One of the most popular Lean tools used today is known as 5S, which can help to improve processes in just about every working environment. The 5 S’s in this tool stand for sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain. Many people are pushing for the adoption of a 6th S, which would stand for safety. Moving from 5S to 6S can help to illustrate the importance of keeping employees and workplaces safe at all times.
Adding safety to the existing 5S methodology really makes a lot of sense. The other items in the 5S concept are all designed to help you improve organization, eliminate waste, boost efficiency, etc. Focusing on safety is going to be able to do all these things as well.
If a workplace is unsafe, it will result in a lot more downtime and much less efficiency. For example, if someone is injured while working, production needs to be halted while the person is cared for and the investigation is completed. This means a lot of wasted time and money. Of course, this is in addition to the employee getting injured since he may not be able to work going forward.
Implementing a 6S strategy in the workplace can provide businesses with a variety of different benefits. For many companies, using the 6S methodology rather than the 5S methodology is well worth the effort. The fact that safety fits in so nicely with the other items makes it a great upgrade to the existing concept.
Join the millions of companies that are working on improving their operations by making sure that the employees, and the facility itself, is always as safe as possible. You will find that it not only benefits the employees, but can boost the bottom line for the company as well.
Similar Questions
- Is 6S still considered Lean?
- Why was 6S Developed?
- What are the Benefits of 6S in Production?
- How is 6S different from 5S?
- What is a 6S Audit?
- What are some examples of the Differences between 5S and 6S?
- What are the 6S principles?
- Why Should You Implement 6S in Your Workplace?
- Is 6S safer than 5S?
