 points
•Innovative methods of  storage/visual display system: 5 points
•Cleanliness/hygiene : 5  points
•Space released : 5 points
•Reporting of waste reduction : 5  points
•Aesthetic aspect : 10 points
•Safety aspect : 15 points
•Auditee’s personal appearance : 5  points
•Layout : 5 points
•Lighting level : 5 points
•Noise level : 5  points
•Temperature/humidity : 5 points
•General ergonomics : 10  points