A Five S program is usually a part
of, and the key component of
Visual Factory (Workplace) Management (VFM). And
5s and VFM are both a part of
Kaizen
-- a system of continual improvement.
The
Five S program focuses on having visual order, organization,
cleanliness and standardization. The results you can
expect from a Five S program are: improved profitability,
efficiency, service and safety.
The principles underlying a Five S program at first appear to be simple, obvious
common sense. And they are. But until the advent of Five S programs many businesses
ignored these basic principles.
Everyone and all types of business
benefit from having a Five S program.
Manufacturing
and industrial plants come to mind first, as those are
the business that can realize the greatest benefits.
However, any type of business, from a retail store to
a power plant -- from hospitals to television stations
-- all types of businesses, and all areas within a business,
will realize benefits from implementing a Five S program.
The shipyard industry is spending
nearly a million dollars to develop a Five S program
the industry can use, and to implement that program
at two shipyards. On the other hand you can implement
a Five S program without adding an extra dollar to your
budget.
Realistically you probably will need to spend some extra
money to get your Five S program going. There will be
training time; man-hours spent to get your facility
cleaned up and organized; equipment purchases, such
as buying a quality labeling system; and time spent
on sustaining your Five S program once it is in place.
Your actual costs will depend on where you are now -
for example what is the condition of your facility?
The further you are from meeting the goals of a Five
S program, the more it will cost to implement one and
the greater the benefits you'll see as a result of your
Five S program.
