Seiton:

Enrich life

Lal Fonseka - Productivity Consultant, Brandix Lanka Limited

Some Good Seiso Practices

* Practise 5 to 10 minutes of Seiso daily. This could be applied to anywhere
* Assign an owner to each area, classroom, machine or department
* Combine cleaning (Seiso) with inspection
* Repeat sweep-wipe-polish-check-fix
* Organize a big ‘Cleaning Day’ once a year may be December 31, involve everyone in the house, school, factory or any organization

We have already covered the first two of the five Ss. Seiri, or organization, Seiton, or neatness and also we covered the last step of 5S Shitsuke – Discipline. This week, third step is Seiso (scrub or shine), literally meaning ‘keeping clean’. After a tiring day at work, each of us wishe to return to a clean, comfortable and peaceful home - one that can help us relax and unwind.

No one ever said that keeping the house clean was easy. However, it is definitely something that cannot be ignored either! A clean home is the key to having a healthy home. A little bit of organized and sustained effort on the part of every member of the family can go a long way in keeping a home clean and healthy.

Cleanliness is a part of civilization. A man of dirty habits is far from civilized. With the progress of civilization man cleans after himself more and more. He cleans his body. He brushes his teeth at least twice a day. He cleanses his mind and heart. He cleans all his action and manners. This will lead him to the highest form of civilization. But on the cleanliness of body depends all other cleansings.

In the 21st century it is easy to think that cleaning up is somebody else’s job. All over the world, the new concept of ‘outsourcing’ is catching on. You can not disagree with the fact that in the modern world, people have to outsource most of the things that they did previously by themselves. As a result, a new industry has emerged employing thousands of workers on janitorial work. It is difficult to understand as to why ‘cleaning’ is outsourced.

When questioned people claim that they cannot afford time for cleaning. Hence, they say the only remedy is outsourcing. This can become an attitude that make people think that keeping things clean is beneath them. They will walk past litter on the floor and not clean up after themselves.

Seiso, cleanliness, is an attitude that considers dirty and untidiness as intolerable. Training people with regard to Seiso has become a requirement, a cultural necessity. Give them specific responsibilities, rotate responsibilities as necessary. When taking up 5S projects in any organization may be in a school or a factory, the first question the top man in the organization should ask him or herself is “Am I prepared to become a janitor?” If the top people are not willing to adopt themselves for ‘self cleaning’ culture, it is very difficult to get others to take part in it.

To clean a whole area, first divide it into sections and allocate responsibility to each person. Then identify what is to be cleaned and in what order. Identify proper methods and tools for cleaning, including dusters and solvents. Also provide material for the proper protection of person doing the cleaning, such as gloves, face-masks and overalls. Cleaning without care can cause more damage than good. For example wiping down a soft surface on which there is hard waste will scratch the surface. Use the appropriate tools to ensure this type of error does not occur. Use vacuum cleaners, soft cloths and cleaning agents. When cleaning, always look for the ‘reasons’ the item got dirty. Is it leakage from something? Is it untidiness? Are things properly disposed of when they are no longer needed? Seek the root caus of grime and dirt and eliminate them. If it is dirt in the air, check the ventilation systems – can you add filters?

Seiso is more than just cleaning - it is also ‘inspection’. Whilst something is being cleaned, you should also be inspecting it, looking for damage, defects and potential problems. Other tests can be carried out at the same time to ensure it is in perfect order. For example, whilst cleaning an engine, the oil levels and oil cleanliness can be checked. Seiso can also include ‘preventive maintenance’ that ensure things do not fail during normal operation. For example Cleaning your overhead water tank once a month prevents leaks, cleaning inside the tank prevent consuming dirty water.

You can also use the time spent cleaning an item to think about how it can be improved. Look for ways to prevent grime build-up. Spot how it gets damaged and find ways of eliminating this. The perfect item can be cleaned in a single wipe. Or maybe it could clean itself! Seiso in the house or office is similar to Seiso at school or wherever you name it. Make sure things are clean. Look for hazards. The same is true for computers. Defragment the hard disk. Clean the circuit boards inside. Clean out junk and you will be able to see what is really there.

There may be less opportunity, but the thinking, the mental discipline is very important. An attitude of cleanliness leads to clean and clear thinking that reflects in all aspects of your work. Cleanliness refers not only to the way we tend to think of our hygiene, but also to the care we take to maintain all aspects of our environments (inner and outer) within our control.

Cleanliness is often a daily ritual in the house and soul, of setting things to rights, whether they are dishes, tools or conscience. It may refer to purging ourselves of the clutter and other impediments that prevent us from moving forward with our work. The act of being cleanly does not refer to being ‘spotless’, but to the art of moving through the day making choices that increase the well-being and functionality of ourselves and those around us.