No more buts. Let’s Five S receiving.
Write a list of what happens in receiving:
1. Receive vendor deliveries.
2. Receive UPS deliveries.
3. Receive company truck pick-ups.
4. Receive returns.
5. Receive supplies.
Now we start.
1st S - SORT – “KEEP ONLY WHAT IS NEEDED”
What do we need in receiving? And what don’t we need?
It is time to sort through EVERYTHING in the receiving area. Keep everything needed and remove everything else. Locate all tools and materials needed at the point of use, and nothing else. During Sort, you will find many items that don’t belong. Remove them. I have seen receiving areas that are full of non-receiving items: packing tools, unrelated paperwork, valves/fittings/bolts sitting around. Then when a delivery truck pulls up – no one can find a pen or stapler. Eventually, a pen was found, and staples were discovered behind some fittings on a shelf.
2nd S - SET IN ORDER - “A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE”
You’ve sorted all items needed – where should they be stored? Identify the best locations for tools, materials, and paperwork. Labels, bins, color-coding will clearly identify proper locations. (Move all unneeded stuff to a holding area outside of receiving.)
The Lean 30-second rule says workers should be able to find everything they need to perform their job in less than 30 seconds. Receiving needs clearly marked areas (painted lines on the floor) for stock and nonstock materials. Highlight the destination — stock to the warehouse, non-stock to the staging/shipping area. Receiving areas have a lot of paperwork floating around. Consequently, people waste a lot of time looking for the right document. Most receiving areas fail the 30-second rule. Dedicate counter space for clearly labeled paperwork trays. Three-week-old paperwork isn’t needed in the receiving area, it’s clutter. Systematically clear out old paperwork every week. File it somewhere, far away.