5S that still holds three months after the cleanup
Sorting and setting in order is the easy part. Keeping it that way is where 5S usually fails. With the EZ-GO platform, you set the standard for each area, run the same 5S audit every time, and see where your workplace starts to slip.
Where 5S gets stuck
After the 5S event, the shadow boards are full and the floor markings are fresh. Three months later, tools are missing, cleaning is skipped on the night shift, and the next 5S event starts from scratch. The most common reason is that 5S is treated as a one-time project instead of part of the daily routine.
5S audits done by hand do not help much either. Every auditor scores a little differently, the results end up in a spreadsheet days later, and nobody sees whether an area is getting better or worse.
How the EZ-GO platform supports each step of 5S
Sort and set in order: work on the floor
Sorting and setting in order is work you do with your team on the floor, not in an app. What you can do in the EZ-GO platform is record the result: in the 5S audit, photos show how each area should look, and the auditor compares the area with those photos.
Shine: cleaning that does not depend on the shift
Operators follow a 5S cleaning checklist for each area in the EZ-GO app. Every shift cleans the same way, and you see which checklists are completed. Each checklist is planned as a task for its area and shift, so it shows up at the right moment. With a QR code at the workstation or on the line, the operator opens the right checklist right away. While cleaning, operators also spot leaks, loose parts, and damage early. For cleaning and inspecting machines, read the CILT page.
Standardize: one standard for each area
In the EZ-GO platform, you set the standard for each area, for example for layout and cleanliness. Everyone works toward the same picture of what good looks like, and every audit checks the area against that standard.
Sustain: the same 5S audit, every time
The 5S audit runs in the EZ-GO app. Every point gets a score from 1 to 5, the points that matter most can count more heavily, and every audit gives a total score. Because every auditor uses the same points, you can compare areas with each other and see how each area develops over time. When something deviates from the standard, the auditor decides whether to record it as a comment or turn it into an action, so it is followed up. Read how scores and weighting work on the Audits and compliance page. Many plants let teams audit their own area, which makes 5S their own, and share the results so progress is visible. Read how operators can carry out internal audits.
A 5S audit also works well as a themed walk. Read more on the Kaizen and gemba page.
From 5S to 6S
Many plants add safety as a sixth S, with points such as tripping hazards, blocked escape routes, and missing safety signs. In the EZ-GO platform, that is a set of audit points in the same audit. Read more on the Safety page. In food production, hygiene points are often part of the same round; read more on the Quality and hygiene page.