One for the album: Participants strike a pose.

After a game between Japan and Argentina at the 1998 World Cup for soccer held in France, cleaning attendants at the stadium apparently found little to do in the section occupied by Japanese fans. The Japanese soccer team, not to be outdone by their fans, left their locker room similarly spotless. While this example may not be without exaggeration, it conveys the total commitment of the Japanese to maintaining orderliness in the workplace - the essence of 5S.

The indiamarkets 5S seminar
The highly interactive indiamarkets seminar on 5S practices in Shop Floor Management held at Hosur on June 15, 2001 had participants from the production departments of organisations such as Ashok Leyland, The Supreme Industries, Indian Refrigeration Company, Snam Abrasives, Indo German Tools, Hirsch and Nypro Forbes.  One of the highlights of the seminar was a factory visit to a manufacturing facility at the SIPCOT Industrial Estate in Hosur. The participants evaluated the factory on the 5S criteria, and came out with some fascinating observations. The trip highlighted the fact that though the factory looked neat and fairly well organised at a superficial level, it was a long way from meeting the 5S objectives.

According to S Jayaraman of The Supreme Industries Limited, "The industrial scenario is so competitive that we need to continuously make improvements in order to stay ahead. Practices such as 5S help us in bringing about the necessary improvements in our organisation. Prior to this seminar, we were not very clear about what 5S is all about, but now we have gained a deeper understanding of the subject."

R Jayasankar, Quality Manager, Indo German Tools, said, "We are a small-scale fabricating unit, supplying components to some major players in the industry. We have implemented 5S practices in our shopfloor, and found these to be very beneficial in improving our operating efficiency."

P Selvaraj, Assistant Manager, Shop IV of Ashok Leyland Limited, agreed. "We are constantly trying to bring in efficiencies in our manufacturing process, and are always interested in finding about new ways leading to improvement. In that context, programmes such as this seminar on 5S practices, are definitely beneficial."

What is 5S?
Simply put, 5S is a movement that emphasises a clean, well-organised workplace. The commitment to 5S is rooted in the belief that constant effort in maintaining a 5S environment leads to long term benefits in safety, and, ultimately, productivity.

The name 5S comes from the first 5 letters of the five Japanese terms: Seiri (Organisation), Seiton (Neatness), Seiso (Cleaning), Seiketsu (Standardisation) and Shitsuke (Discipline).

If one were to examine the 5S's carefully, one would find that many of the practices talked about are actually part of our daily life, and quite unconsciously practised even at our homes. In that sense, 5S does not really focus on anything new - its strength lies in the articulation of certain simple truths - so simple, that they are often forgotten. It isn't too much of an exaggeration to say that a shop floor that's doing badly is probably doing the 5S's badly.

The 5S movement's other great strength lies in its ability to get down to the basics. It actually tells you to roll up your sleeves and get rid of the grime (Seiso), instead of spouting generalisations, as many management philosophies often do. 5S provides the workplace with a framework through which it can evaluate itself, and work towards improvement.

The seminar in progress

Seiri (Organisation)	A significant part of organisation on the shopfloor lies in identifying unnecessary items, and developing the art of throwing them away. Seiri encourages shopfloor managers and workers to continuously assess what is unnecessary, and discarding such items. Some of the typical areas and items which can be much better organised are shelves and lockers, passageways and corners, under staircases and besides pillars, parts and work in progress, bits, tools, jigs, contingency parts, machinery, stands, racks, carts, floors, pits, partitions, storehouses and sheds.
Seiton (Neatness)	Seiton focuses on ensuring that every necessary item has a proper place for itself. In assigning storage space, it important not only to designate the location, but even the shelf where an item is to be placed. Item and location names go together. The entire process is intended to make the process smoother, because when everything has a place and everything is in its place, there is less confusion.
Seiso (Cleaning)	Cleaning means more than just keeping things clean. It is more a philosophy and a commitment to be responsible for all aspects of the things one uses, and to ensure that they are kept in tip-top condition. With the increasing sophistication of modern industrial products, dust, grime, foreign substances, burrs, and other problems are more likely to cause defects, breakdowns, and even accidents. Cleaning should be seen as a way of eliminating these problems one by one.
Seiketsu (Standardisation)	Standardisation is a process which enables people to tell the difference between normality and abnormality, and to act accordingly. Visual control is an important aspect of standardisation. The proper use of colour codes and labels, for example, helps people avoid making operating errors. In conducting visual management, it is important to distinguish clearly between right and wrong, and to have clear standards that anyone can understand.
Shitsuke (Discipline)	The little mistakes that people make come together to cause quality and reliability problems. Instilling discipline means standardizing behaviour and ensuring correct communication and training to make quality happen by sheer force of habit.

If you would like to know more about 5S Practices in Shop Floor Management, or would like to attend/arrange a workshop/seminar relevant to your organisation, please e-mail sandeep@indiamarkets.com