 5S is a series of activities for eliminating wastes that contribute to errors, defects, and injuries in the workplace. From its origins in Japan, the 5S's are se-li, se-ton, se-so, se-ke-tsu, and shitsuka. Translated to English, these words become sort, straighten, shine, standardize, and sustain. The sort function within 5S is used to define what tools are absolutely needed to perform the tasks associated with that station. Any other tools are removed from the work area using a system called red tagging. Suppose you were given the job of working at a particular station within a plant. At that station, it was your responsibility to use a certain set of tools to produce a product within a limited amount of time. How efficient could you be at performing your task with all of the tools thrown into various piles all over the work cell? The red tag portion of the sort phase involves filling out and marking the unneeded items with the tag, showing that it needs to be moved out of the station to a holding area. Thus, the only tools left in the work area are the ones specifically needed to perform the particular tasks associated with that station. The next step of 5S is referred to as store, set in order, or straighten. It usually follows the motto, a place for everything and everything in its place. It involves taking the items from the sort phase that were determined to be needed for that station and placing them at or near the point of use. The tools should be stored in the order of most used to the least used. The techniques of using shadows, labels, or foam cutouts to signify what belongs or is missing from that open space is also used within the second step. The next step of 5S is referred to as shine or sweep. It is aimed at cleaning or restoring all of the equipment and related items in a work cell to like new condition. The reason that the shine step is important is that it enables the workers to immediately notice if there are changes with equipment or items such as oil leaks. It also is used to determine what the sources of messes are so that they might be eliminated. The next step of 5S is referred to as standardize. Its goal is to put procedures and instructions in place to help control and keep the station in the condition that it is in at the end of the first three phases. Standardization is important because it enables every worker that is tasked with working at the station to see what success looks like. It also encourages the use of successful implementations at other stations in question, helping to make all stations similar or alike in their applications of 5S. The next step of 5S is known as sustain or self-discipline in some instances. The objective being continued focus on keeping the changes put in place working either through managing and enforcing the standards put in place or make small incremental changes to improve. Development of 5S employs the use of a scoring system with a posted scorecard or the tracking of other key process indicators associated with the station. Using the 5S system, a clean and safe work environment is delivered with groundwork for continuous improvement.