Presentation of the method
This method, newly integrated into the company's process, allows for the improvement of working conditions and productivity by ensuring the organization, cleanliness and safety of a work plan. Originally designed for Toyota factories, this method of Japanese origin modifies the management of a company. Today, it is part of what is called the quality approach.
The 5S comes from the five operations that define this way of working, or more precisely from the five Japanese words that correspond to the associated actions. If this method was invented to be used in a factory, it is now applied to all levels and all companies, from warehouses to offices.
The first, Seiri, corresponds to the actions of sorting, throwing away and recycling. It also includes clauses on the placement of work tools according to their frequency and mode of use. The term Seiton includes the actions of filing. The aim is to limit the need to move or carry heavy loads. Seiso refers to the arrangement of one's files or workstation. Finally, the fifth point (Shitsuke) requires to apply the four previous operations with rigor but especially to maintain them on a daily basis.
Benefits for the company
Applying this method within a company demonstrates new advantages. Indeed, it allows to reduce any disorder, to avoid the loss of documents, to reduce the deterioration of the material or to prevent a certain number of work accidents. This optimization makes the working time more efficient, improves the working conditions of the employees, facilitates the displacements within the offices, the warehouses... Not insignificant assets for the employees as for the employers who then see a better output being made in their company with an impact on the turnover.
Applying the method to Etraves
After having implemented a 5S in our storage in Ercuis, we are now tackling the workstations in our production workshops in Breuil le Sec. This one is all the more important as the installation is recent: 6 months. This gives us the opportunity to take stock of all the improvements we can still make to our new site. Indeed, this method allows us to highlight the defects and to learn how to improve. If this implementation proves to be a success, then the company will become more efficient, but especially the employees will be more productive and happier. A simple implementation of the method is not enough, it is then necessary to ensure that the rules of implementation are correctly respected, that the last S of the 5 is followed.
The rigor, the sense of organization, the flexibility and the good management of the packaging allowed Etraves to grow to become today the great company that it is. This new method applied from now on at the level of the storage and the workshops pursues the will to be effective, efficient, but also concerned about the good working conditions of the employees.
