What is a 5S Audits Checklist?

If you were wondering where the LEAN management, Total Quality Management and Kaizen approach came from, then you should get introduced to 5S audit. It served as a foundation for the Japanese working culture. A checklist for 5S evaluates the introduction of the 5S method at your workplace.

The five steps are: Seiri (sorting), Seiton (systematising), Seiso (cleaning), Seiketsu (standardising) and Shitsuke (self-discipline). The 5S Principles help to avoid waste and to create a safer and more effective work environment.

This article briefly explains:

1. What the 5s method entails

2. How to introduce 5S in manufacturing

3. How to use the 5S method more efficiently with a digital tool

What the 5s method entails

• Step 1: Sort (seiri)
  Organize your workplace by sorting through all items and get rid of anything which is not related to work. In this way, you are not only less distracted but you create more space and eliminate any obstacles or potential hazards.


• Step 2: Set in Order (seiton)
  Establish fixed locations for each necessary item to reduce the time you or your employees search for tools. This ensures a smooth workflow during daily business. Make sure to place tags on specific items and place them in near proximity to the work area.


• Step 3: Shine (seiso)
  Clean your work place and keep it that way. This helps to create a productive environment and ensures a clean and pleasant work area.


• Step 4: Standardize (seiketsu)
  Develop a plan to ensure the upkeeping of the first three steps. Make sure that the workplace is frequently inspected, organized and cleaned.


• Step 5: Sustain (shitsuke)
  It is crucial that you and your fellow employees not only assign a plan but also have the self-discipline to make conscious decisions around the workplace to keep it tidy and organized. A strong work ethic ensures a safe and productive workflow and environment.

How to introduce 5s Audit in Manufacturing

Very often 5S audit is exactly helpful in production. There are a few areas of this principle that can be related to manufacturing and which could be incredibly helpful exactly in this sphere.

First of all, 5S checklist can be used to inspect how the Sort principle is being implemented. In other words, if the workplace is being organised properly. For example, 5S template could be of help to check if special tags are put on the machines and if the working and non-working items have been sorted correctly.

5S checklist is also handy to watch the Set in order function. Ensure that you prepared your workplace sufficiently by proper cleaning and addressing the maintenance issues once they occurred.

Of course, the Shine aspect is also important. Machines should be not only functioning properly but also looking appropriately. Hygiene is also important for the health of machine operators.

To implement Standardize in manufacturing, it is required to set specific rules in place so that the employees could have no choice but to go LEAN. For example, it can be regulated that one workplace should generate the amount of waste not bigger than the amount stated in the quota.

Once your workers will start with Standardize, they will be able to move on into Sustain. This is a more complicated phase since it means that the employees need to turn this practice into their routine.

The thing one should keep in mind is that introducing LEAN principles is always challenging. Especially in the companies where the fashion of producing one certain good has not changed in decades. It is useless to anticipate that the employees will switch to 5S principles overnight. However, extra education on this culture can be more than enough to accelerate the process. Short seminars, emails, announcements, booklets etc. can be trustworthy sources for your workers to get convinced in the fact that LEAN principles are worth implementing.

Your Digital 5S Auditing Tool

Use Lumiform's mobile app to conduct digital 5s inspections, report issues on the fly, and quickly assign corrective actions to responsible colleagues. Take photos of items that are no longer needed, notify your team or suppliers of upcoming changes, and schedule 5s inspections to consistently increase the productivity of your production.

Use Lumiform's 5s checklists to:

• Collaborate with your teammates to conduct on-site inspections with the super intuitive mobile app.


• Increase the efficiency of your internal processes: through easier communication within the team, with third-party vendors, and with management, and faster incident reporting and resolution.


• Automatically generate and share reports with your team and stakeholders instantly.


• Perform simple analyses of all your data so you can more quickly identify the areas that need your attention.


• Increase quality and safety in production: through the checklist builder you can constantly optimize internal checks and processes. That Lumiform guides the auditor through the audit, no training needs to take place.