The Lean / 6-Sigma
process is proven to be an effective method that can make your operations more
productive and profitable. As a result of utilizing this, your company can
become more competitive. We believe that implementation of these philosophies
is timely and a very good opportunity to improve everybody's quality of work
and life. The application of Lean techniques is so versatile that they can be
used whether you have a large manufacturing plant, small shop, fast food
business, service or social service operation, or any other imaginable business.
Anything you do can be improved. A good starting point is through a
commonly used Lean tool, 5S. Over the next 5 weeks we will focus on the 5 main
principles of the 5S process.
5S Principles
- Workplace Organization
5S is the name of a workplace organization method that
uses a list of five Japanese words: seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu,
and shitsuke. Translated into English, they all start with the letter
"S" and are respectively Sort, Systematize, Shine, Standardize, and Self
Discipline. The list describes how to organize a work space for efficiency and
effectiveness by identifying and storing the items used, maintaining the area
and items, and sustaining the new order. The decision-making process usually
comes from a dialogue about standardization, which builds understanding among
employees of how they should do the work.
A sixth principle,
"Safety", is sometimes added. There is debate over whether including
this sixth "S" promotes safety by stating this value explicitly, or
if a comprehensive safety program is undermined when it is relegated to a
single item in an efficiency-focused business methodology.
A seventh principle,
"Security", is also now added by some. To
leverage security as an investment rather than an expense, the seventh
"S" identifies and addresses risks to key business categories
including fixed assets (PP&E), material, human capital, brand equity, intellectual
property, information technology, assets-in-transit and the extended supply
chain.
Join us next week for 5S Techniques - Seiri (Sort)
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