5S Audit Checklist

Template Uses

This template has been designed to be used in the following scenarios.

• Deployment of a new 5S initiative
• Revisiting and upgrading an existing 5S implementation
• Auditing a 5S initiative for the Sustain phase

Scenario: Starting a New or Revisiting an Existing Projects

The first two checklists in the template support the deployment and monitoring of new 5S projects or revisiting and upgrading an existing 5S implementation:

• 5S Project Checklist — Manufacturing
• 5S Project Checklist — Office

They're designed to be helpful when guiding the team by asking the right questions when they prepare to move on to the next step.

Who Should Use the 5S Checklists

These checklists should be used during the implementation of 5S by the individual leading the initiative to monitor progress and achievement at each of the five phases (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardise, Sustain).

Scenario: Auditing a 5S initiative for the Sustain phase

The last two checklists in the template support the maintenance of a 5S project that has already been completed. By supporting the objectives of the final 5S stage, Sustain, the initial gains made by the project can be maintained.

• 5S Sustain Audit — Manufacturing
• 5S Sustain Audit — Office

These audit checklists provide a starting point for creating an audit that is relevant and focused on your own business and processes.

Why Should You Audit?

5S audits should form part of the team’s reporting of key performance indicators and should be visible to senior leadership. The attention paid by leadership to this is probably the most important factor in sustaining 5S over the long term.​

Using The Auditing Checklists in Your Workplace

Review each of the audit points and decide if they fit your key priorities. Eliminate those that are not and add others that are central to your own process.

Simplify the list of audit points to the most important items. If possible, it would be good to reduce this to 10 key deliverables or fewer. Add additional items to a secondary or additional watch list if appropriate.

The best advice is to keep it simple and focus on the key points. Sampling of results is acceptable; you don’t have to measure everything, just a representative sample. The audit is only the first step in recognising problems and preparing your action plan.

Who the Audit Checklists Are For

The monitoring and audit of 5S is best owned by members of the workplace team. The recognition of a declining standard or failure of a goal and the subsequent action plan is best handled by the team in a regular review, perhaps in a weekly stand-up with subsequent follow-up.

All members of the team should participate in audits, a weekly cycle rotating the audit role around the whole team is valuable in raising the perception and importance of 5S.

How Often Should a 5S Audit Take Place?

Typically every week with with an occasional independent audit every three months, is recommended.

Ideally, team members should cross-audit other 5S initiatives to give an independent assessment and to raise questions that may not have been asked.