Why TPM Always Starts with 5S?

Why is 5S the basic foundation for doing TPM? Why can't we simply jump into TPM without going through 5S? Actually, you can jump into TPM without going through a formal 5S Program but it is always more effective to start with 5S before you embark on full TPM. Ask me why... Okay... let me share with you my thoughts on this based on my more than 20 years of doing 5S and more than 14 years of doing TPM.

As you would note, I have done 5S more than what I have been doing TPM. By this information, it tells you already that 5S had been circulating in the corporate world in the Philippines earlier than the advent of TPM. But this does not prove that we must do 5S first before TPM.

TPM based on JIPM- Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance guidelines have 8 Pillars. 5S is not a Pillar but is an integral part of each of the Pillars (AM- Autonomous Maintenance, Admin TPM, and PM- Planned Maintenance). The Steps involved in the 3 aforementioned TPM pillars are Initial Cleaning. Initial Cleaning is the 3rd Step in 5S. This is called Cleaning or Sweeping which is the direct English translation of SEISO. The first two Ss of the 5S are SEIRI- Sort, and SEITON- Set in Order.

Therefore, it is always good to start first with 5S before we embark on TPM for in 5S the basic discipline of sorting, arranging and cleaning are practiced and honed before it is applied in TPM. Let me give you an analogy. Say you are in a boat and you would like to maneuver your rubber boat in a stream which have very sharp rocks underwater. These rocks are potentially dangerous as this can cause the boat to sink as it can punch a hole on the underside of the boat. To ensure your rubber boat will be safe to pass through this stream, what you would do is to spend time to haul out all the sharp rocks out of the river. But you cannot see them unless you take out the water first. So it is 5S that takes out the surface issues to uncover the more serious issues that TPM can address.

Hope you got the concept. If not, please feel free to contact me for coaching and consultation.

Thanks and God bless!