Clean orderly workplaces are an important part of safe and efficient work behavior.  6S is a concept based upon lean's traditional 5S system with the additional focus on Safety.  After establishing a routine of 6S in an environment team members can visually understand when something is out of place or missing.  

This is not only important in production/shop environments but also transfers to our desks and virtual spaces.  Cluttered desks can lead to important notes being misplaced or forgotten.  Having too many items in your email inbox can cause the same thing.  Wasted time can happen when too much data is collected and it's not been properly organized and labeled.  Being disciplined to maintain a tidy & safe workspace has many benefits and we'll explore each of the 6 areas in posts to follow:

• Sort
• Set in order
• Shine
• Standardize
• Sustain
• Safety