If you own an auto repair shop you might be looking for ways to improve your safety and efficiency you may have run across the Lean 5S standard which is used in so many businesses today. At first glance many people think that this particular standard would not apply to an auto shop because of the fact that you are performing such a wide variety of services on hundreds of different makes and models of cars. The fact is, however, that if you take a step back and look at how you can 5S your auto shop you’ll realize there are many improvement opportunities available.
5S Your Auto Shop for Safety
Any time you’re working with the types of tools that are common in an auto shop there is a significant risk for serious injury. If, for example, you are using a welding torch to help fix a vehicle while someone else may be changing out a gas tank it is possible that the fumes from the tank could ignite. This is just one of thousands of potential scenarios which could be devastating to your business. Applying 5S to your auto shop can help you identify these types of risks and work to avoid them in the future.
You can use something as simple as 5S approved floor marking tape to identify where vehicles might be lifted up and down so people can avoid walking in that area as much as possible. You can also place signs in the shop which identify potential hazardous. Of course, a spill kit to clean up oil and gas when it is spilled is also a very good idea because it is so likely that this type of thing will happen. With all the different 5s safety supplies available you can certainly improve the working conditions when you 5s your auto shop.
5S Your Auto Shop for Efficiency
Where many companies see the big benefit of 5s is in the efficiency improvements which they can enjoy. As with any business, increased efficiency will translate into increased profits so you should really consider how you can 5s your auto shop for maximum efficiency. Unfortunately, it is not always immediately obvious how you can put 5s standards which are primarily for manufacturing similar items multiple times into action for an auto shop which works on a variety of things every day.
It is possible to achieve real efficiency improvements, however, if you try to look at your shop from a more holistic point of view. Making a set process which can be followed for any type of action you perform on a regular basis can really be beneficial. Even something as simple as making a standard for all front end collision repairs will help ensure you never miss any of the most common steps. If your shop does things like oil changes you can make a step by step guide on how they can be done in the most efficient way possible. Keeping your tools and supplies well organized and labeled will also avoid wasted time looking for these types of things. Just take your time and look for all the possible ways to improve your shops efficiency according to the 5s standards and you’ll be surprised at just how much you can improve.
Additional Resources
- How to Implement 5S in an Organization– creativesafetysupply.com
- 5S Supplies for Auto Shop– lean-news.com
- Floor Tape Helps Boost Safety In Auto Shop– safetyblognews.com
- 5S Supplies Improve Safety and Organization in Auto Repair Shops– blog.creativesafetysupply.com
- 5S is Just Not For Us– 5snews.com
- Utilizing Visual Communication with 5S– iecieeechallenge.org
- 5S Vinyl Floor Tape– aislemarking.com
- Floor Marking: A Valuable 5S Tool for the Workplace– realsafety.org
- Floor Tape + 5S = Success– floor-tape.com