Use 5S to eliminate wastes in LEAN

Lean management is about reducing wastes.

That's it. But what are "wastes"? The Japanese word for waste is muda, and there are seven types of wastes named as,

1. Over production
2. Waiting
3. Excess transportation
4. Over processing
5. Excess inventory
6. Rework
7. Unnecessary motion

And there is an 8th waste which is defined as,

8. Untapped, latent potential of people's ideas and actions

The idea behind lean management is that any activity that doesn't add value to the customer is a waste and should be eliminated.

So how do you eliminate these wastes?

By applying the "5S" principles: sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain.

Sort: Eliminate anything that isn't necessary for the process. This includes tools, materials, and people.

Set in order: Arrange everything so that it's easy to find and use. This includes both physical and digital items.

Shine: Keep everything clean and organized. This includes both the physical workspace and the digital workspace.

Standardize: Create rules and procedures that everyone follows. This helps ensure that things are done in a consistent way, every time.

Sustain: Make sure that these principles are followed consistently over time. This includes both the physical and digital spaces."

So, what are the purposes of 5S to LEAN.

• Creating a safer and work friendly working environment.
• Achieving super market / office vision (Visual factory and office)
• Creating a cultural transformation; leadership and team work, disciplined people with Kaizen mindset.
• Lay a solid foundation for a world class lean enterprise. "Provide standardization and bringing problems to the surface".
• Maximize profits and improve sustainability.
• And finally, waste elimination which will build the basic foundation for LEAN.

Key techniques to sustain in 5S

• continual 5S promotional activities
• carrying out audits (save audits section heads audits cross functional audit and external audits
• maintain a reward and recognition program
• carry out training programs for existing employees and newcomers at the induction
• establish rules and regulations
• provide basic infrastructure for 5S activities
• Practice continuous improvement

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