NPA: Business Improvement Techniques

Contributing to the Application of Workplace Organisation Techniques

Aim of the Unit

The aim of this Unit is to give the learner the knowledge and understanding required to apply the principles and techniques of workplace organisation, as embodied within the concepts of 5C/5S.

Workplace organisation structure of the Unit

Aims and objectives of Unit Learning outcomes Introduction to 5C/5S The 5Cs/5Ss
What are they? How to implement

Auditing the 5C/5S workplace standard The outcomes of 5C/5S Successfully implementing 5C/5S Health and safety considerations Links with 8W, visual management and standardised work

Objectives of the Unit

to understand the importance or 5C/5S and how this concept can be applied to define and describe the principles of effective workplace organisation as embodied within the concept of 5C/5S to demonstrate the application of 5C/5S techniques to describe why and how the 5C/5S standard within the workplace should be audited to define the importance of 5C/5S and understand how to sustain the 5C/5S process to understand the health and safety benefits to be gained to understand how 5C/5S encourages teamwork
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Learning outcomes
After completing the Unit, you should: understand the importance of effective workplace organisation and be able to describe each of the 5Cs/5Ss understand the process and implications of applying 5C/5S to the workplace have carried out a 5C/5S activity, probably as part of a team, to improve the organisation of a work area be confident that you could repeat the application of the principles and techniques of 5C/5S to another area

Poor workplace organisation

Office:

Does any of this look familiar?

What issues would result?

Impact of poor organisation

Typical issues:
untidy, clutter, obstacles to workflow poor image time wasted searching for things plant and equipment not positioned to support efficient working damaged materials over production/over ordering potential health and safety issues poor housekeeping difficult to see the status of things stock levels would create inefficiency or waste impacts on other processes

Possible workplace organisation projects

There are many ways in which the organisation of a workplace can be improved through the use of a variety of tools: works planning and programming layouts and flow (spaghetti) diagrams standardising work operations process mapping

But one tool has been specifically designed to improve this and is known as 5C/5S.
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5C/5S

The first building block of lean/continuous improvement

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5C/5S definition
A structured method for achieving, maintaining and improving the standard setup, organisation, layout and control of a work area, so as to ensure safe and efficient operations with minimum waste.

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Introducing 5C/5S
The concept of 5C/5S is generally regarded to have originated from the Japanese automotive industry, and is considered one of the fundamental building blocks for an organisation striving to establish lean practices and a culture of continuous improvement.

Importance safety, quality, delivery, cost, client satisfaction sets standards a reflection of how the product/service or project will be managed/delivered mindset image
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5C / 5S

The original Japanese 5Ss have been adopted and adapted by Western industries. The translations and basic meanings are shown in the table.
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The purpose of 5C/5S

to improve the organisation and working standards of the work environment to create a work environment that supports safe working practices, right first time quality and efficient, productive working to provide the basis for other building blocks

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Health and safety and the 5C/5S process

Carry out a health and safety risk assessment in the work area. What are the hazards within the target area? Ensure that all health and safety requirements are met and understood by everyone involved in the process improvement activity. Identify and provide the necessary personal protective equipment. Does the team require any further health and safety training?

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5C/5S
Carrying out a 5C/5S

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1.

Clear-out/sort

Remove those items from the workplace that are not essential to enable the work activity to be carried out.

You cant see the wood for the trees

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1.

Clear-out/sort

Clear-out/sort non-essential items (eg tools, equipment, inventory, paper, rubbish, furniture). By being present, such non-essential items: create clutter can create unsafe working conditions take up space can hinder efficient operations often will be moved from one place to the next can hide other problems within the work place

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1.

Clear-out/sort how do we do it?

Designate an area to which all items will be cleared to. Direct the team on health and safety considerations and how the activity will be run. Log all items as they are cleared from the work area. Red-tag any items that are in a poor condition.

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1.

Clear-out/sort how do we do it?

Check the condition of all items being put back.

As items are cleared/sorted, and prior to putting back into the work environment, clean and check: Make sure the work area and necessary items in as-new condition health and safety efficient operation makes problems visible Set the standard condition Red-tag any items that are in a poor state of repair, etc

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1.

Clear-out/sort

5C/5S applied to an office work area

5C/5S applied to a construction site stores

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In one such clear-out activity in a small office area, 12 bin sacks were filled with unnecessary items!

2.

Configure/straighten

A place for everything and everything in its place

The orderly organisation of those items that are necessary to complete the work activity, in a way that ensures safe and efficient operations, which can be repeated with minimal waste.

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2.
1.

Configure/straighten how do we do it?

Identify where to locate each necessary item:
Establish where best to place or store an item, to support efficient work activity. Think about how often the item is used. Consider safe working and minimise bending, reaching, twisting, etc. Consider the whole work area and the location of items to fit with the typical work pattern aim to support efficient workflow.

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Criteria to help effective configuring

One step rule: Ideally nothing stored more than a step away. Improve efficiency by eliminating time lost looking for items. 30 second rule: Organise workplace to allow any tool, information or material to be located and retrieved within 30 seconds. This includes computer files! 45 degree rule: Immediate work area layout to minimise twisting. Strike zone rule: Store things above the knees and below the chest. The higher the pounds, the closer to the knuckles: Locate heavy items to eliminate bending, stooping or unnecessary arm movements during lifting.
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2.

Configure/straighten how do we do it?

2. Use visual methods to clearly show where each item should be located: labels showing name, ID number, etc shadow boards floor tape, painted lines and footprints colour coding

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2.

Configure/straighten how do we do it?

3. Establish ways, preferably visual methods, to manage the replenishment of regularly used items including materials and consumables: determine the lead times for replenishment set and clearly shown maximum storage quantities and the point at which an item needs to be re-ordered (ie the minimum level or re-order point) min-max labelling two-bin replenishment system when the first bin is emptied this is the signal to refill it
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2.

Configure/straighten

A configured/straightened site: racked-out stored items have a designated location locations are labelled: description part/order number

min and max storage quantities

area is clean and tidy lighting helps to improve the storage environment and standard

What impression does this give?

Would you waste time searching for the Sets the standard for workplace item you want? layout and organisation
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Configure before and after

Configuring an office stationery cupboard

items stored with no defined location What is the stock status?

items have clearly defined locations labels used to indicate what should be at each location and the storage quantities

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3.

Clean and check/shine

Keep things clean and in good working order

Clean and check (or shine), is used to ensure that items are clean and ready to be used. Regular, ideally daily, clean and check activities are carried out to maintain the 5C standards for cleanliness and workplace organisation.

Clean on the surface!

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Check uncover the problems

3.

Clean and check/shine

Keep things clean and in good working order

Undertake regular clean and check activities. Ensure that items are clean and ready to be used as new: identify any abnormal conditions (red-tag) items missing, damaged or broken Check for safe operating conditions. Maintain the 5C/5S standards for cleanliness and workplace organisation.

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3.

Clean and check/shine

Keep things clean and in good working order

Regular clean and check activity, carried out by the people who operate within the workplace, will create ownership and make people aware of any issues. Aim to make the cleaning activity part of every days work. On-site, work areas should be tidied and any rubbish disposed of. If done every day, it becomes normal practice. Clean-up by trades as they finish a job must be enforced, so that any wasted time experienced by follow-on trades will be minimised.

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3.

Clean and check/shine

Keep things clean and in good working order

should include the area as well as the tools, equipment and plant to be used When checking tools, equipment and plant ask: Is it in good repair? Is it fit for purpose? Does the condition pose a risk to either health and safety or quality? If an issue is found, TAG IT!

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3.

Clean and check/shine

Putting our hands onto and cleaning this motor, we found:

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3.

Clean and check/shine

Managing any identified issues

It is important that where any items have been identified with issues, the resolution of these is effectively managed. A commonly applied 5C/5S practice is the use of red-tagging.

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Tagging procedure

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3.

Clean and check/shine red-tagging

Red tags are used to provide a visual indicator of an abnormal condition. Brief details of the issue and possible countermeasure are logged. Each red tag is given a unique number to enable recording and tracking of issues. The red tag is tied to the item that has the issue.

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Red tag issues

Effective resolution and management
Log all red tag occurrences on a red tag action log sheet. Prioritise each red tag issue according to the severity of the issue and/or urgency required for resolution: A simple system is to categorise an issue as either low, medium or high. Use an agreed severity rating scale.

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3. Clean and check/shine red tag log sheet

A red tag log sheet is used to track the progress of resolving red-tag issues.
5C / 5S Red Tag Log Sheet
Location Tag No. Issue / Problem Severity
(H, M, L)

Location:

Activity Owner:

Date Logged

Cause

Action

Owner

Target Date

Progress

4.

Conformity

The process of setting the 5C/5S standards and making them easy to maintain by using simple systems and processes. It can prove difficult to maintain the 5C/5S standard that has been set during the first three 5Cs/5Ss. The use of forms, diagrams, checklists and clearly defined roles and responsibilities will help ensure that everyone in the work area can maintain the 5C/5S standard. It is important that this information is effectively communicated to people within the work area and to those people who interact with the work area.
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4.

Conformity

The process of setting the 5C/5S standards and making them easy to maintain by using simple systems and processes. This can be achieved by following some simple guidelines:

pre-work set-up checklist (do you have all the tools, materials and equipment ready?) display how work tasks should be done display the 5C standard of the workplace define how the 5C standard is to be maintained (eg clean and check rota) use visual methods to show the location of necessary items

4.

Conformity

A 5C/5S board ensures everyones involved.

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4.
Standard Workplace Layout Chart
Work Type:

Conformity
Visually defining the workplace layout
Site:
Ref No. Last Revised
Originator Standard Job Detail Ref. No.

Timber Frame Erection

PLOT 1

1
LIVING ROOM

PLOT 2 7
11
LIVING ROOM

DPC

WC

10

WC

3
9 12 14

KITCHEN DINER

HALL

HALL

KITCHEN DINER

5
13
NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

A detailed workplace layout chart indicating the location of materials and build sequence for timber frame erection.
Form P:19

Photographs to illustrate: Clearout Configure Clean to check

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FRONT OF PLOT PAD Flow of Timber Frame Products: - Build from back to front to aid access

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Standard Workplace Layout Chart

Work Type

Where Used Previously

Ref No. Last Revised

Originator

Standard Job Detail Ref. No.

Mixer

A standardised work layout chart showing where material items (bricks and mortar) should be located to aim efficient working.

Supply of Red Tags

M B M B M

Form P:19

A site layout plan showing the location of facilities and is markedup to indicate the Traffic Plan.

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5.

Custom and practice/self-discipline

Consistent application, training and everyday routine

Ensuring consistent adoption and use of 5C/5S by all personnel who are either involved directly with the workplace or who interact with the workplace. Train all personnel in 5C/5S its not just good housekeeping! Give ownership of the 5C/5S standard. Consistently enforce the 5C/5S standard and culture. Conduct independent 5C/5S audits. Seek to improve the 5C/5S standard.
Good companies develop beginning with the 5Cs /5Ss, bad companies fall apart beginning with the 5Cs/5Ss.

Hiroyuki Hirano
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5C summary steps
1.

Clear-out
remove everything not bolted to the ground get rid of all rubbish and unnecessary tools/materials/docs etc keep, quarantine, chuck areas

2.

Configure
decide what do we need?, establish optimum buffer find everything its home consider logistics, frequency of use, worker motion waste, sequence of tasks use visual aids, eg to show location, replenishment of materials, quarantine area

3.

Clean and check/shine

make sure all tools and machinery are in good condition

4.

Conformity
create SOPs, eg cleaning schedule, maintenance procedures, location chart

5.

Custom and practice

the company way

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5C/5S
Auditing the 5C/5S standard

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5C/5S levels of excellence

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5C/5S audit sheet

Office 5C Audit Check Sheet
Office Working Environement
Are the essential items in the correct place? Are there any nonessential items in the work area?

Division:

Auditor: Desk
Is the document filing system being correctly used?

Date:

Ref No.

Observation

Check

Name

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Ref No.

Yes No Garry Cotterrell Is the area clean and tidy? Richard Green Are the floors and aisles clear of non-essential items? Are all cables/wires etc safely stored and connected? Are all storage areas clean and tidy? Are all storage areas free of non-essential items? Are storage areas clearly labelled and is everything in it's place? Are all notice boards tidy? Is all of the required information displayed and is it up-to-date? Are all notice boards free of non-essential items? Is the central filing system in order? (hard and electronic) Is the central filing system clearly marked up? Is the central filing system complete? Is the drawing rack tidy and in order? Are all disks, documents, folders etc clearly labelled/identified? Are reference items such as brochures organised & accessible? IMPROVEMENT ACTION PLAN Issue/Opportunity Improvement Action Who
Target Date

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Are all defective items / abnormal conditions redtagged?

Are there any health & saftey issues (e.g. Trip Hazards)?

Is the work area clean & tidy?

Done?

5C/5S
The outcomes of 5C/5S

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The outcomes of 5C/5S

improved working environment safer since safety depends on care and workplace organisation improved organisation and image helps create ownership of the working environment and encourages teamwork

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The outcomes of 5C/5S

A standard is set : Only items that are required or essential to support the work are held in the area. Essential items are organised and located in a set position to support effective and efficient work, with the view of minimising wasteful motion. Tools, plant and equipment are maintained to support safe operations and ensure good working conditions.

The outcomes of 5C/5S

The 5S standard: enables any abnormal conditions to be easily spotted provides the basis for continuous process improvement gives confidence to your clients/customers since it reflects the standards of operation to which your business follows

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What do we get from 5C/5S?

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5C/5S
Successfully implementing 5C/5S

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Successfully implementing 5C/5S

Make sure everyone is involved. 5C /5S is the responsibility of all. All levels of management should be involved in decision making. Communicate 5C/5S effectively. Don't leave people to ask: Why are we using these red tags? Is 5C/5S really necessary to improve?

Go all the way. Use the correct formats and procedures.

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Successfully implementing 5C/5S

Managers should carry out the 5C/5S audit: spotting positive and negative conditions identifying specific improvements Final responsibility lies with senior management: The board/senior management needs to take responsibility for and show interest in 5C/5S for it to be taken seriously. Managers must take a strong leadership role in promoting 5C/5S. Never do half a job: Develop procedures to maintain the discipline.
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Check sheets and SOPs

Check sheets and other documentation can be used to maintain the standard of the revised workplace.

SOPs can also be used to ensure that the cleaning and checking regimes are in place.

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5C/5S activities
Possible team make-up and roles
An activity leader to plan, co-ordinate and organise the team and to ensure safe working practices are used. Process stakeholders who do the work to gather, clean, sort and organise all items in their workplace. An auctioneer who will lead the sorting process in the work area. A scribe to record the disposition of items during the sorting process. Also to record any red-tag items on a red-tag log sheet.

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5C/5S activity
Example agenda for one-day 5C/5S activity
08:00 09:00 09:45 10:00 10:15 10:45 11:15 12:00 12:30 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:00 Activity kick-off and final co-ordination for the 5C/5S leader(s) Training and activity planning for 5C/5S team Break Team returns to the area and conducts survey Start sorting process (red-tag exercise carried out in-parallel) Complete sorting process and prepare for auction Auction (if appropriate) Lunch Clean and check necessary items (red-tag as necessary) Agree locations for necessary items and configure as appropriate Create visual controls to support the new 5C/5S standard Re-survey area and capture the new 5C/5S standard Draft 5C/5S documentation and associated audit check sheet and roles and responsibilities to maintain the standard End of activity review with all relevant personnel

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16:30

Summary
What are the benefits of workplace organisation? What are the five stages of a 5S/5C activity? What problems might a Business Improvement Team encounter when trying to implement 5S/5C? How would you maintain the standard of good workplace organisation?

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