Lean and clean

In trying to become a 5-S plant, don't forget about a sixth S: sorbents.

by Mark Johnson

Lean manufacturing. Kaizen. 5-S.

These are important concepts, all geared toward making your plant more efficient and productive, and helping workers be happier and more satisfied in their work.

That might seem like a tall order, but when it comes to implementing a 5-S program in your workplace, it isn’t necessarily the big things that have to be changed. In many ways, it’s the smaller, day-to-day, detail-oriented things, the ones that get taken for granted.

Something as simple as a solid sorbent program can fit into your 5-S process. Or, looked at another way, your 5-S process can help you develop a solid sorbent program.

Let’s review the steps and see how sorbents come into play.

The 5-S’s are seori, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke.

SEORI (Sort): The first S focuses on eliminating unnecessary items from the workplace. What do you think of when you apply that to sorbents? Well, how many different sorbent products do you use? Do you really need all those SKUs? And, are you using the right sorbents?

Through environmental and site surveys, especially at larger plants where a bunch of departments buy what they want from whoever they want, representatives from sorbent manufacturers often find that they can help plants reduce the SKUs they need by as much as 50 percent.

So, by looking into what product(s) you use for a given application, and keeping an eye open to SKU rationalization, you can expect significant savings through simplicity. Fewer SKUs turn faster and take up less space in storage. That is exactly what this first S is all about. You don’t necessarily need a myriad of different sorbents. You just need the right sorbent.

SEITON (Set in order): This is about getting organized, determining everything you need to do the job, the quantities you need, and their present or proper location.

In regard to sorbents, this is more important than you may have originally thought.

Chances are that your plant is at one extreme of a sorbent spectrum. At one end, no one is totally certain where the sorbents are kept on the shop floor or where to find them when the need arises. At the other end, the sorbents are under lock and key in the tool crib. “If they need some, they’ll have to come get it.” Clearly, there’s a better way.

This might seem obvious, and it’s just as true for emergency response as it is for the routine maintenance use of sorbents, but you should have a place assigned for sorbent storage. Call it a “Sorbent Station.”  After all, sorbents must be accessible to the people who need them, when they need them.

That’s why some sorbent companies package products in boxes, and why they try to make their sorbents convenient to use and store (for example, using dispenser boxes, or offering a choice between mobile and stationary spill kits). Some products even come with a collection station for immediate disposal of used sorbent pads.

SEISO (Shine): This refers to keeping the work area clean and neat to help sustain productivity and pride. Sorbents fit here.

It’s well documented that good housekeeping is a key factor in maintaining high levels of safety and productivity. It doesn’t take much imagination to understand why a properly outfitted workstation (one with sorbent pads, rolls, socks and rugs) is a cleaner, safer and more productive workplace than one with wet, oily, slippery floors, or one where workers are ankle deep in kitty litter.

That’s a “before and after” picture that needs no further explanation.

SEIKETSU (Standardize): This focuses on standardizing best practices. Establishing a good sorbent program is imperative. Sorbent companies can help you out here with environmental and site surveys.

In terms of emergency response and preparedness, you must have a contingency plan in place for “worst-case discharge.” This should include knowing what liquids are at risk, their hazard level, the areas in need of protection, how to best contain a spill, which sorbents to employ, and who to call for outside help in hazardous materials cleanup.

Best practices for routine maintenance sorbent usage involves understanding the applications, preparing the workplace for the job at hand and having the right sorbent materials available.

For example, prior to a plant shutdown, you must know what machines are scheduled for work and what liquids will be cleaned up. When reviewing your material handling areas, you must recognize that leaking forklifts are a common occurrence and prepare the storage area with a sorbent industrial rug or barrier spill mat suitable for vehicle storage. The same process applies to liquid storage areas, laboratories, workstations, aisles and walkways, and literally all other plant areas.

SHITSUKE (Sustain): The final S is all about sustainability, or making the change part of the way you do business from now on. This is often the toughest part of a 5-S program.

Even after you spend all that time and energy getting organized, it’s easy to slip back into old, sloppy habits. It’s human nature.

The good news is that a sorbent program is very easy to maintain. Using sorbents is as intuitive and straightforward as using a sponge and paper towels in the kitchen.

Just keep a mental picture, or perhaps an actual photo, of what it was like before: wet, oily, slippery floors; parts and equipment covered and dripping with oils, grease, coolants, etc.; and workers standing ankle deep in kitty litter.

You and your co-workers could go back to working in such a pigsty, but why would you?

In pursuing 5-S, remember to add a sixth S for sorbents!

Mark Johnson is vice president of sales and marketing for SPC Sorbent Products Company. To learn more, call or visit www.sorbentproducts.com. 

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