Lean 5S method

5S is a Lean method that refers to five words: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardise and Sustain. In practice, a sixth ‘S’ is increasingly being added: the ‘S’ for Safety.

5S is a way of making employees within a work process aware of their working environment. The 5S method enables employees to keep their workplaces tidy. Ultimately, this leads to:

• Improved efficiency and productivity
• Reduced time spent searching for items needed to carry out the work
• Peace and order in the workplace
• A way to work more safely and easily
• Improvements during the start-up at the beginning of the working day

Within M.I.P., 5S is regarded as the basis for continuous improvement at the plants in Rijkevorsel (BE) and Moerdijk (NL). The internal health and safety & quality adviser monitors this on a daily basis, and discusses with the shift supervisors each week whether there are any areas for improvement.

The 5S system aims to create a tidy, well-organised and clearly laid-out workplace. Furthermore, occupational safety naturally improves; and it is not just safety that benefits – staff can also find items more quickly or notice when something is missing and needs to be restocked. This leads to faster processes with less variability and fewer errors; in short, less waste.