5S (workplace organization methodology) activities
Through the 5S activities, we are taking steps to upgrade quality, safety and improve efficiency.
The meaning of 5S is in the following five elements starting with S: seiri, seiton, seisou, seiketsu and shitsuke, which in English mean organizing, tidying, cleaning, cleanliness and discipline.
Nippon Surfactant Industries continually upgrades its work efficiency by promoting 5S activities and ensuring an organized, tidy workplace to prevent functional deterioration of its facilities.
determine what is necessary and what is unnecessary and dispose of unnecessary items.
place what you do need in a way that is easy to use.
make sure that the workplace is free from trash and dirt.
keep things clean.
make a habit of putting rules into practice.
We store our maintenance tools using tool photos.We have implemented a rule that the user of a tool must place a magnet containing the name of their department at the location of the tool photo. We do this so that staff can quickly understand which department is using the tool and to assure them that the tool has not gone missing.
We store a variety of valves and pipe joints by size, allowing staff to quickly find them. Also, we use QR codes to determine how many spare parts are being used and by which departments. This allows us to see the quantity we have in stock and to appropriately manage orders.
Pipes are color-coded to make it possible to quickly identify which stopcock should be operated, in order to prevent operational mistakes. We also use tags showing whether or not a valve is open so that staff can visually identify the status of the valve.
In order to prevent contamination of foreign substances, we have a white coat changing area to allow staff to change into a white coat before entering the room. This area is marked using a sign, dotted white lines, and a rope divider. It is a useful measure for providing thorough hygiene management.
We have a system that allows the whole company to engage in 5S, such as a regular monthly patrols and a biannual commendation event for the Excellence Circle awards for the best performance. The system helps improve, as well as maintain a tidy workplace.