The 5s plus of Japanese production

The 5 S (housekeeping) movement takes its name from five Japanese words that begin with s: seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, and shitsuke.

The movement in question has gained a great boom in Western companies from the very low cost involved in its start-up, the savings in costs and resources, the reduction of accidents, the increase in staff motivation, and the increases in quality. and productivity among many others.

Thus western companies have adapted the terminology calling these campaigns by its acronym in English as Campaign of the 5 S; by Sort (separate), Straighten (order), Scrub (clean), Systematize (systematize) and Standardize (standardize); or as the Campaign of the 5 C; by Clear out, Configure, Clean and check, Conform, and Custom and practice.

The 5 S together with standardization (documentation of the best way to do the job) and the elimination of muda (waste in Japanese) constitute the fundamental pillars for the practice of gemba kaizen (continuous improvement in the place of action).

The reason for the “Plus” is that these practices have been enriched based on both experiences and new techniques in vogue such as coaching. Always guided by the kaizen philosophy, but adding these new techniques, methods are obtained that allow high levels of performance and productivity in both industrial and service companies.

2. Seiri - "When less is more"

Executing the seiri means differences between the necessary elements and those that are not, proceeding to discard the latter.

This implies a classification of the existing elements in the workplace between necessary and unnecessary. For this, a limit is established to those that are necessary. A practical method to do this is to remove anything that will not be used in the next thirty days.

The other method makes use of one of the management tools "the Pareto chart", based on this, the vital few should be separated from the trivial many. This means that, on average, approximately between 20% and 30% of the elements are used between 80% and 70% of the opportunities, while between 80% and 70% of the remaining elements are only used between 20%. and 30% of the time.

Thus it is clear that in daily work only a small number of the very numerous elements in the gemba (workplace) are needed. The gemba is full of unused machines, screens, dies and tools, defective products, work in progress, raw materials, supplies and parts, spare parts, shelves, containers, desks, workbenches, document files, shelves, pallets, forms, among others.

Putting the seiri into practice implies empowering employees and workers (empowerment) so that they determine which elements or components are necessary, following the general postulates dictated by the management.

Placing red labels of a conspicuous size (on unnecessary elements) allows visualizing after selection the significant amount of excess or unnecessary elements in the workplace. Then it arises what to do with such elements, if it is documentation, a code must be assigned to it and proceed to its file (in such a way, if it is necessary to make use of them, they can be easily found avoiding the loss of time or the loss of the themselves). In the case of machines or tools, they may be allocated to sectors that need them or they may be located in an area that allows their use by various sectors (it is always clear that they are machines and tools of very little use, which does not justify the loss of physical space),In the case of forms if they are out of use, they should be used if possible for other purposes (using the unprinted side) and if this is not possible, proceed to their destruction. For this reason, it is important to avoid printing forms in batches, being better their "just in time" printing. In the case of existing supplies and materials in excess, they must go to the previous sector in the process, adopting all the necessary measures within the philosophy of the JIT to avoid the recurrence of excess inventories and overproductions of materials and products in process, due to the huge resources that are wasted for this reason (material handling, destruction, accidents, use of spaces, financial costs, insurance, loss of value).

It is essential that both employees, supervisors, analysts and managers tour the places after the aforementioned labels are placed to become aware and analyze the causes of so much waste.

Allotting half an hour a day for a week to put the papers, components and tools in order, among others, will allow you to be surprised at the amount of useless elements that have accumulated. Ending chaos is an incredible therapy, generating a tremendous amount of energy.

In companies that do not practice the discipline of the 5 S, the chaos that surrounds their employees absorbs their energies. Ninety percent of the time they live in the middle of disorder, even if it is not visible. Releasing yourself from chaos gives you enough energy and clarity to produce more and better ideas.

The elimination of unnecessary items leaves free space, which increases the flexibility in the use of the work area, because once the unnecessary items are discarded, only what is needed remains.

It is worth mentioning as an example the form of behavior in the administrative area of ​​an important economic group that instead of training staff to eliminate all unnecessary forms and due to previous misplaced documentation, they imposed as a rule that all forms be a commercial document or merely An advertisement of the supplier was filed in the file along with the invoices, remittances and receipts. You can imagine right away that much of the filing work consisted of storing useless stationery, also wasting a large volume of files and physical space. All this for not taking the trouble to properly train the staff and grant them a minimum of decision-making power.

In many Japanese companies, department heads wearing special gowns and gloves are often seen sorting discarded materials into piles of similar materials, then proceeding to carefully analyze the components of each pile to decide where they came from, and why. that they used so many resources in making elements that later have to be discarded. Subsequently proceeding to adopt methods to avoid such waste, which not only improves products and processes, but also eliminates the need to spend excessive time maintaining facilities.

3. Seiton - "A place for everything and everything in its place"

The seiton implies arranging in an orderly manner all the essential elements that remain after the seiri has been practiced, so that they are easily accessible. It also means providing a convenient, safe and orderly place for everything and keeping everything there.

Sorting the various items by their use and arranging them accordingly to minimize search time and effort requires that each item have a designated location, name, and volume. Not only the location, but also the maximum number of items allowed in the gemba should be specified.

Items left on the gemba should be placed in the designated area. Each wall should be numbered, using names like Wall A-1 and Wall B-2. The placement of the various tools, supplies and work in processes should be located according to the signs or special markings. Markings on the floor or on workstations indicate the appropriate locations for work in progress, tools, etc. By painting a rectangle on the floor to outline the area for work-in-progress boxes, for example, you create enough space to store the maximum volume of items. At the same time, any deviation from the indicated number of boxes becomes instantly apparent. The tools should be placed within easy reach and should be easy to pick up and return to place.Your silhouettes could be painted on the surface where they are supposed to be stored. This makes it easy to know when they are in use.

The passageway must also be clearly marked with paint, as well as other spaces designated for supplies and work in progress, the passageway being the transit destination and nothing should be left there.

This phase of housekeeping is closely related to the poka-yoke (method of preventing failures or errors), so placing the objects in their respective places will mean being able to find them easily, avoid their loss, and prevent possible accidents.

It is very common in administrative areas the loss of documentation, contracts and other types of documentation due to lack of due order, which entails significant loss of time, as well as the absence of important documentation at key moments, and the poor image that remains of the company in the eyes of internal or external customers.

4. Six

Seiso means cleaning the work environment, including machines and tools, as well as floors, walls, and other areas of the workplace. It is also considered a critical activity for verification purposes. An operator cleaning a machine can discover many malfunctions; For this reason the seiso is essential for the purposes of the maintenance of machines and facilities. When the machine is covered in oil, soot and dust, it is difficult to identify any problems that may be forming. Thus, while cleaning the machine, we can easily detect an oil leak, a crack that is forming in the cover, or loose nuts and bolts. Once these problems are recognized, they can be easily fixed.

Most machine breakdowns are said to start with vibrations (due to loose nuts and bolts), with the introduction of foreign particles such as dust (as a result of cracks in the ceiling, for example), or with a lubrication or inadequate lubrication. For this reason, seiso is a great learning experience for operators, as they can make many useful discoveries while cleaning machines.

Cleaning with a shiny physical space is an important source of motivation for employees.

But when it comes to cleaning it is no less important to clean the air, fundamental for the staff, as well as for customers, machine operation, product quality, material decomposition among many others. Uncontrolled amounts of dust and other impurities in the atmosphere can make it unhealthy and even dangerous. The breathable air in buildings is seriously affected by the bodily functions and activities of its occupants; concentrations of carbon dioxide and water vapor occur due to the exhalation of air from the lungs, always impregnated with bacteria originating from one's own breathing, or due to sneezing and coughing. The body releases organic impurities according to the degree of normal cleaning of each person. It is also smoked or there are open flames,obviously the product of combustion will cause further contamination. This increases considerably when, by some industrial process, fumes, gases or dust are produced. For all these reasons, it is essential to avoid the emanation of components that cause air to thinning, but also to have suitable aeration systems.

Recently the ventilation has been accidental, but not planned; their need has not been fully understood. The harmful effects of lack of ventilation have not been properly assessed either. Clean air will allow the detection of gas, chemical or fuel losses in time.

It is a fact that only forward-thinking entrepreneurs understood that installing proper ventilation systems not only achieved greater comfort for workers, but many other reciprocal benefits. Undoubtedly, by providing better conditions, dividends are obtained whose results are satisfactory for the staff and, therefore, a notable increase in productivity is usually achieved.

Good ventilation involves supplying air, removing pollution and heat, and movements or changes of air to cool the environment, counteracting discomfort due to humidity. Underestimating ventilation requirements could have serious repercussions, regardless of causing discomfort for workers. Corrosive fumes trapped within the building or plant will undoubtedly attack its structure, with disastrous results.

5. The three Ks

These have to do with the Japanese words kiken (dangerous), kitanai (dirty) and kitsui (stressful), all of which oppose gemba as a place where real value is added.

Not only cleaning machines, floors, ceilings and the air are important, so is light, color, heat and acoustics. Thus an adequate supply of light must be the first objective, since light is the essential requirement for seeing. Light is the most important element to provide a suitable environment; The comforting effect of sunlight after harsh weather conditions is well known, as is the sense of well-being that comes from moving from a dark workplace to a well-lit one, freshly painted, with pleasantly colored walls. The light colors of the walls are as important as the light it reflects, because black and dark colors absorb light and tend to create a gloomy and depressing environment.

The most important component of light is color, because when colors are used appropriately, they can not only create a pleasant environment, but also help to gain greater visibility, direct or focus attention where it is needed, and communicate visual warnings. risky. When selecting colors for an industry or any other workplace, one must think about the safety and the mood that can be achieved in the people who occupy it, as well as the working conditions that lead to increased work efficiency. When painting a factory or a workshop, the colors should not be chosen for their appearance or decorative effect, the important and rational thing is to choose the colors in the first place for their functional value inherent in a specific purpose, such as reflecting light without glare,improve visibility by significantly reducing shadows, give relief to work areas, concentrate lighting in danger and risk areas, easily identify and locate fire fighting equipment, first aid equipment, as well as the different fire pipes. utility, electrical wiring ducts, etc.

If color is used in a rational way, a better and safer environment will be achieved, in which the chances of accidents and absenteeism are reduced, and a negative mood in the workers is avoided. Poorly applied colors can not only be distracting but also risky, due to minor details that are too bright to the detriment of pointing out more important risks.

As for lighting, it should take priority, and it is especially important in places where the noise level is high and you have to rely on sight rather than hearing to realize a nearby risk.

It is obvious that without the fundamental requirements for adequate lighting, no visual work can be carried out easily, correctly and quickly, or even safely. On the other hand, the light itself can represent a risk or danger if it is used improperly. Among the most important lighting failures are: insufficient lighting, shadows, disabling glare, nuisance glare and reflective glare.

Regarding acoustic and vibration problems, they must be especially taken into account due to the effects they produce in terms of safety, disability, and unproductiveness. Excessive exposure to noise damages the hearing system, causes discomfort, and sometimes interrupts the course of dialogue. Knowledge about occupational deafness and its relationship to noise has advanced in the last decade. Today the risk resulting from virtually any noise in general industry can be fairly accurately assessed.

In everything seen in this section, the actions of the Management and its Staff are of fundamental importance in order to provide the best working conditions that make possible excellence in service to external clients through quality, costs, flexibility and delivery.. Something that will only be feasible through an appropriate work environment. The importance that kaizen gives as a fundamental philosophical principle to respect for the human being should also be underlined, and respecting the human being implies the commitment to eliminate dirt, dangers and stress in the gemba.

6. Seiketsu

Seiketsu means maintaining a person's cleanliness through the use of appropriate work clothes, glasses, gloves, hard hats, face shields, and safety shoes, as well as maintaining a healthy and clean work environment. This is directly related to the previous point about the Three K.

Regarding eye protection, it is currently possible to have lenses for each type of possible risk; But the biggest problem is that many operators do not agree to always wear safety equipment to protect their eyes. It is here where discipline takes on fundamental importance, providing the information so that the employee is at all times aware of the risks, and training him to act in accordance with the company's security regulations.

When it comes to skin care in modern industry, in addition to the known causes of skin problems, new problems arise every day. The risk of dermatitis occurs almost in all industrial areas. Today's resins, coolers, solvents, and chemicals pose an increasing risk to people trying to control skin conditions. For the best protection regarding this item, the following precautions are required: a) Adequate order and cleanliness. The importance of a clean and safe environment cannot be overlooked. If a person is working in a dirty and unkempt environment, it may be thought that they are not taking great care in their personal hygiene. b) Consultation and prevention.The easiest way to have cleanliness is to have the workers participate in meetings or talks about work, in safety committees or quality control circles, in order both to know the risks, and to adopt preventive plans, and c) Team of protection. Gloves, masks and aprons, contribute a lot to reduce contact and are very useful against physical and mechanical risks to the skin; But the best protective gear is useless if it is not kept clean. For people who are exposed to skin irritants who have a history of dermatitis hazards, there should be supplies of the appropriate cream for the job. Selection, protection, careful personal hygiene,good factory cleaning and a good continuing education program are very useful measures to eliminate cases of skin disease in any industry.

Management must design systems and procedures that ensure the continuity of seiri, seiton and seiso; which is the other meaning of seiketsu (systematize).

If machines and facilities are important, the worker is no less important, the human being who adds value to production processes every day. For this reason, the implementation of breaks and light physical exercises are essential because the time used is more than compensated by reducing absences due to illness, avoiding physical exhaustion and accidents, improving the general aspects of both locomotion and mental, in such a way as to significantly increase productivity levels. In the same way, it is eye care both with good lighting systems, special protectors on monitors, and even the existence of special drops for visual rest in workplaces are essential both in workshops and in administrative areas.

7. Shitsuke

Shitsuke implies self-discipline. The 5 S can be considered as a philosophy, a way of life in our daily work. The essence of the 5 S is to follow what has been agreed. At this point comes the issue of how easy it is to implement the 5 S in an organization. Implementing it implies breaking the tendency to accumulate unnecessary elements, by not carrying out continuous cleaning and by not keeping the elements and components in their proper order. It also implies complying with the principles of hygiene and personal care. Once resistance to change has been overcome, through information, training and providing the necessary elements, self-discipline is essential to maintain and improve the new established order day by day.

8. Conclusion