5S: How Shadow Boards Can Improve Your Processes

What is a shadow board?

The term ‘Shadow Boards’ is fairly common place in workplaces these days, with many industries now undertaking 5S continuous improvements. But what is a shadow board? It is there to organise items, usually tools but can be used for a multitude of products. They have the outline of the tools or products on them which allows users to quickly identified which items are being used or have gone missing.

 

What is 5S?

The 5s system originally developed in Japan by Toyota relies on a framework for improving processes initially in a production line. However, this methodology can be rolled out to a range of industries. It is all about making sure your workspace is organised so that whatever you are doing can be performed safely, effectively and efficiently.  It goes back to the old saying that ‘everything has its place’. By simple organisation, not only does it keep the workplace clean but it also makes life easier for people by not wasting time or risking injury.

5S started as a form of lean manufacturing, a way to eliminate waste from the production process in order to increase the profitability of the product and the service to its customers.

It focuses on the 5 S – Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardise and Sustain, or for the true translation in Japanese it is know as : Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu and Shitsuke.

Step 1 – Sort It Out

More often than not shadow boards are custom designed which is not only costly but time consuming. The first step is to plan your  shadow board – what items do you use on a regular basis; what needs to be on display. It is also a great reason to have a clear out. Determine what is needed in that workspace and what isn’t by asking yourself a few questions:

• What is the purpose of this item?
• When was it last used?
• Is it used often?
• Who uses it?
• Does it even need to be here?

To make it more visible you can use a tagging method, anything you aren’t certain that you need, put in a designated area. After a month, if you haven’t used it , chances are you don’t need it.

Step 2 – Set In Order

This step is the big one for shadow boards as it is exactly what it is made for; to identify products and their storage space.  In certain industries such as food or pharmaceutical manufacturing, it is not just time lost that is factor, it can also be a contamination risk that could be costly and shut down the site. 

In order to make the most of your shadow boards, make sure that they are placed close to the work areas and in reach of the operators to further reduce time spent walking to and from to collect products. This stage is all about ergonomics, where is the most logical place to put items for the people using them. If possible make them mobile so they can move with your workers. 

Step 3 – Shine 

Shine refers to a clean and tidy work area; a tidy workspace is a tidy mind.  It seems so simple but it often overlooked.  It may not sound exciting or revolutionary but the important steps rarely are. Planned maintenance of machinery is also a form of shine, it means you can catch problems, prevent breakdowns which means less wasted time and less costs.

Shadow boards come in a range of colours and are clearly labelled to ensure that your workplaces maintains tidiness and looks fresh. By implementing cleaning shadow boards, it also highlights to workers what products to use in certain areas.

Step 4 – Standardise

You have made it to step four and the site is starting to look great! Everything is organised, there aren’t unnecessary items everywhere and the team are happier. But it doesn’t stop here. It is now time to turn the one time spring clean into a habit. Visual communication is critical here. You could think about implementing a 5S checklist or schedule to show how frequently tasks need to be done and who is responsible for them. Make people more accountable and it is more likely become part of their day to day.

Other visual tools such as signs, labels, floor marking tape and tool organisers can help provide directions in an easy to understand way.

If you have a large site, the colour coding really helps employees immediately locate what they are looking for. By having all of your cleaning in blue, first aid in green and fire safety in red, it means that an employee can cross departments and find what they need even if they aren’t familiar with that area. 

Step 5 – Sustain

Now this is the hard one, you have put 5s in practice but it doesn’t just end there. It is continuous improvement. However, simply by implementing shadow boards, less tools go missing, the work area stays tidier. You also have the benefit of a more efficient workforce, as they are no longer looking for items all the time. All creating a safer working environment.

Get your teams involved and constantly look for ways to improve what you have set in place. Not only does it improve morale but means you are constantly becoming safer and more efficient. Put up an ideas board and encourage people to put forward their ideas.

What are the benefits of implementing a 5S methodology?

There are many reasons why implementing shadow boards in your workplace will not only safe time but also money. So much time is wasted each year in workplaces with operators trying to find products. A few minutes here and there every day soon adds up. As part of a wider methodology and mindset, it can lead to many benefits

• A safer working environment
• Happier employees
• Improved productivity
• Higher quality of output
• Cost savings

Where can I buy shadow boards?

Safe Industrial is here to help. As a leading UK safety specialist, we can advise what type of shadow boards you may need, customise them to your requirements and get them delivered quickly. Take the stress out of ordering and speak to one of our specialists today