Third Step in 5S: Shine

Once you have completed the Sort and Set In Order steps of the 5S process, it is time to begin the third step – shine. Cleaning is a very important step in 5S but cannot be completed unless everything is organized and accounted for. Once the plan for each item and the layout of your space has been concluded, the “Shine” stage is when you begin to implement the changes.

Now that all of the clutter has been assigned and removed from the facility, it is time to clean and shine the remaining pieces. From floor to ceiling, the shine stage presents companies with an opportunity to really see how the changes they have made are going to improve every day operations.

Goals of “Shine” stage:

• Clean entire workplace
• Analyze machine maintenance
• Make workplace safer and more efficient
• Make problems easier to spot

Things You Can Shine:

• Floors
• Machines
• Tools
• Work Surfaces
• Equipment
• Storage areas

The “Shine” stage provides a great time for companies to go over, in detail, maintenance that machines and equipment may need because of the attention that cleaning takes. This also allows companies to inspect their tools and their workplace for damages or other details that can be easily overlooked.

Cleaning after Sort and Set In Order will put a greater value on the organization and assessment completed in earlier 5S steps and will allow a workplace where problems can be spotted sooner due to the cleanliness and organization of the facility.

This stage helps companies prevent a multitude of problems down the line or detect simple maintenances they had been missing before. It increases productivity and enhances workplace quality, allowing for the company to perform at top efficiency and have a sense of security towards the future.