Seiso, Shine, Sweep – The Third Step of the 5S Methodology

A useful tool for organizing workplaces is the 5S method, which is essentially a program divided into five phases to systematically achieve organization, cleanliness and standardization in the workplace to help improve productivity, reduce quality deficiencies and workplace safety issues. Since it is a Japanese method for organizing, cleaning, developing and maintaining a productive workplace, the name is derived from five Japanese words, each beginning with the S sound: Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, Shitsuke. This technique was also adopted by the organizations from the strong economies, and the translation of the five words from Japanese into English resulted in an identical name for this methodology: Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize, Sustain.The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of workplace cleanliness at the end of work. This must become an integral part of the daily work of every employee, regardless of hierarchical level, in order to achieve and maintain optimal working conditions.