Keywords

1 Introduction

5S is a continuous lean management improving tool, whose task is to create healthy, clean, and good working environment. 5S technique is considered a basic lean technique, as it establishes manufacturing stability and continuous improvement [1, 2]. In the 1980s, Japan was initially introduced the 5S technique in manufacturing sector. West countries and American countries’ industries already used 5S technique in manufacturing sector and getting benefits in productivity, profit, and employees’ behavior. So, Japanese industries also decide to getting benefit of 5S technique, and they also introduce 5S in manufacturing as well as in other sectors like hospitals and offices [3, 4]. The 5S improves the process efficiency and management performance [5]. 5S is the methodology from maintaining organization clean, effective, and systematic workplace. Due to this employees feels good working environment and it eliminates losses with failures and breaks, improve the quality of product and safety at workplace [6,7,8]. It is the technique to improve working environment derived from the Japanese words Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, and Shitsuke. In English, the meaning is Selection, Systematization, Cleaning, Standardize, and Self-discipline [9]. This technique focuses to improve working environment, reduces industrial waste and non-value-adding activity, and improves quality and safety. 5S is literally five abbreviations of Japanese words with five initials of S.

  1. 1.

    Selection: Select the product on basis of “what is needed, when needed, what quantity is needed.” Remove all unnecessary items from the workplace; only selected items which are used in the running process are placed.

  2. 2.

    Systematization: Arrange all equipments in order and label the equipment and easily visible. The systematics will be ineffective if there are too many items that are stored in one workplace.

  3. 3.

    Cleaning: Remove all the unnecessary items and remove dirt/dust/waste. Workplace should be cleaned every day for improving comfort and reducing the risk of equipment failure.

  4. 4.

    Standardization: To set some rules to follow above three steps selection, systematization and cleaning which helps the employee to understand their task and try to achieve 5S method.

  5. 5.

    Self-discipline: In the concept of Kaizen, continuous improvement is required to compete in market. To improve self-discipline internal audits, bonus policies and checklist for various work station is applying.

5S technique was successfully implemented in manufacturing sector, offices, and health care sector. It is quality improvement lean tool to remove non-value-adding activities and increase the profit of the organization [10]. 5S increases environment performance and also reduces industrial waste in manufacturing industries. It promotes cleanness in stores of raw material and finished goods [11].

2 Phases of 5S Implementation Process

The successful implementation of 5S tool is the responsibility of company management and staff members. 5S must be implemented after the proper training, and employees must be aware about this technique. Teamwork is required for 5S implementation. Staff members and management decide the steps to follow 5S implementation. Divide the responsibilities between employees and make clear mission and vision of the company. Every employee tries to achieve these mission and vision. The duration of mission and vision should be 2–5 years. First we decide the objectives of 5S implementation.

  • Remove the industrial waste

  • Increase the quality of product

  • Decrease the unnecessary movement of part and operator

  • Decrease the manufacturing cost

  • Increase the security and safety

  • Improve working environment

One of the most important elements of 5S implementation is habit of each employee from top level to bottom level. Each employee must follow the 5S rules and improve his/her habits in the company premises.

Second element is to assign responsibilities to each employee in different levels. Train all employees and motivate them to maintain 5S basic rules. 5S implementation method is shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1
figure 1

Implementation of 5S method

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5S is implemented atleast two years period of time towards sustain. 5S implementation is usually classified into four phases. Responsibilities of different level employees are given in Table 1. Production head is responsible for setting the mission and vision of the company, and other employees can achieve these mission and vision. Same as shop floor head is responsible for the implementation of 5S. Shift incharge monitors the changes due to 5S implementation. Foreman and operators are responsible for training junior operators and maintaining the discipline.

Table 1 5S responsibilities
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  1. I.

    Preparatory phase

  2. II.

    Introductory phase

  3. III.

    Implementation phase

  4. IV.

    Maintenance phase

In Fig. 2, lean implementation flow chart is given. For full lean implementation, at least two-year time duration is required. After the implementation, it should be maintained for further time duration.

Fig. 2
figure 2

5S implementation flow chart

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In Fig. 3, raw material was placed on shop floor, and it was placed randomly; but after 5S is introduced, the raw material is separated according to its size and shape, and it was placed in racks, and in each rack naming is done according to its size. So it is very easy to identify the material according to its size.

Fig. 3
figure 3

Raw material was placed on floor, after 5S it was placed on racks with naming [12]

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In Fig. 4, it clearly shows that subassembly parts are placed in bins without nameplate. So it takes too much time to identify the correct subassembly parts. When 5S was implemented, all subassembly parts are properly arranged in bins and naming was done according to the part.

Fig. 4
figure 4

Subassembly components are without nameplate, but after 5S naming was done [12]

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In Fig. 5, tools are placed haphazardly in rack and it is very difficult to find out the proper tool in very short time. To rectify this difficulty, 5S was introduced and tools are placed in proper manner, unwanted tools are removed from the rack, and proper name slip is placed in the tooling rack.

Fig. 5
figure 5

Tools were placed haphazardly but after 5S everything was placed in proper way with name slip [12]

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In Fig. 6, we see that all scrap as well as finished goods are placed on the floor. So it takes so much time to separate them and some time by mistake scrap piece was mixed with the finished good or vice versa. After 5S was implemented, proper bins are placed for finished goods as well as raw materials. So it is very easy to identify raw material as well as finished goods.

Fig. 6
figure 6

Scrap was placed on floor, separate bin was provided for scrap and finished goods [12]

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3 Methodology

5S technique means cleaning the workplace and arranging all tools in organized way in workplace. It was the first lean tool that was implemented by organizations. With the help of 5S technique, working condition of workers was improved and helped them to learn more to reduce the waste, reduce manufacturing time, and decrease work in process inventory.

5S implementation would result full utilization of workspace needed for existing operations. It also organized tools and work material by labeled and color coded.

5S methodology is a simple and universal approach that accepted by all over the world. It supported other manufacturing improvement tools like JIT, cellular manufacturing, TQM, Kanban and also played very vital role in better workplace to spend more time in shop floor.

  • What problems are avoided by 5S implementation?

  • Reduce time wasted in searching parts and tools

  • Reduce unneeded motion

  • Save human energy

  • Reduce defective work piece

  • Machines that do not receive sufficient maintenance tend to break down and cause defect

  • To avoid dirty work area

  • Items are left in hazardous locations

  • Dark, dirty disorganized workplace results to low the worker moral.

4 Results and Discussion

5S technique was implemented in Indian SMEs, and due to this technique, there is huge change in industries’ profit and employee working. Now they start implementing more lean tools. Shop’s floor looks more arranged, clean, well-organized, good working environment, and employees are self-motivated. Company put tag on each box and put signboard on specified locations. They are putting drums near to the machines where wastage is dumped. According to process tools are arranged and unwanted tools are separated. Company makes tool board where all tools are placed and easy to find out. 5S eliminates communication gap between management and employees. Now company shares each problem with the related department employees and gets best solution. Initially, company faces lots of problems in 5S implementation. Employees are not support due to misunderstanding and they fear about job loss.

5 Conclusion

The present paper aims to implement 5S in SMEs. It is very difficult to introduce 5S in SMEs because both management and labor are not supporting this technique. They think that there is huge investment in 5S implementation and there is production loss. One by one, 5S tool is introduced and after few months, management and employees have seen the result. The productivity of the company was improved; the working condition of workers also improved.