![5 Benefits Of the Lean Warehousing 5S Practices teaser]()
24 Oct 2022
Traditional lean practices encourage a very specific and structured approach to getting your entire workplace cleaned up, well organised and standardised. Now, you might be wondering the reason why they are called the ‘5S' practices. The ‘5S' is based on 5 Japanese words starting with the letter ‘S' which describes the 5 steps it involves.
What is 5S in Warehouse Management?
5S is a methodology that improves workplace efficiency and effectiveness through a systematic approach to organization and cleanliness. You may be eager to know what these 5 steps entail. Well, these 5 ‘S' are:
- Sort: Remove unnecessary items from the workplace.
- Set: Organize essential items for easy access.
- Shine: Clean the workspace regularly to maintain standards.
- Standardize: Develop uniform procedures and protocols.
- Sustain: Maintain and review standards consistently.
Implementing the 5S practices is key to maintaining a lean warehouse. The basic objective of implementing 5S is to make problems visible, thus creating a safer workplace. Having a clean and highly organised warehouse is much more than just looking great. It is mainly about having an efficient warehousing operation and communication amongst the workplace.
A lot has been said regarding the lean warehouse process and the 5S practices, but the following are the key benefits of implementing the lean warehousing 5S practices as part of your warehouse management.
1. Enhance Efficiency
One of the key principles of 5S is to get rid of items that are not used and create an efficient warehouse. This makes it easier to find items that are necessary. To implement this strategy, you will need a clean and organised warehouse, which requires eliminating waste, getting rid of clutter, unwanted items, scrap materials and unused supplies. Instead, only focusing on tools that are needed on a regular basis. This ensures that time is spent more productively by avoiding wasting valuable time to find needed tools and materials amongst the clutter. It also frees up valuable storage space.
With the lean warehousing 5S practices all necessary; materials, tools, machines and equipment are placed in ergonomic locations. This reduces fatigue and quickens access to required materials, resulting in a more efficient workplace and greater warehouse productivity.
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Pictured: WERKS® Partition Walls - Perforated Panels 2. Increase Safety
One of the primary benefits of lean warehouse processes is increased warehouse safety. The cleanliness of the practices ensures that potential hazards are cleaned up immediately and that potential hazards are detected early, preventing any disastrous situations. In addition to this, the 5S practices result in the elimination of any unsafe warehouse practices that may have existed previously, further protecting employees from any potential hazards or injuries. 3. Reduce Costs
A good amount of space can be freed up by eliminating unused materials and clutter. There is also always a cost associated with the space that those materials were taking up. Not only the cost of renting the space but the cost of heating/cooling, cleaning and maintaining it. With a successful lean warehouse, not only will your costs be reduced from clearing this space but that space is then free to be used more efficiently. 4. Improve Maintenance and Less Downtime
It's all about having the optimal warehouse setup. By maintaining tools and equipment clean and free of clutter, it can be easier to spot small defects, failures and problems like oil leaks. It's all about continuous improvement and this early recognition of a defect allows you to take preventive measures before it becomes a more serious problem.
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Pictured: Pallet Racking
5. Improve Morale of Employees
If an employee recognises that their company cares, employee morale will be boosted, and employees will care more about their job. By implementing lean warehousing 5S practices not only are you creating a safer, cleaner and more efficient workplace but you're showing your employees that you care about them, their area of work and their safety.
How can you bring 5S into your warehouse?
Bringing 5S into a warehouse involves a step-by-step approach to streamline operations and enhance efficiency.
Sort
Sort your warehouse by removing all non-essential items, such as obsolete inventory and unnecessary tools.
Set
It's all about getting your warehouse in order. Organise essential items systematically by labelling shelves and creating designated spots for frequently used equipment.
Shine
Keep it clean! Maintain a daily cleaning routine that ensures floors are clean and equipment is operating properly.
Standardise
Ensure consistency by developing uniform procedures and establishing protocols for stocking picking, and inventory checks.
Sustain
Maintain these efforts by conducting regular audits and training sessions, reinforcing the importance of maintaining order and cleanliness, and incorporating 5S into the warehouse culture for continuous improvement.
Lean Warehousing in Action
The Public Transport Authority approach us with a number of key challenges. Firstly, they lacked fit-for-purpose storage space for tools, causing lost tools, frustration and wasted time. They also have no method in place for their workspace organisation which caused inefficiencies and had no clearly defined or marked areas (i.e. pedestrian/hazardous) which posed a safety risk.
To solve these challenges, we employed the 5S Lean pillars – SORT, SET IN ORDER, SHINE, STANDARDISE, SUSTAIN – along with our human-centred engineering (HCE) principles. Lean warehousing 5S practices involve a very specific and structured approach to getting your entire workplace cleaned up, well organised and standardised.
To provide an organised, easy to use system for tool storage, a custom Tool Shadow Board was supplied and installed to suit PTA's specific requirements. Each tool has a labelled place, making clean-up and organisation super easy.
Read the full PTA case study. Komatsu required a fleet of stillage cages with specific features for machinery parts storage at their world-class Parts Distribution Centre in Perth. Their requirements included pallet racking compatibility; stacking ability; exact sizing; good drainage; removable sides; Komatsu corporate colouring; and a sturdy, robust construction that would be a worthwhile investment.
In keeping with Komatsu's new, modern facility and their 5S Safety Policy (Seiri - Sorting, Seiton - Setting in order, Seiso - Shining, Seiketsu - Standardising, Shitsuke - Sustaining) we provided them with the foundation for a neat and organised storage system that will last for many years! flo
Read the full Komatsu Australia case study. 5s in Warehouse: Leaders in Lean Warehouse Practice
5S is a Lean strategy that helps solve a basic problem: making problems visible.
Bringing lean practices into your warehouse processes flow is worth the investment as it will deliver results. Lean will create a streamlined warehouse setup where problems are immediately visible, and every employee is engaged in solving them.
Now it's time to apply the lean methodology to your warehouse so that you can reap the benefits that a 5s system can deliver.
If you're looking for 5s/lean system products for your workplace or strategies for optimising your warehouse operations, contact us at Backsafe Australia, our friendly team are always happy to assist you in creating a more efficient workplace.Back To News Stories