Is 5S really that good?

[RoxaneB]

I'm barracuda blocked, so I can't find it online to post. Remember the "Stupid Label Guy" from Dilbert?

I think every organization that has started a 5S way of being has had at least one Stupid Label Guy. *lol*

My Mom's organization went the route of 5S and she was complaining one day about labeling everything and no one was putting things back per the labels. I proceeded to give her a crash course in 5S while we were sitting in a restaurant. It may have involved the napkin dispenser, a ketchup bottle, salt and pepper, and cutlery from other tables.

 

[Wes Bucey]

Joshua Milbourn (Project Man) has given a wonderful synopsis of 5S here. Better yet, later on in the thread he gives permission to use it in OUR practice.

 

[Manoj Mathur]

5S is one of the most widely adopted techniques from the lean manufacturing toolbox.
Along with Standard Work and Total Productive Maintenance, 5S is considered a "foundational" lean concept, as it establishes the operational stability required for making and sustaining continuous improvements.But then Question is WHY IT FAILS??? I have done lots of R&D, Searched many Books, Visited Lots of GEMBA, Interacted numbers of people at shop floor and officials including MDs, CEOs, Owners and found those who understand 5S as Training subject or as Tool, I think they may fail. Probably we have considered 5S as only Housekeeping and not applied 5S
In my openion It is WAY OF LIFE. It is a CULTURE. For make you more understandable I took 5S as Applied 5S. Or 5S as applied to 6M. These 6M s are vital for Manufacturing.

Following are the 6 M :-
Man
Machine
Material
Method
Measuring Equipment
Material Handling Equipment
For Illustration I am attaching 1st S to 5th S of MAN.
On the Similar basis we need to understand 5S X 6M,
Regards
MANOJ MATHUR

 

[JoShmo]

On reason 5 S fails is that it is the ONLY tool from the Lean toolbox which is adopted. Doing 5S without also implementing one peice/synchronous flow, 7 wastes reduction (especially wasted movement), etc will NOT ensure the 5S is successful. As with many tools adoption of one just because you can see things are different - tidy, clean etc doesn't make it sustainable.

 

[ncwalker]

At the end of the day, it's a plan. I've seen several sites adding a 6th S for "Safety."

And it has the same faults of any plan. For a plan to work:
1) Plan must be good and understood
2) Plan must be executed well

Being such an industry recognized plan, however, does carry the advantage of resources and understanding being readily available. Presentation and training material. And even in a place like this. You can ask a 5S question and look at all the people who have responded. We all know what you are talking about.

You could come up with "Plan 9 From Outer Space" and if your company got behind that and executed it, it would be "better" than 5S. I've been in places that were VERY 5S and didn't call attention to it. I've been in places that were flat silly with 5S signs and shadow boards and were absolutely NOT 5S.

Your original question was "Is 5S really that good?"

You're going to get the zen answer.

It's as good as you (and especially your management) MAKES it.