1
Chapter 1
Sort
Step 1
Sort is the act of removing and discarding all unnecessary items from a work area.
Often, it is best to start your 5S implementation in a specic area to help maintain
focus and rene your abilities. It can be daunting to think of how you are going
to implement 5S across the plant. Focus on one area at a time, break up your
plant into “sections,” and work section by section like a puzzle. You would be
surprised how difcult the sorting function really can be for people. Ashumans,
we love our stuff and struggle to part ways with even the most unnecessary and
infrequently used possessions. Just look at the self-storage industry and how it
has grown over the years. In a manufacturing environment, items can accumulate
quickly and create a mess, hence making things less visible.
Evaluate what is needed to perform the tasks in a work area and remove
anything unnecessary. It is good practice to use an identication system while
conducting the Sorting step. This system is called
redtagging; itcan involve the following items:
◾ Parts
◾ Tools
◾ Workbenches
◾ Garbage cans
◾ Fixtures and jigs
◾ Documentation
◾ Supplies
◾ Equipment
◾ Anything that can be removed
2 ◾ The 5S Playbook
Break down the sorted items into three categories:
1. Garbage and junk (throw away or recycle). There is not much point
inred-tagging garbage, but it still needs to be removed.
2. Unneeded, never to return. This category will have most of the
redtags. Iprovide some options of how to deal with these items in
furtherdiscussion.
3. Low-use items. Low-use items are essential but are not used that often,
perhaps once a month or in wider time frames. Red-tag these items but
place them in a separate pile. Just make sure when you are ready to
organize they are organized away from daily-use items.
Make sure to create an inventory list of all items to be removed to help in the
nal disposition and removal from the company.
The sorting team is responsible for sifting through the workstations to iden-
tify all unnecessary tools, supplies, tables, chairs, garbage cans, and so on. Itis
best to use the production workers on the sorting team who were picked to
participate. They have the detailed knowledge of the workstations and can help
the other team members. Pair a production worker with someone who does not
work in the area. This allows for an outside eye to play “devil’s advocate” and
question the items in the workstations.
During 5S projects, quick decisions must be made at the sorting phase
because the bulk of the work is done during the second phase: Set in Order.
This can be an emotional time for the team members as people become close
with their work belongings. The collection team is required to be in the red-tag
area, which is a temporary staging area for the sorted items. At this point in the
process, nothing really has left the building, and it is too early for that to happen.
The collection team is receiving everything coming into the red-tag area and
organizing things based on the information on the red tag.
Red Tagging
◾ Organized approach to sorting
◾ Keeps track of what is being removed
◾ Allows for efcient removal from facility
◾ Three parts to a red tag event:
– Attaching red tags
– Red-tag area (temporary staging)
– Removal procedure (covered at the end of this chapter)
Sort ◾ 3
This is a red-tag area.
Why Sort?
◾ Unneeded inventory takes up space.
◾ Extra parts require wasted transportation and motion.
◾ Unneeded material makes it tougher to nd what is needed.
◾ Unneeded equipment becomes obstacles.
◾ It is tough to bring in new product lines.
◾ It is tough to bring in new equipment.
◾ Sorting clears the confusion that clutter creates.
◾ Sorting brings clarity on what is truly needed.
◾ Sorting prepares for Set in Order (why organize items you do not use?).
Is everything here really needed?
4 ◾ The 5S Playbook
Red-Tag Areas
Production
Larger items open up oor space.
Boxes
This is an example of excessive purchasing. These boxes are now obsolete.
Sort ◾ 5
Rented Container
Ofce
◾ Desks
◾ Cubicles
◾ Pencil sharpeners (4) (no pencils anywhere)
◾ Miscellaneous ofce supplies
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