The 5S principle is a proven technique designed to help "clear the clutter"
The 5S's stand for:
1) Sort
•Distinguish those things that are used on a regular basis from those that are rarely used
•Throw away that which is not used or valueless
•Tag things if you are in doubt with a “sell by date”
During this exercise we discovered a total of 430 vacuum interrupters - in various states of health ranging from welded to thermally damaged to encapsulated, and in some cases obsolete
2) Straighten
•Once the work areas are cleared of clutter that which is left must be arranged
•Tools should be located near to where they are needed.
•Shadow boards should be made for tools so that it is easy to identify their correct places
•Tools which have to be moved should be mounted in such a way to make them easy to move.
We have begun investment in new storage solutions - racking and storage bins, and we have changed our packaging to reduce floor space and waste
3) Shine
•Once everything has its place maintenance of the work carried out is needed to avoid repetition of the above phases.
•5 to 10 minutes regular period for clearing up
•Operators are responsible for defined areas
•Document the regular tasks i.e. empty swarf bin, Oil down machines etc
Our workshops are regularly cleaned and random inspections by supervisors are encouraged
4) Systemise
•Maintain a regular discipline regime of checking that the work areas reflect the efforts carried out in the previous phases.
•ØRandom audits
•Rewards given for in the employee review scheme as points are accrued
•Formalise procedures to improve repeatability
We have invested in more IT-orientated solutions to ensure process specifications are accessible to all employees
5) Sustain
•Maintain the principle of on going improvement. “Kaizen”
Ø•Raise the standards
Ø•New ideas on improving quality, efficiency
•Long term culture to benefit employee & Employer
We encourage and reward our staff to contribute new ideas and help the company to become more efficient
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