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 Anitech 5S Implementation Manual

Catherine Parrill
Robert Rosinski

5S
Implementation
Manual

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 Anitech 5S Implementation Manual

Anitech.net Press
5S Implementation Manual

Copyright 2007 by Catherine Parrill and

Robert Rosinski

This title is also available from Anitech.net at

http://www.anitech.net

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Anitech.net
9030 W. Sahara #125
Las Vegas, NV 89117

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Parrill, Catherine, 1948-

Rosinski, Robert, 1948-
5S Implementation Manual / Rosinski, Parrill p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references
ISBN: 0-9679593-2-2
1. Lean Manufacturing 1. Title.
BV4503.1 .W73 2000
284.4 – dc21 2000011417
CIP

This edition printed on acid-free paper

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy,
recording, or any other – except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior
permission of the publisher.

Illustrations by Anitech.net, Copyright 2007

Interior design by Catherine Parrill

Editing by Adrienne Cole and Angela Senicz

Printed in the United States of America

05 06 07 08 09 10 11 – 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43

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Contents

Preface……………………………………...9

Chapter 1 – Getting Started……………….15

Chapter 2 – What is 5S……………………21

Chapter 3 – The First S, Sort……………..31

Chapter 4 – The Second S, Straighten……67

Chapter 5 – The Third S, Shine…………..93

Chapter 6 – The Forth S, Standardize……99

Chapter 7 – The Fifth S, Sustain………..105

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5S

Preface

The 5S process is the cornerstone to achieving a successful

lean transformation. It is the mechanism by which management can
sustain an enterprise-wide cost reduction and improvement program
that will directly translate to the bottom line.

What is 5S? 5S is a systematic approach that streamlines the

work environment, helping companies achieve and maintain a
competitive edge in today’s global economy. It is highly cost
effective, can be implemented in virtually all work situations and
locations. 5S is a way of displaying and maintaining the new
corporate culture.

Many company cost reduction and quality improvement

programs have been launched in an effort to obtain quick savings
and/or capitalize on current trends and thinking within the
improvement community. A well-executed 5S program can become
the glue that solidifies those various programs and properly
deployed, it will become the foundation that all other initiatives are
launched from.

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This book is a fast-read, how-to manual for those forward-

thinking decision makers that need to improve the bottom line today.

Throughout this book you will encounter some new ideas, as

well as some tried and true methods that have been found to be
indispensable by forward thinking managers embarking down the 5S
path.

Over the last decade that Anitech has been assisting client
companies install lean manufacturing cost reduction initiatives, the
one common element that has differentiated the successful from the
not so, has been the degree to which management has bought into
and enthusiastically deployed a meaningful 5S program and
sustained it throughout their transformation process.

Client companies such as Allied Signal, United

Technologies, Boshe, Ford and Johnson Controls have all deployed
successful 5S programs as the initial jumping off point for their
legendary lean initiatives. Most significant of all is the fact that
companies deploying 5S as the cornerstone of their lean
transformation have all dramatically improved their bottom line as a
direct result.

They’ve learned that a 5S implementation strategy should be

a primary focus of company management and decision makers in
order to form the critical mass necessary to drive change,
profitability and prominence in their marketplaces.

5S can, and is, being successfully applied in companies of all

sizes, product types and process flows. 5S applies to much more
than just manufacturing production floors. It also is being
successfully deployed in many business system process flows,
engineering department flows and even in such wide and varying
service industry operations such as finance, marketing, hospitality
and food service.

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How can you successfully implement or revitalize a company

5S program? First, read and understand the basic principles of 5S
deployment. Then learn and understand the complete 5-step process
of implementation. 5S is deceivingly simple, yet powerful when
fully understood, effectively communicated to company personnel
and then applied.

As an option, this training material is offered on-line and you

can accompany it with on-line testing and certification.

Once you understand the basic concepts and deployment

strategies, 5S will become as standard a part of how your company
approaches all improvement strategies as the concept of computing a
ROI is today prior to embarking on any new project.

5S is about organization, standard process and on-going

sustaining and alignment with all company lean initiatives and
strategies. Every company we know that has correctly deployed 5S
has attained significant improvements in profitability and market
share.

Let us know how your deployment proceeds.

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Chapter One

Getting Started
What is 5S?
5S is a systematic approach that streamlines the work
environment, helping companies achieve and maintain a competitive
edge in today’s global economy. It is highly cost effective, can be
implemented in virtually all work situations and locations.
5S is foundational for today’s companies that need to
function in a real-time manufacturing environment. Just-in-time,
flow, cell, and pull production techniques, for example, require a 5S
foundation to ensure success.
The 5S’s stand for: Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize and
Sustain. They are a stepwise, sequential method for organizing the
workplace to improve quality and efficiency, meet deadlines, reduce
waste, and create a safer and more pleasant working environment.

What is the most effective way to implement 5S?

For 5S to be most successful, its implementation will be
done with the assistance of a specialist, trained in 5S deployment,
who will initiate the 5S system in a department, division, or office of
a company while simultaneously training company personnel to
carry the initiative into other departments and divisions themselves.
Sometimes companies opt to use the external specialist’s
services in multiple divisions because their own personnel are
already fully committed, they see the benefits and don’t want to lose
momentum, and desire to make an immediate impact in many or all
areas of the company.
Many companies that cannot utilize an external specialist
have chosen to train and certify members of a 5S team through train-
the-trainer 5S training or even on-line 5S courses. Some specialists
offer discounted site-licenses for 5S on-line courses for multiple
registrants in a single company. Team discussion questions and
suggested projects should always be included in a good site license
package.

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How can you get the most benefit from this book?
Learning in the same environment where the initial pilot
deployment will occur is ideal. The pilot implementation of this
system should be made in the actual environment in which the full
5S system will be eventually deployed. After pilot deployment,
continue with the next chapter.
Budget constraints sometimes prevent a company from
utilizing the expertise of an external specialist. In such cases, an
“internal specialist” who has learned the concepts of the 5S system
and has gained an understanding of how to apply them through this
book and possibly the accompanying 5S on-line course Anitech
offers, can be certified through the accompanying assessment tests.

This internal specialist will then lead the 5S effort. If a

company is not using the services of an external specialist, it is
highly recommended that a 5S Team be established for each division
or department, and that one or more 5S Leaders in the company be
designated. Each of these personnel should consider taking an on-
line 5S course and achieve at least 85% proficiency on each
assessment exam. Team members can all become certified through
this type of on-line course too.

How can you get even more benefits from this training
material?
Read, learn, assess and deploy a chapter at a time. After
reading a chapter, for a complete learning experience, go on-line and
take the accompanying 5S assessment test associated with that
chapter. If your score is 85% or higher, undertake the activities
outlined. Do not continue with the second chapter until pilot area
implementation has been made. If your score is under 85%, study
those areas in which your performance indicates more attention and
then retake the test. Completing this process will result in 5S
certification of expertise.

If you don’t remember all of the material the first time you
read a chapter, you can obtain a one-year license that allows you to

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re-read chapters and re-take the assessment tests on-line, at will.

Anitech encourages you to take a refresher course 3-6 months after
the initial course, and another 9-12 months after the initial course.
The second and third time you take the course will serve to reinforce
5S principles and provide renewed motivation for leaders and team
members, helping them to better promote adherence throughout the
company.

This optional training is based on an individual user license.

Only the individual who has purchased the license is authorized to
use it. Company site licenses are also available

Do most companies have a 5S “champion” or leader

even if they’re using an external specialist?
Companies that use the services of an external specialist to
implement a 5S system usually designate a 5S Team within each
division or department. The team, or selected individuals are trained
by the external specialist, assist in making initial improvements, and
then oversee ongoing implementation and follow-through. These
members receive training during the external specialist’s on-site
workshop and pilot implementation training, and assist in all phases
of deployment.

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Chapter Two

What is 5S?

What do the 5S’s stand for?

The 5S’s stand for the five steps in a systematic
organizational process: Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize and
Sustain. The steps should be implemented sequentially. The last step
requires an on-going process to maintain and update each of the first
five steps.

Sort: “When in doubt, throw it out”

In this first step of the process, needed and unneeded items
are separated and all unneeded items are removed. Although
seemingly a simple step, it normally requires input from several
people in the work area to determine what is actually currently
needed and the best method of dealing with unneeded items.
Examples of sort include removing jigs that are no longer used for
production from the workplace, discarding from desk drawers old
pens and markers that no longer write, or removing extra wrenches
from a pile on a worktable, keeping only as many as needed.
There is often a tendency to keep too much in the workplace.
The challenge is to see the area through “new eyes” so that unneeded
items become more readily apparent.

Straighten: “A place for everything, and everything in

its place”
In this step items are arranged so that they’re easily
accessible, easy to find and easy to return to their correct place.
Labels and other visual indicators are devised and deployed. Painting
outlines of tools where they are to be hung, color coding tools and
parts of like sizes, numbering tools and their corresponding storage
places, and placing small office supplies into compartmentalized
caddies are examples of Straighten.
The tendency is for workers to become accustomed to using
poorly placed materials, tools, equipment, etc. and the wasted time

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and effort this causes. The challenge is to discover which

items are causing inefficiency, and where to store them so that they
will be most easily available when and where they are needed.

Scrub: “Clean as you go”

The third step in the 5S process initiates a work ethic of
keeping everything clean and in order at all times. The connection
between cleanliness, quality and safety are emphasized. Examples of
Scrub include wiping machinery, sweeping, tightening loose belts or
bolts, cleaning gauges and indicators, tracking the source of leaks,
overheating or undue noise, and organizing papers and books on
office desks and shelves.
The tendency is for personnel to clean their areas
periodically, letting clutter, debris and dirt collect between cleanings,
rather than to clean as-they-go, at all times. The challenge is to
combat the attitude that “I don’t have time right now – I’ll do it
later” until it becomes clear that daily scrubbing is both easier and
more effective.

Standardize: “A method to our madness”

The first three steps will slip unless standardized procedures,
schedules and expectations are clearly identified and regularly
measured. During this step, a customized standardization method is
devised and implemented. Standardization examples include use of
checklists, institution of preventative measures to keep unneeded
items from entering the workspace, and job charts that delineate
responsibilities for maintaining various aspects of the 5S system.
The tendency, after the first 3 S’s have been deployed in an
area, is for them to slowly begin to erode. The challenge is to create
clear, concise and complete standardized measures that prevent this
from happening and to institute a system that guarantees they will be
followed

Sustain: “Old habits die hard”

In order to sustain improvements made during deployment of
the first 4S’s old habits will have to die. Changing the culture and
instituting new habits takes time and attention. It doesn’t happen by
itself. Examples of Sustain include scheduling time for 5S Teams to

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do periodic reviews and improvements, prominently displaying

posters or other visual reminders in the workplace, and offering
rewards and recognition.
The tendency is for 5S leaders and team members,
management, and/or operational personnel to expect changes to stay
in place once they’re made and not to notice they’re slipping. The
challenge is for 5S leaders and team members to take refresher
courses, and conduct refresher 5S deployment activities periodically
to ensure the necessary cultural change, and for management to offer
continually strong support.

How does 5S help you?

The 5S system makes work easier and more pleasant, results
in higher quality and efficiency, and creates a safer work
environment. It makes time on the job more satisfying, reduces
frustrations, fatigue, and contributes to pride among the workforce.
A company that has successfully implemented the 5S system is one
that can proudly and successfully showcase itself to customers and
suppliers. 5S results in increased profit. It’s a critical component of
good business practices that must be maintained in order stay
competitive in today’s market.

Using this system will result in a significant elimination of

waste in many categories, including overproduction, unneeded
inventory or transportation, lost time spent waiting, unnecessary
motion, over-processing products, correction of needless errors,
obstacles to efficiency caused by unnecessary parts, equipment, etc.
and under-utilization of human resources. It will reduce delays,
customer dissatisfaction, injuries and defects. It will improve
throughput, ROI, on-time delivery and profitability.

What obstacles may you encounter?

You may be among those fortunate implementers of the 5S
system who don’t run into any problems - everyone’s on board from
day one, and deployment goes like clockwork. If you find some
reluctance to embrace the 5S system, though, don’t be surprised.
Resistance from personnel may appear for a variety of reasons. They
may believe they don’t have time to implement and adhere to 5S, or

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that they don’t need it. They may not initially see the benefits. They
may have tried this or another system in the past and failed to sustain
it -“we tried it and it doesn’t work”. A less apparent obstacle may
be the belief that this is “somebody else’s problem”.

What do you need in order to overcome obstacles?

There needs to be management buy-in to make 5S succeed
100%. Later, when all personnel have experienced its benefits and
the culture has changed to make the 5S System part of daily routine,
those most directly affected will become its biggest supporters. To
gain support initially, it’s important that as many people as possible
become involved from the start. Management should enthusiastically
announce the launching of this new effort, explaining why it is going
to be deployed, how, when, with whom, and what the expected
benefits will be.

Teams should work together at each stage of deployment.

Everyone, at all levels throughout the company, should be
encouraged to seek areas for improvement and find creative
solutions. Before and after pictures may be displayed prominently
throughout the company. Suggestion boxes or boards may be used.
Periodic ratings may be made and posted, with rewards for those
meeting all criteria (pizza brought in one day at lunch for a
department, division or office, for example). Other larger rewards
may occasionally be made for individual excellence for suggested
improvements.

If 5S has so many benefits, why hasn’t every company

instituted it?
Many companies globally have 5S Systems in place. All
World Class companies have systematically organized through this
or a similar system. Companies who haven’t yet implemented a 5S
System, either don’t know about it, haven’t tried it, or have tried it
unsuccessfully. Whichever category your company fits into, this
book will provide you with the principles of 5S, and provide
techniques for implementation.

How can I get buy-in from management?

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Benchmarking is the best way to show management how 5S

works, and why. Anitech, Inc. can provide case studies and
benchmarking opportunities upon request. Click here for further
information about how your company can set up a benchmarking
tour, or for assistance in determining your individualized course of
action.

Deciding whether to use an external specialist

By the end of this book, and the completion of your pilot area
implementation, you will need to decide whether you alone will be
responsible for leading your company in the 5S deployment, whether
a team will take the course and together undertake the project, or
whether you and/or a team will work with an external specialist to
implement 5S.

It is important that you outline a course of action that will

best serve your company, its needs, resources, and opportunities for
improvement. We advise that a cross functional group that includes
members from management determine a clear strategy from the start.
If you want help in defining the strategy that will work best for you,
you can always contact an external specialist. They will be happy to
discuss your particular situation, needs, budget and desired outcomes
with you and help you tailor an appropriate course of action.

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Chapter Three

The First S: Sort

“When in doubt, throw it out”

How do we know if we need 5S?

The rule of thumb is this: if you haven’t already implemented
5S or a similar system in your workplace, you probably need to! A
well-organized environment doesn’t happen by itself. And,
obviously, if you haven’t ever deployed 5S, you need to start at the
beginning, with the first step: Sort.

Even if you’ve previously implemented an organizational

system, you may need to start at the first step again. No system
maintains itself. If you currently operate with a system of visual
controls, but have not strictly adhered to them, or have not sustained
the effort 100%, you should also start with the first step.

Some signs of a work area that needs to implement the first

step, Sort, include:
Process flow or production is interrupted or delayed by
unnecessary equipment or items that get in the way
People waste time looking for parts, tools, papers or other
items
The workplace is crowded, cluttered, difficult to work in
Walls, bulletin boards, windows, shelves contain unneeded
our outdated items
Aisles, stairways, corners, areas behind, beside or under
desks, cabinets, benches, etc. contain unnecessary items
Stacks of unneeded items, or shelves, cases, cabinets, etc
housing unneeded items, are placed between employees,
hampering communication.

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Money is spent to maintain unnecessary equipment,

fixtures, tools or other items.
Storing of excess items is resulting in damage to some of
them.
Excess stock is hiding other types of problems in
production or process.
Safety hazards are created by the presence of unnecessary
items.
Unnecessary items themselves present a safety hazard
(water, oil, chemicals, machines, physical obstacles).
Duplication of items occurs because of inability to locate
items when needed

These are some of the signs that it’s time to take stock, sort
what is needed from what is not, and GET RID of everything you
don’t need.

How did things get to be such a mess around here?

Distinguishing between needed and unneeded items isn’t as
easy as it sounds. If it were, clutter wouldn’t have accumulated in the
first place. Items that have slowly built up in the workplace have
become part of the culture. People are used to seeing extra items
piled on workbenches, (wrenches, tooling, fixtures, etc.) that may be
used only once a week, or folders that may not be opened for days.
They get used to working around things. They may believe that
“somebody else needs it”, or may believe (and often rightly so) that
they do not have the authority to dispose of an article even though
they know it isn’t regularly used.

It’s human nature to keep things nearby without stopping to

think whether they’re used often enough to warrant it, or to keep
larger quantities than are really needed, “just in case”. It’s also
human nature to continue doing things the way “they’ve always been
done.” That’s how we got in this mess. Now let’s look at how we get
out it!

Who’s going to decide what we get rid of?

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Some people will be overjoyed to learn that you’ve decided to get rid
of those things they’ve been reaching over, stepping around,
searching behind or under for months or years. They’ve probably
been frustrated or annoyed more than once by unneeded items in
their work area.

Others may not know what all the fuss is about when the new
5S campaign is announced. They’re so used to the clutter that they
don’t even see it any more. They may be less enthusiastic about the
launching of the new 5S campaign, however. They’ll want to know
what it’s all about, how it affects them, and how it’s going to benefit
them. They’ll become convinced through good communication
before and during the 5S implementation, by becoming involved in
the improvement process themselves, and by experiencing the
improvements first hand.

After the initial effort, everybody in the work area should be

involved, working together to identify unneeded items, gaining a
new mindset and determining to see through “new eyes” in order
eliminate all unneeded items in the sorting process. Everyone will
need to adhere relentlessly to the same criteria. First, though, for the
5S deployment, you will form a team to initiate the project.

Try to get both types on your implementation team - those

who find unneeded items an annoyance, and those who don’t see
what the big fuss is all about. But if possible, don’t put like numbers
of the two types on the team. You’ll need more of those who find
unneeded items an annoyance than those who are used to
overlooking the clutter. In addition, you should include in your team
some members from outside the division, depart or office where 5S
is being implemented, to offer fresh eyes.

You’ll need input from all people involved in the particular

work area under study, not just team members, in order to determine
what is actually currently needed and in what quantity they are
required. Remember, too, that it’s critical to have support of
management in the implementation and sustaining of the 5S system.

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Note: It is vital to maintain all required facilities during and

after your 5S implementation. Team members and activities must be
planned with this foremost in mind.

Once you’ve formed your team and are ready to take the first
step, how do you decide what to do with all those things
accumulated in the workplace?

Ask yourselves: Do we need this today?

This will be the key criterion throughout the 5S process. If
you don’t need it today, you probably don’t need it on the production
floor, or the top of the desk. Although there are exceptions, this is
the mentality you need to use in the evaluation and implementation
of upcoming stages.

Step by step, you’ll determine whether items are ever used, if

so how often and where, and in what quantity. From these
determinations you’ll devise handy, efficient, visually controlled
storage for everything you’re going to keep. You’ll provide a
convenient place right on the production line or desktop for what
you need today. You’ll prepare adequate, appropriate, clearly
marked storage for the things you need tomorrow, or the next day, or
next week. You’ll get rid of everything you no longer need and
excess quantities of the things you need.

You will be taking an uncompromising look at everything

from floor to ceiling, wall to wall, under and above, beside and
inside, asking the same questions of everything you see: Do we ever
need this here? Do we need this many of them?

In the next steps, we’ll ask of what remains in the work area,
do we need it today?

Do we EVER need this here?

Examples of items that may be placed in the unneeded
category include:

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Obsolete equipment, tools, fixtures, files, books or other

items
Infrequently used equipment, tools, fixtures, files, books, or
other items
Any item about which there is a question in terms of how,
where or when it is used
Items stored in one area but used in another area
Excess quantities of items
Items not needed for the current process, production,
project or schedule
Defective items
Worn-out items
Old memos, manuals, visual displays, notices, etc.

Do we need this many?

If there are more of the items in the work area than are
needed for the current production cycle, shift, day’s work, etc. there
are probably too many. Extra quantities should be stored off-line or
off the desktop.

Divide and conquer

When you know which items you need, and in what quantity,
you’re ready to separate the unneeded items. As soon as you begin to
divide needed and unneeded, you’ll have begun to gain control over
the workplace. If you scrupulously follow this first step, eliminating
everything from the workplace that is unneeded, there will be an
immediate sense of accomplishment, and immediate improvement to
build upon. Success breeds success.

A word to those who are concerned that if they throw

something away today, they’ll be sure to need it tomorrow: never
fear. Items declared unneeded are going to be placed in a temporary
holding area, evaluated by all relevant personnel, and only finally
permanently disposed of when all appropriate personnel agree.
Those items that aren’t disposed of may be placed in a less obtrusive
storage area, freeing the work environment from unnecessary items
while at the same time staying prepared for that “just in case” event
in the future.

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What will you do with items you’ve decided may be

unneeded? First, they’ll be red tagged and placed in a separate
location.

Red Tagging
The red tagging process identifies and clears out all unneeded
items that have collected. During the 5S implementation, methods
will be instituted to keep this kind of clutter from building up again
in the future. There may be items in the work area that are
unidentified. Workers may not know what they are, how or when (if
ever) they are used, or why they were placed there in the first place.
To find the answers to those questions, personnel from the entire
facility, division, department, or office need to be involved. A simple
and effective way to obtain their input is through the red tagging
system.

Red tagging procedure is as follows:

1. Select the red tag area

In selecting the area where the first S (Sort) will be
implemented through the red tagging process, ask yourselves these
questions: Will the effort be company-wide or confined to a
department, division, office, etc? Will there be a pilot area
implementation first before a larger effort is undertaken? Which area
and staff do we expect to have the greatest success in the initial
effort? Management and the 5S Team must answer these questions
before the initiative begins, select the initial 5S deployment area, and
choose members for the 5S Red Tag team. It is wise to select an area
where greatest success can be expected for the initial deployment.

A pilot area implementation, with a scheduled red-tagging

effort to follow in each additional area of the facility is
recommended unless the facility is small enough to do a company-
wide deployment initially. The red tagging effort should be
completed in 1-2 days or less. If the area selected is too large it may
result in overlooking some items that should be tagged.

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In addition, it is important to remember that this is a new

undertaking for the team. They need to have sufficient time to
discuss and agree upon criteria, items selected, etc. Don’t choose an
area that is so large it prevents them from being effective during this
part of their learning curve.

2. Organize the Red Tag team

The Red Tag team should include all members of the 5S team, as
well as additional appropriate parties such as representatives from
maintenance, engineering, tool room, production control, etc. in a
factory. In an office, additional personnel might include staff from
maintenance or other departments, and other support staff. It is
recommended that at least one person be involved in red tagging
who is in not a part of the division, department or office being red
tagged, in order to bring a set of “fresh eyes” to the event from the
start. The Red Tag team will function only in this first step of the 5S
process, which should last 1-2 days per deployment.

3. Prepare the Red Tag team for deployment

Use a Red Tag Team Informational Form
First, the Red Tag team (which includes all members of the
5S Team), led by the 5S leader and/or external specialist, should be
given an overview of the 5S System, and of the part they will play in
its first step: Sort. Included in the information they are given should
be the following:
Duration and scope of the entire 5S implementation
Duration and scope of pilot Red tagging in relation to the
entire 5S pilot implementation (1-2 days per area)
Number of 5S deployment phases, dates and areas for
which they are scheduled
Goal of 5S implementation – expected results and benefits
The part they will play in following phases of the
company-wide 5S deployment.

Ideally, all Red Tag team members will receive the complete
5S training, and participate at some level in its full pilot deployment.
The Red Tag team’s attitude and success will be invaluable to the
efforts of the overall 5S implementation. Their enthusiasm and news

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of benefits from their initial effort will help build momentum and
support for 5S among all company personnel.

A key to creating a successful experience from the start is for

Red Tag team members to be given ample time, information and
incentive to do a thorough, deliberate and yet quick blitz of the
assigned area. Leadership from the external specialist or internal
leader and from management is also an essential agreement.

4. Determine types of items to be evaluated

Use a Red Tag Criteria, Documentation and Notification Form
The Red Tag team should make a list of every type of item that is
found in the targeted area. Included are the following examples:
Equipment
o Tools
o Gauges
o Carts
o Dies
o Fixtures
o Machines
o Other
Inventory
o Raw material
o Parts
o Products
o Work in process (WIP)
o Excess inventory
o Defective inventory
o Other
Furniture and / or Storage (one or two categories, depending
upon your asset tracking procedures)
o Desks
o Cabinets
o Chairs
o Shelving
o Partitions
o Cupboards
o Boxes
o Misc. and other

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Fixtures and Fittings

o Wires
o Tubs
o Pipes
o Misc. and other
OSHA and Safety violations
Bulletin Boards, Production Boards, Scheduling Boards etc
o Newsletters
o Memos
o Notices
o Flyers
o Misc. and other
Documents, files, etc
o Stacks of papers, file folders etc
o Magazines, catalogues, etc
o Schedules
o Misc. and other
Space – miscellaneous clutter:
o On floors, stairways, in aisles, etc.
o That blocks access to electrical panels, gauges, etc
o Behind cabinets, desks, shelves, etc
o Under desks, in drawers, etc.

5. Set red tag criteria

In a production area, a simple and effective red tagging
criterion is the upcoming month’s (week’s, day’s, shift’s) production
schedule. All items needed in that schedule are kept in the area. All
items not needed in that schedule are removed from the area.

Another way to determine whether an item is needed or not,

is to ask these types of questions:

Is this item within arm’s reach of the work it is used for?

Is this item used daily? (or is it used on this shift; during this
production schedule, etc.)

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Is this quantity of this item used daily? (or on this shift,

during this production schedule, etc.)

Each company will need to devise its own specific questions

and metrics, based upon their particular circumstances. Rules of
thumb are:
Items that are used several times a day (shift, hour,
production cycle, etc.) should be stored within arm’s reach whenever
possible.

Items that are used less than once per day (shift, hour,
production cycle, etc) should be stored off-line, or off the desktop.

Surplus items should be stored off line, or off the desktop.

Only keep the number needed for that day’s (or shift’s, hour’s,
production cycle’s, etc.) work within arm’s reach.

6. List and gather needed supplies

For this event supplies are minimal. They include the
following:

a. Red Tags or material from which the red tags will be

made, markers and ties. A way to gauge the average
number of red tags needed is to multiply the number of
employees who work in the area to be red tagged by 4 or
5. This will give an approximate number of tags and ties
(or tape) needed.

b. Colored tape, rope, or other material to delineate the red

tag holding area

That’s it! No other supplies are necessary, although you will

want to have adequate garbage bags or cans on hand.

Note: Tags should be purchased or made prior to the 5S

deployment. Although red tags are available from many sources,
companies sometimes prefer to individualize information contained
on them. If you are going to use customized tags, the Red Tag team,
the 5S team, and/or 5S leader should meet in advance to determine

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