Lean 5S Supplies Every Workplace Needs

5S supplies are not just for those practicing 5S anymore. If you believe your organization has the potential to improve, this post can be extremely beneficial in your efforts.

Time for improvement

Now that the new year has had some time to settle in, it’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to do to make this year, that much better than last year. One of the best ways to help inspire improvement ideas in your facility is to take a walk, or if you’re a Lean workplace, get to the gemba!

What’s missing?

Or in other words, what could you add to your facility that would help improve the overall conditions and help everyone in your facility work more efficiently?

For those who practice 5S, the answer might be simple, but over the years, I’ve noticed that even the most veteran 5S staffs could use a little something extra to help. Which is why I’ve composed a list of the 5S supplies that every workplace needs, whether you practice 5S or not.

5S supplies every workplace can’t do without

1. Industrial Label Maker

An industrial label maker can provide an endless amount of usage. Being able to print your own high quality labels will provide your facility with many added benefits. It’s the foundation to help plan and design any visual workplace with the only limit being your creativity. Whether you’re trying to improve safety, help keep things organized, provide direction, or simply label your pipes, an industrial label maker should be at the top of your 5S supplies list.

2. Floor Marking Tape

The benefits of properly marking your floors with floor marking tape go far beyond the realm of 5S and Lean. Sure it’s an essential part of your 5S supplies package, but I’m willing to bet that any organization could benefit from having clearly marked floors.

Key benefits to floor tape:

Installation: Easy to install and requires no expensive equipment. Can be implemented and effective in less than a day!
Navigation: Have dedicated traffic routes eases confusion to both employees and guests. This will also keep them safe and out of areas that they are not supposed to be in.
Hazard Awareness: Easily alert anyone in sight of a hazard my marking them with the appropriate color floor tape.
Durability: Once applied, floor tape will last several years without fading or damaging. Most industrial strength floor tape will hold up to heavy foot traffic, fork lift traffic, chemical spills and just about anything else you can throw at it.

3. Floor Signs

Floor signs can provide a diverse amount of information in the most important locations of your facility, without taking up any extra space. Whether you’re marking off recycle bin locations, providing a basic stop sign, or alerting pedestrians of forklift traffic, floor signs are an excellent visual communication tool. The best part is, any facility, regardless of what type of organization you are, can benefit from some type of floor signage.

Create your own custom floor sign here.

4. Vinyl Marking Tape

Vinyl marking tape is one of the most inexpensive 5S supplies you can add to your arsenal. It is extremely easy to apply and can be used for just about any application you desire. From safety to organization, the sky is the limit with vinyl marking tape. The tape is durable and if it can hold up in the harsh elements of the industrial workplace, it should do just fine in any office setting.

5. Informational Posters

A lot of workplace posters are admittedly cliché, but they still have value in the workplace, if you choose the right ones. Posters can be a powerful tool when placed correctly and provide relevant information to the work at hand. There are thousands of posters ranging from safety to Lean, but if they don’t apply to your workplace, then they are just wasting space. However, when you carefully think about your message, your posters can be a highly visual and effective addition to your organization’s campaign.