5S Audit Checklists
Effectively promote orderliness & safety in your workplace using 5S audit checklists
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Published November 23rd, 2020
What is 5S Audit?
5S audit is the process of evaluating the proper implementation of 5S in the workplace. Conducting 5S audits help ensure that the workplace is consistently following the 5S principles: Seiri (Sort), Seiton (Systematize), Seiso (Shining), Seiketsu (Standardizing), and Shitsuke (Sustaining).
In this article we will discuss the following:
- What is a 5S audit checklist
- How to implement 5S in the workplace
- A powerful 5S audit tool
- 6 of the best 5S audit checklists you can download for free
What is a 5S Audit Checklist?
A 5S audit checklist is a tool used by evaluators when conducting periodic 5S audits in the workplace. As a guide designed according to the specific needs of an organization, a 5S checklist can help reinforce conformance with 5S principles and aid an organization in gaining the 5S principles’ major long-term benefits:
- Safety & security
- Waste elimination
- Increased efficiency
- Low implementation cost for high-impact performance
- Development of a collaborative mindset among co-workers
3 Simple Steps to Implement 5S in your Workspace
Step #1: Make a Plan
Work through each step of the 5S principles and make a habit of doing the following during planning:
- Visualize the work area
- Look for waste
- Look for the root cause of every problem
- Develop standards
- Repeat the process
Step #2: Bring Action
Implement 5S in your organization by assigning a trained employee or a team of workers to do the following on a weekly basis:
- Take a photo of your workplace’s current status
- Sort items needed and to be disposed of. Determine the item’s frequency of use (daily, monthly, or never) and if it’s still essential or defective and outdated.
- Organize and group items according to use and function. You may also add labels and apply a color coding scheme for easy sorting.
- Clean the workspace. Remove items that cause dirt, contamination, and filth.
- Conduct an audit to review items you weren’t able to deal with that day, including items you found difficult to classify or tag for disposal. Establish an action plan (e.g., selling, donating, recycling or throwing away items) for items that need to be disposed of.
- For review purposes, take a photo of the workspace after implementing changes.
Step #3: Monitor
As one of the core principles of kaizen, area supervisors or plant managers should do a monthly and quarterly audit to ensure that 5S standards are being met. Regular audits also help keep track of items and equipment so you can determine whether they are in need of repairs or if something is missing.
5S Auditing Tool
Conduct 5S audits using iAuditor by SafetyCulture, a powerful mobile auditing app, and capture photos of items that are no longer needed, notify your team members or vendors to work on urgent actions, and schedule 5S inspections to promote productivity best practices. With iAuditor, you can:
- Write notes for added context on audits conducted
- Take or attach photos and add annotations
- Save & share 5s PDF reports immediately.
- Sign off with digital signatures for accountability
- Create, download, or edit 5s template to fit the needs of your business
6 of the Best 5S Audit Checklists
General 5S Housekeeping Checklist
A General 5S Housekeeping Checklist is used to organize workspaces and enable employees to perform their work efficiently, effectively, and safely. Use this checklist and begin your 5S inspection by following the 5S audit procedure below:
- Describe the nature of work and capture a photo of the workspace
- Assess each principle (Sort & set-in-order, shine, standardize, and sustain)
- Take and attach photos of red-tagged items
- Add notes or comments on compliant or non-compliant items
- Assign corrective actions to team members, provide a description, and set priority and due date.
- Sign off with a digital signature from assigned employee
5S Audit Checklist
This 5S Audit Checklist is a tool used by area supervisors or plant managers to perform monthly or quarterly audits. As a 5S audit form, this checklist can help ensure that 5S principles and set standards are being followed and implemented by workers.
- Take and attach photo evidence of workspace
- Conduct an inspection using your mobile phone or tablet
- Add remarks or comments and assign corrective actions for non-compliant items
- Promote accountability in doing audits by capturing the digital signature of area supervisor or plant manager
- Share comprehensive reports with members of your organization
5S Manufacturing Checklist
Use this 5S audit checklist for manufacturing companies to help your business improve productivity through workplace cleanliness and efficiency. This 5S manufacturing checklist can help identify the unnecessary items stored in the manufacturing site and ensure machines, equipment, and tools are kept clean and in working order. Use iAuditor to generate onsite reports that capture photo(s) evidence of broken, unusable, or occasionally used items.
5S Warehouse Checklist
Conduct 5S audits in warehouses using this 5S Warehouse Checklist that aims to increase the value of products for customers by eliminating waste from warehouse operations. Use this 5S checklist as a guide to check if floors, loading docks, and storage areas are free from obstructions or blockages. In addition, forklift, materials, equipment, and containers can be checked if stored in their proper places. Use iAuditor to assign corrective action to the right employee and address areas for improvement.
5S in the Workplace Checklist
Use this 5S in the Workplace Checklist converted using iAuditor to identify the items that need to be removed from the workplace. This inspection form will help you note obsolete, broken or unnecessary workbenches, shelves, chairs, lockers, and other items that are not required for projects. The checklist helps ensure the allocation of time and resources for all employees to participate in 5S activities.
5S Office Checklist
Inspect the cleanliness, order, and structure of your facilities by using this 5S Office Checklist. This checklist will help ensure that the cabinets, shelves, and files have labels to allow immediate identification. Identify if displays are tidy, free of clutter, and up-to-date. Use iAuditor to add comments and recommendations on how to maintain a clean and organized office.
Bonus! 6S Lean Safety Checklist
Safety is the additional S to the existing 5S program. 6S Lean focuses on what can be done to eliminate risks in work processes. Use the 6S Lean Safety Checklist to identify hazards or potential risks while performing tasks in the workplace. Use iAuditor to conduct better 6S inspections to provide risk rating and hazard control measures to be implemented. Take a photo of steps or activity conducted and generate report onsite. Learn more about the 6S method here.
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