5 – “S” SYSTEM OF

HOUSEKEEPING
Introduction & Objectives

This is a presentation about housekeeping.

At the end of the session, the participants
will learn:

 The importance of good housekeeping.

 What its elements are.

 How to start and maintain a housekeeping

system
Why Housekeeping Matters (1)
 The work environment has a very strong
psychological effect on everyone. A clean and
orderly environment leads to high quality work.
The reverse is also true.

 Unnecessary clutters uses up valuable space and

has a hidden cost.

 Disorganized things are difficult and time-

consuming to find
 Why Housekeeping Matters (2)
 A clean and orderly work environment promotes
safety. A dirty and disorganized one creates
hazards.

 Cleaning is also a form of checking or inspection

of equipment. Defects and potential failures will
be detected early, before serious damage occurs.
 Why Housekeeping Matters (3)
 Good housekeeping is essential to sanitation and
preventing product contamination. Especially vital
to food processing and serving, semiconductors,
medicines and other contamination- sensitive
products.

 Good housekeeping protects property from theft

and damage. Assets properly stored and labeled
are difficult to steal.
Why Housekeeping Matters (4)
 Participative housekeeping, which involves
everyone in the workplace, helps develop team
spirit and cooperation.

 The self-discipline developed by systematic

housekeeping is essential for the sustained,
persistent effort required to institutionalized TQM
( Total Quality Mgt.) in the organizational culture.

 Good housekeeping gives minimum 20%

improvement in productivity.
The 5- S Elements in Summary
 Seiri ( Sort or Separate )

 Seiton ( Systematic Arrangement )

 Seiso ( Sweep or Sanitized )

 Seiketsu ( Standardize )

 Shisuke ( Self- discipline )

The 5- S Elements (1)
 Seiri ( Sort or Separate )- Before cleaning, it is
necessary to separate the useful from the useless
and to dispose the latter.

Useless things take up valuable space and

distract attention from those that are important.
The 5- S Elements (2)
 Seiton ( Systematic Arrangement )- Those things
that are necessary should be arranged in a way
that makes identification, location, and access
easy and convenient.

Example: The Decimal Classification System, The

card catalogue, and the shelf labels in the library
help make finding a particular book easy.
The 5- S Elements (3)
 Seiso ( Sweep or Sanitize )- One’s work station
and surroundings should be regularly cleaned.
Dirt and clutter should not be allowed to
accumulate. Spend 5 to 10 minutes each day in
cleaning.

Important: Cleaning one’s work space is one’s

own responsibility, not the Janitor’s.
The 5- S Elements (4)
 Seiketsu ( Standardize )- People have a tendency
to forget or fail to do their housekeeping
consistency if there are no written guides or
standards.

It is important to set clear, documented

standards on what “clean” and “orderly” mean in
specific areas. Checklists and specifically-defined
conditions are useful.
The 5- S Elements (5)
 Shitsuke ( Self- discipline)- Everyone should
internalized the value of cleanliness and
orderliness, and practice good housekeeping all
the time, even when the superior is not present.

Following the housekeeping standards should

become a way of life.
 Getting Started (1)
 Organize a cross-functional 5-S Committee
(Compose of people from various functions and
levels, including rank-and-file) to oversee the
planning and implementation of 5-S. A senior
should also be a member.

 Set a target for a “ Clean-up Day”. On this day,

everyone (no exceptions) will help clean up and
arrange the workplace.
 Getting Started (2)
 Prepare a communication plan to inform
everyone about 5-S. Emphasize that
housekeeping is everyone’s responsibility, not
just the Janitor’s.

 Photograph or videotape the current situation,

particularly the dirty and disorderly areas. This is
to document the baseline, and not to criticize or
blame anyone.
 Getting Started (3)
 Define through committee consensus what is
“clean” and “orderly” situation is in each area.

Set standards for record retention and storage.

Consult the employees in the areas affected.

Document these standards and disseminate to the

people concerned.
 Getting Started (4)
 Prepare the logistics for the Clean-up Day.
Everyone does seiri, seiton, and seiso.

 At regular interval ( e.g., monthly) after the

Clean-up Day, the committee members will
inspect the various areas and score them using a
checklist.

 Record and analyze the scores of each area.

 Getting Started (5)
 Give areas that consistently score high some
form of recognition and publicize them as models.

 Give coaching and other forms of assistance to

areas that have erratic or consistency low
housekeeping audit scores.
 Getting Started (6)
 Take photographs or videotapes of the same
areas after the thorough housekeeping. Display
prominently both “before” and “after” photos in
the bulletin board. Use for training.

 Continuously solicit ideas from everyone on

improving housekeeping, e.g., on removing root
causes of dirt accumulation, systematic
arrangement, training new employees, etc.
 Getting Started (7)
 Give recognition to contributors of all such ideas.

 Ensure that 5- S housekeeping is integrated into

the orientation program for new employees.

 Make consistent housekeeping a factor in

managerial and supervisory performance
appraisal.
 Getting Red, White & Yellow Tags Campaign (1)

 Organize a “ Red, White and Yellow Tag” Campaign.

Red Tag- Items or object suspected to be unneeded,

indicate agreed expiry period. Dispose ASAP.

White Tag- Items or object that the person in charge

need at his disposal.

Yellow Tag- items or object status to be resolved by the

5- S Committee.
 Getting Red, White & Yellow Tags Campaign (2)
 Tips:
- Tag anything that cannot be understood.

- Tag anything that is wasteful.

- Tag anything that makes it difficult to see what

is going on.

- Tag anything that is malfunctioning.

- Tag hidden or difficult to see gauges or dials.

- Tag anything that is loose.

- Tag cracked housing or source of leaks.

END