Originally developed by Hiroyuki
Hirano for manufacturing companies in Japan, the principles of 5S
translate well to the laboratory, the
repair facility, and even the corporate office. Almost any workplace
environment will benefit from the
structure and efficiency that this
model provides.
5S is sometimes called the five pillars
because just like the physical pillars
that hold up a structure, 5S has five
elements that support the effectiveness of the system.
And just like the pillars of a building, if one was to weaken or fail, the
entire structure would fall.
The five steps/pillars of 5S are:
Sort
Set in Order
Shine
Standardize
Sustain