What is 6S Lean?

What is 6S Lean?

6S Lean (also known as 5S + Safety) is a workplace organization method that adds Safety as a sixth pillar to the standard 5S system: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. It emphasizes giving manufacturing and warehouse teams a structured way to keep work areas organized, clean, and free of hazards to build both operational efficiency and a stronger safety culture.

Benefits of 6S Lean in the workplace

6S Lean gives manufacturing and warehouse teams a structured way to cut waste, prevent injuries, and keep operations running smoothly. Here's what teams typically gain:

• Fewer workplace injuries. Sorting out workplace hazards and standardizing safety checks means fewer trip hazards, cluttered walkways, and unsecured tools on the floor.

• Less wasted time. Workers spend less time searching for tools, materials, or paperwork when everything has a labeled, logical home.

• Lower operating costs. Reduced waste, fewer equipment breakdowns, and less rework add up to real savings over time.

• Better audit and compliance readiness. A consistent 6S routine makes it easier to pass OSHA inspections and internal audits, since hazards get caught and fixed before they become findings.

• Stronger team accountability. Assigning 6S ownership to shift leads and operators builds a culture where safety and organization become everyone's job, not just management's.

Manufacturing teams using digital checklists to run 6S audits, like the ones built with Mitti (by SafetyCulture), also get a clear record of what's been checked, what needs fixing, and who's responsible, so nothing falls through the cracks between audits.

Components of 6S Lean

What are the components of the 6s lean methodology and what is their importance in the overall system? Here's a quick walkthrough:

1. Sort (Seiri)

Sorting is the first step in the 6S methodology and aims to reduce clutter and make it easier for essential work items to be easily located for improved efficiency. “Red tagging” is often done to mark unnecessary items for immediate disposal, while “yellow tagging” can be applied for those items that can be temporarily kept off-site for future use.

2. Set in order (Seiton)

Items, equipment, and work materials are tagged as essential in this stage to be placed in an organized manner in the most logical locations. The objective of ‘Set in Order’ (or ‘Straighten’) is to establish a systematic way of storing and retrieving items, thus helping maximize accessibility and space.

3. Shine (Seiso)

After non-essential items have been removed and essential items have been organized, the next step is cleansing. The third stage, also known as ‘Shine’, involves cleaning the workplace, maintaining its pleasant appearance, and using preventive steps to keep workspaces tidy and clean. The objective is to create an environment that prevents injuries and products from being stained due to uncleanliness.

4. Standardize (Seiketsu)

‘Standardize’ is the stage that establishes a new workplace norm by identifying best practices and creating consistent procedures for the first three stages. It aims to help people have the same work routines in their processes and develop more efficient habits. This can be done by providing visual reminders, setting expectations of workers’ responsibility, and conducting routine inspections and regular site checks.

5. Sustain (Shitsuke)

This is the most challenging step of the 6S method, as the goal is to ensure that standardized procedures are applied continually over a long period of time until it becomes second nature in day-to-day work.

6. Safety

Lastly, 6S lean features Safety as the final step. This essential step of focuses on identifying hazards and setting preventive controls to keep workers safe during work operations and ensure that the work environment meets required safety standards.

Why include safety?

Adding Safety as a sixth stage helps teams catch hazards before they become incidents. Having a safe and clean working environment helps:

• Create a positive impact on productivity and quality

• Encourage a stress-free and healthy atmosphere where workers can feel safe and secure

• Make it easy to recognize potential hazards and install safety controls

• Meet or exceed environmental performance and waste reduction goals, an approach the EPA's Lean and Environment program also recognizes as core to a 6S rollout

6S in manufacturing

6S in manufacturing is an approach to production that integrates the 5S principles (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain) in manufacturing processes, with the additional factor of Safety. This method helps address critical manufacturing issues. For example, operators who practice 6S in manufacturing and implement 6S lean programs enhance the safety of their employees including the working environment and operational equipment to improve efficiency on the factory floor.

Safety in manufacturing plays an essential role in determining overall employee productivity. Conducting 6S audits and implementing 6S lean programs can help manufacturing industries to achieve the following:

• Advanced waste management and cost reduction

• Reduced machine breakdowns

• High-quality products

• Effective employee onboarding and 6S training programs.

6S Lean requirements

To fully implement 6s lean in your workplace, you’ll need the following:

1. Thorough understanding of / experience with 5s

2. A system for identifying and reporting hazards

3. Safety awareness training relevant to your industry

4. Commitment to have toolbox talks with your workers about 5s/6s

5. Approval from upper management along with dedicated resources and support

Different ways to complete the safety step

The first step to safety is identifying existing hazards, following the systematic approach outlined under OSHA recommendations for safety and health programs. All employees must be aware of the different types of workplace hazards and evaluate these hazards through risk assessments or a Job Safety Analysis (JSA). These prerequisite methods carry out standard safety procedures and necessary controls to reduce or eliminate these hazards.

Workers should also wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as additional protection to hazards that are difficult to control or can not be eliminated. PPE includes hard hats, safety goggles, face masks, insulated gloves, slip-resistant boots, and a lot more. The use of PPE must be checked and other safety protocols must be disseminated to all workers through training and toolbox meetings.

Achieving 100% safety is never an easy task, but by incorporating safety to the original 5S method—and kaizen, you can help improve working conditions in your organization. Workers can not only focus on completing tasks for the day but can also habitually contribute to the overall workplace safety.

6S Lean example

This example presents a combination of the 5s Audit Checklist and the 6S Lean Safety Checklist provided by Mitti (by SafetyCulture) that can downloaded and used for free:

5S Audit Checklist | Download PDF

6S Lean Safety Checklist | Download PDF

Here's what those six steps look like when applied to a single warehouse packing station:

• Sort: Clear the station of duplicate tools, expired labels, and anything not used during the current shift.

• Set in order: Store scanners, tape guns, and packing materials in labeled bins within arm's reach of the operator.

• Shine: Wipe down work surfaces at the end of each shift and check conveyor rollers for buildup that could cause slips.

• Standardize: Post a visual layout of the station so every shift sets it up the same way, with tools and materials in the same spots.

• Sustain: Assign a rotating team member to confirm the station meets the standard at the start of each shift.

• Safety: Flag and report any exposed wiring, blocked exits, or unsecured pallets before work begins, following the NIOSH hierarchy of controls to decide how each hazard gets fixed.

Which system is better for your organization?

When deciding whether to implement 6S or 5S for your team or company, it is best to assess which one will best meet your needs.

In workplace settings that are significantly more hazardous, it makes more sense to take the extra step and choose 6S. This helps establish Safety as a crucial focal point of the organization and that there are specific Safety KPIs to be taken into account to measure improvement efforts.

Meanwhile, in workplace environments where there are very few significant safety risks, the 6th S may be considered unnecessary. In fact, having a 6th S in otherwise very safe environments could be seen as wasteful. When following 6S it is necessary to take the time to evaluate how different activities will impact the safety of the facility.

Whether you will implement 5S or 6S, organizations must remember that safety shall always be a priority. It is just a matter of choosing the right lean management strategy that will help meet your needs will while also ensuring that employees remain efficient with their work.