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The following article was published in our article directory on February 7, 2013.
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Step by Step Guide to 5s Sorting

Article Category: Business Management

Author Name: Chris Burnham

Why sort?
The opening and most valuable stage in carrying out your 5s system is the sorting procedure. The function of the sort is to distinguish all of the objects, equipment, components, and appliances in the workspace and compare what is clutter and what is needed to accomplish the required functions. When operators minimize clutter they will be able to find the things they need, when they require them, to carry out their task. An extra benefit to the sorting phase is that it will challenge your team to ascertain what factors of the work are actually value adding and non value adding

Value adding vs. non value adding.
When a procedure is value adding it means that the action is fundamental in transforming information or material in a way that a customer to would be more than willing to pay for if asked. When it is non value adding that measure is waste. There may be some "necessary" non value adding steps, but those should be closely analyzed through kaizen to get to what the customer desires as value.

Where to get going?
The leadership team or champion should identify an unique area to hold the sort event. Typically these types of events are called "Red Tag" events because of the use of red tags to distinguish all of the items removed or redeployed to the work area so that they can be cataloged.

The champion should be sure that there are enough people on the team and that the unit has everything they should succeed. In most conditions, the team should not be over a dozen people at the most and they should be familiar with he workplace and the work being conducted there. Have a person not linked to the process to challenge the team on what they have tagged and what stays. It is also practical to have a process owner or champion like a manager or an engineer if you are in a manufacturing distribution center. This role is especially helpful when indexing the red tags and answering, "What is this?" when it comes up. The supplies typically needed are red tags, inventory sheets, tape and signs to isolate red tag areas. You will also need temporary storage racks or carts to store marked items as they are cataloged and either removed or redeployed. It's valuable to take lots of photos of the project zone both before and immediately after the sort.

Tag it!
Begin by distributing red tags to your unit. The tags normally will have two parts, one element to complete for identification and one area to fill in for disposition. I like the red tags with wire for attaching them to things. Complete the tag with an explanation of what the item is, where it is located, and the initials or name of who labelled it. Attach the completed tag to the object. If you don't have sufficient people on your team, identify items first then remove them as a group. That being said, if you do have enough individuals you can have "runners" carry the tagged items to a sequestered area where the items are identified and cataloged.

Sort it!
Whenever you have all of the items tagged and separated them from the work area, you will need to review the items that have been set apart and resolve where they belong. For things you use every day, determine a place in the workplace. Items that you use once or twice a week regularly should be kept in a common area near the work zone. Materials that you use annually should be thrown away or recycled, or at best stored away from the area. Products that you never use should be disposed of appropriately.

One point of discretion, don't toss anything out that looks like it may belong on another department or workspace. Sorted items will go to one of three places after they've been assessed. They will go to the area based on the usage criteria described above. If they don't fit the criteria mentioned earlier, they will either be disposed of properly or placed in a holding area where, if they are needed, they can be brought back for later use.

Questions you want to ensure you answer include:.
Did we tag anything we absolutely need?
Have we tagged anything that belongs to someone else?
Did we fail to tag anything that we want "just in case"?
Is there an ecological impact to anything we wish to discard that needs special handling (i.e., batteries, oily rags, solvents, etc.)?

Ok now what ?
Right after you've cleared the area, take a photo of what the area looks like. You will need to get this photo for other 5s steps later. Once you have eliminated clutter in your area you will have the ability to see waste more clearly. You should also see an improvement in work productivity because employees aren't "searching" for the components & tools they need are present and available when needed. Rejoice with your team and celebrate your success!

Last tips.
Make certain to hold a debriefing of the group to share what you found out about the sorting process. This will benefit your team when they hold a sort in the next area. Your champion should quickly pick the next area to sort and "rinse and repeat". Now that you have mastered the sorting stage you are primed for the next step in the 5s system, straightening or setting in order. Congratulations, and remember progress over perfection.

Keywords: 5s Audit, 5s, 5s Implementation, Lean Manufacturing, Lean Implementation

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