LESSON 1

SAFETY STANDARDS AND 5S OF HOUSEKEEPING

Learning Content:
1.1 Role of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970)

1.1.1 Employer Responsibilities

Under the OSH law, employers have a responsibility to provide a safe workplace.

Summary of key employer responsibilities:

▪ Provide a Safe Workplace
Ensure the workplace is free from serious hazards and complies with
OSHA standards.
▪ Examine and Maintain Workplace Conditions
Regularly inspect the workplace to ensure it meets OSHA standards and
maintain equipment properly.
▪ Warn Employees of Hazards
Use color codes, posters, labels, or signs to alert employees to potential
hazards.
▪ Establish Safety Procedures
Develop and communicate operating procedures to ensure employees
follow safety protocols.
▪ Provide Safety Training
Offer training in a language employees understand, covering hazards,
precautions, and proper equipment use.
▪ Hazard Communication Program
Develop a written program for hazardous chemicals, including training and
readily available safety data sheets.
▪ Provide Medical Examinations
Offer medical examinations and training as required by OSHA standards.
▪ Inform Employees of Rights
Post OSHA posters informing employees of their rights and
responsibilities prominently in the workplace.
▪ Report Work-Related Incidents
Report work-related fatalities within 8 hours and other incidents within 24
hours to the nearest OSHA office.
▪ Recordkeeping
Maintain records of work-related injuries and illnesses, with exemptions for
smaller employers and certain industries.
 ▪ Provide Access to Records
Allow access to injury and illness records, medical records, and exposure
records to employees and their representatives.
▪ Authorize Employee Representatives
Provide names of authorized employee representatives to accompany
compliance officers during inspections.
▪ Non-Discrimination
Avoid discrimination against employees who exercise their rights under
the Act ("Whistleblower Protection").
▪ Post Citations
Post OSHA citations at or near the work area involved and correct cited
violations within set deadlines.
▪ Encourage Safety Programs
OSHA encourages employers to adopt safety and health programs based
on key elements like management leadership, worker participation, and
systematic hazard identification and mitigation. Many states have
guidelines or requirements for such programs.

1.2 Common Workplace Hazards

Common types of safety hazards in the workplace are:
▪ Slips, trips, and falls
▪ Being caught in or struck by moving machinery or other objects
▪ Fire and explosions
▪ Transportation and vehicle-related accidents
▪ Confined spaces
▪ Violence
1. Slips, Trips and Falls

➢ Bad housekeeping and poor drainage can make floors and other
walking surfaces wet and slippery
➢ Electrical wires along the floor pose a tripping hazard
➢ You can fall if you are not provided with fall protection equipment,
guardrails, and safe ladders

2. Caught-In or Struck by Moving Machinery/Objects

➢ Machinery can cause injuries in different ways:

➢ You can get parts of your body caught in or struck by exposed
moving parts if machines are not properly guarded, or not
locked out when being repaired.
 ➢ You can be struck by flying objects from machines without
protective guards.

3. Fire and Explosions

➢ Improper labeling, handling or storage of certain materials can
pose a risk of fire or explosion.
➢ Every workplace should have an evacuation plan for getting
people out of a building in case of fire and an alarm or alert
system to quickly inform employees of an emergency.
➢ Every worker should be trained on what to do in case of an
emergency.

4. Transportation and Vehicle‐Related Accidents

➢ Operators of vehicles and equipment can be injured or cause
injury to pedestrians if equipment is unsafe or if adequate
training has not been provided.
➢ You can be seriously injured or killed after being hit by a vehicle
while repairing roads or doing other work in traffic zones. This
danger exists when traffic is not properly routed and/or adequate
barriers are not placed between the workers and the traffic

5. Confined Spaces
➢ A confined space is an area with small openings for a worker to
enter and exit and is not designed for regular work. Examples of
confined spaces include manholes, sewer digestors and silos.
There are many hazards in confined spaces.

➢ Workers can become unconscious and die from a lack of

oxygen.
➢ There may be too much oxygen, or other chemicals that can
catch fire or explode.
➢ Poisonous gases and vapors, such as hydrogen sulfide or
carbon monoxide, may also build up in a confined space.
➢ Confined spaces can also pose physical hazards. They can
be very hot or cold, very loud, or slippery and wet.
➢ Grain, sand or gravel can bury a worker.

6. Violence
➢ Violence on the job is a growing problem.
 ➢ Homicides are the second leading cause of workplace fatalities.
Workplace violence includes physical assault as well as near
misses, verbal abuse and sexual harassment

1.3 The 5S of Housekeeping

5S is amongst the first and fundamental steps implemented by an
enterprise towards the path of implementing Total Quality Management and
continuous improvement at the operation level. 5S is a process designed to
organize the workplace, keep it clean, maintain effective and standard conditions.
It instils the discipline required to enable each individual to achieve and maintain
a world-class environment.
5S will be needed if the workplace is messy and unorganized. It will also
be needed if employees spend extra time in searching tools, papers, information,
etc.

5S is the acronym for five Japanese words: Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu
and Shitsuke and they represent the five steps for a systematic technique for
good housekeeping as indicated in the table below:
Step Corresponding action
Seiri (Sort) Distinguish between necessary and unnecessary
items. Remove the latter.
Seiton (Set in order) Enforce the dictum ‘a place for everything and
everything in its place’.
Seiso (Shine) Clean up the workplace and look for ways to keep
it clean.
Seiketsu (Standardize) Maintain and monitor adherence to the first three
Ss.
Shitsuke (Sustain) Follow the rule to keep the workplace 5S-right.
Hold the gain.

The general concept of the 5S is that they are intended to eliminate waste
(Osada,1993).
Working in disorder is neither productive, nor safe. 5S is a simple and
practical method to instill a quality culture at the work place. It is relatively easy to
undertake, and requires minimal additional resources. The first and small
investment made in time and effort pays off in a much bigger manner when the
results are realized and maintained.
Among the main benefits of implementing 5S are:
the workplace becomes cleaner, safer, well-organized and more pleasant
floor space utilization is improved, workflow becomes smoother and more
systematic and non-value-added activities are reduced; time for searching tools,
materials and document is minimized; machine breakdowns are reduced since
clean and well-maintained equipment breaks down less frequently and it also
becomes easier to diagnose and repair before breakdowns occur, therefore
extending equipment life; errors are minimized leading to making defect-free
products; consumables and material wastage are minimized; the morale and
satisfaction of employees improves; and
the productivity of the organization improves together with the quality of products
and services.

How do we practice the 5S?

The meaning, methods of implementing and benefits of each of the 5S are given
below.
SORT - SEIRI
The emphasis of Seiri is on stratification management and being able to spot the
unwanted and unnecessary before they become problematic (Osada, 1993).

Meaning Methods Benefits

This means • First decide what is Your useful floor is
distinguishing or sort necessary and what is saved.
out between ‘wanted’ unnecessary. To find out
and “unwanted items’ unnecessary items you should Your searching time
at place of work and not only check the floor but of tools, materials,
removal of unwanted also shelves, lockers, and papers is
items storehouse, stairs, roofs, reduced.
notice boards, etc.
 Put a red tag on unnecessary You have better
items and keep them in a flow of work.
separate area.
Discard or throw those items Your inventory cost
which have not been used in of unnecessary
the past one year. items is reduced.
Things used once in 6 to 12
months may be stored at a
distance from work station.
Things used more than once a
month should be available at a
central point in the workplace.
Things used
hourly/everyday/once a week
should be near the work
station or may be worn by or
kept in the pocket of your
worker.

SET IN ORDER – SEITON

Seito in essence can be defined as neatness, having thing in the right places or
set up so that they are readily available for eliminating the need to search. Once
everything has a right place so that it is functionally placed for quality and safety
it can then be deemed that the workplace is neat IOsada, 1993). While seiri helps
you to decide what items are needed. Seiton helps you to decide the way things
are to be placed.
Meaning Methods Benefits
Arranging items in such a If necessary, reassign You take things
manner that they are easy to spaces, racks, cabinets, out and keep
use. etc. things back easily.
Labelling them so that they are Decide the right places for You make lesser
easy to find and put back. everything. mistakes.
This means a place for Put all materials and You reduce
everything (necessary) and equipment at a place searching time.
everything in its place. No allocated to them with Your work
more homeless items. proper label or environment
signalization. becomes safe

Use alerts or indications

for out of-stock situations.
Use floor paint marking to
define working area, path,
entrance/exit, safety
equipment, cart/ trolley
locations, etc.
Use standard color coding
for pipelines for steam,
water, gas, drainage, etc.
Use display cautions,
messages, instructions at
proper place at proper
height and written clearly

SHINE - SEISO
Seiso places emphasis on cleaning so that things are clean; in other words,
carrying out cleaning as a form of inspection i.e. getting rid of waste, and foreign
matter. It is important to note that depending on the circumstance, with higher
quality, higher precision and finer processing technologies, even the minute
details may have the greatest ramifications, hence the importance to carry out
cleaning as a form of inspection (Osada, 1993).
Meaning Methods Benefits
This means removing Divide the total area in Your work place
dirt, strain, filth, soot and zones and allocate becomes free of dirt
dust from the work area. responsibility for cleaning and stains which is the
for each zone. starting point for
This includes cleaning Decide on cleaning points, quality.
and care for equipment order of cleaning, type of
and facilities and also cleaning, cleaning aid Your equipment
inspecting them for required, etc. lifespan will be
abnormalities. In a way it Display cleaning schedule. prolonged and
also includes primary During cleaning look for breakdowns will be
maintenance of defective conditions (loose less.
equipment. bolts, vibrations, excessive
sound, high temperature, Creates a pleasant
Note: Cleaning is not fallen tools, etc.) and solve environment.
polishing, etc., to make the problem.
the piece of equipment Allocate space for storage Prevents accidents.
more beautiful – it looks of cleaning aids and
after its condition and consumables for cleaning.
fitness for use.
STANDARDIZE - SEIKETSU
This aspect of the 5S focuses on standardization, making the first three S’s, Seiri,
Seiton, and Seiso a constant routine. The emphasis here is on visual
management, an important aspect to attain and maintain standardized conditions
to enable the individuals always act quickly (Osada, 1993).

Meaning Methods Benefits

This call for systematizing Document procedures and Your activities

the above 4S practices.
This means ensuring that
whatever cleanliness and
orderliness is achieved
should be maintained.
This requires that you
should develop a work
structure that will support
the new practices and turn
them into habits. The
purpose of standardization labels on switches, etc.
is to make sure that
everyone in the company
follows the same
procedure, the same
names of items, the same
size of signalization/floor
marking, shapes, colors,
etc. Standardize also helps
guidelines for sorting, set in will be simplified.
order and shine. You will have
Make a checklist for each consistency in
section and train your people in the work
using them practices.
Carry out periodic evaluation You will avoid
by using the above check list. mistakes.
Use visual management to act With better
quickly, for example visual and
putting/using: transparency
− Open and shut directional management
work efficiency
− Temperature and safety will improve.
labels
− Zone labels on measuring
meters (normal zone, danger
zone, etc.) − OK or hold marks
on product.
− Put transparency control
 to do the right thing the − Make transparent covers of
right way every time. drawers.
− Put inspection windows in
the metal covers.
− Use location maps with
emergency exits, fire-fighting
equipment, etc.

SUSTAIN - SHITSUKE
Shitsuke places emphasis on being able to forge a workplace with good habits
and discipline. Demonstrating to others what needs to be done and encouraging
practice amongst them. This is mainly a management
responsibility.
Meaning Methods Benefits
Sustain also means Create awareness and Promotes habit for
‘Discipline’. It denotes your publicize the system. For complying with
commitment to maintain example, develop 5S workplace rules and
orderliness and to practice News, 5S Posters, 5S procedures.
first 3S as a way of life. Slogans, 5S Day, etc.
This also requires that Create a structure of how Creates healthy
your employees show and when 5S activities atmosphere and a
positive interest and will be implemented. good work place.
overcome resistance to Formulate guidelines for
change. audit/evaluation of 5S Helps you to develop
implementation. team work.
Provide management
support by providing Provides you with data
resources and for improving 5S.
leadership.
Reward and recognize
best performers.

END