HFI Issues Leadership Brief: How Six Sigma Can Help Cleaning Organizations, Using 5S − Part 2

Boise, Idaho — The Healthy Facilities Institute® (HFI) Educational Center and Website has issued a Leadership Brief on How Six Sigma Can Help Cleaning Organizations, Using 5S - Part 2.

See brief below and linked here www.healthyfacilitiesinstitute.com.

How Six Sigma Can Help Cleaning Organizations, Using 5S  Part 2
Six Sigma is a “lean production” business tool that can help cleaning operations clean better and raise quality, while saving time and money.

Six Sigma’s “Five Ss” or “5Ss” are:

  1. Sort
  2. Straighten
  3. Scrub
  4. Standardize
  5. Sustain

The 5S process or step system began in Japan (the 5Ss are English counterparts to Japanese words) as a way for teams to drive incremental improvement in work process, with a focus on removing and keeping waste out of programs.

Below is how to apply 5S to cleaning operations. The 5S steps are best taken in order, as one builds upon another. (5S is a verb in this context, and you will likely need to “5S your system” on a regular basis.)

1. Sort

Accompanied by an experienced staff member, a knowledgeable distributor, and/or a CIMS ICE-Certified, CITS ACT-Certified, or PC4HS-trained instructor (see “Useful Resources”), take inventory of all cleaning equipment and supplies in and out of the custodial closet, determine what is essential for the work, sort it by function, then mark anything superfluous with a red tag or other ID.

Sort items for elimination from the system, return items to the proper department, properly dispose of unneeded chemicals, donate or sell unused or obsolete equipment, etc.

2. Straighten

The rule, “a place for everything and everything in its place” applies. Make sure there is a place for every essential tool (think of a “shadow board” marking tool storage spots) and see that the cleaning equipment, tools or supplies are there in their proper place when needed.

3. Scrub

As John Walker of (OS1) says, “You can’t clean with dirty tools” – so clean, clean, clean to be sure your equipment, supplies, uniforms (and attitudes) are as spotless as you can practically make them.

Cultivate a Culture of Clean (COC) to produce positive energy, productivity, cooperation (e.g., ‘The Walt Disney World effect’), and further evidence for The Value of Clean (per ISSA).

Clean equipment also increases the safety factor, as problems are often easier to detect when tool surfaces are clean.

4. Standardize

Standardize your process (e.g., per PC4HS), training (e.g., per CITS) and toolset (this overlaps with #1, Sort) as this is the only way to make your program measurable, consistent, and “improvable.”

5. Sustain

Follow the guidelines for Sustainability advocated for by CIMS-GB, The Ashkin Group, and Healthy Schools Campaign, among others, then work at other “Sustainability” elements (those enabling your program to continue its funding) by using schedules and systems applying 5S to make your cleaning program one that is continuously improved, cost-effective and solidly-supported.

The Healthy Facilities Institute® (HFI) Educational Center and Website strives to provide authoritative information for creating and maintaining clean, healthy indoor environments. Since buildings are ecosystems, HFI works to address the many interrelated aspects of built environments — such as air, water, energy, materials and resources, green cleaning, indoor environmental quality, waste management, people and more — as an integrated or holistic system. Inasmuch as “Clean” is a metaphor for healthy indoor spaces, HFI also emphasizes prevention and removal of pollutants or contaminants to help ensure optimum conditions for living, learning and working.

Featured

  • Springfield Breaks Ground on $53.7M Pipkin Middle School Rebuild

    Construction is underway on a new, state-of-the-art Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Mo., a major step in Springfield Public Schools’ (SPS) long-term facility improvement plan, according to local news. The $53.7-million project officially broke ground in early June, following years of planning and community input aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure and addressing student capacity concerns.

  • ProTeam Launches GoFit 6 HEPA Backpack Vacuum

    Technology leader Emerson recently introduced the new ProTeam GoFit 6 HEPA backpack vacuum, according to a news release. The vacuum was designed to capture 99.97% of particulates down to 0.3 microns—including atmospheric hazards like lead dust, mold spores, and other particulates—through an advanced filtration system.

  • California High School Starts Construction on New CTE Building

    Analy High School, part of the West Sonoma County Union High School District (WSCUHSD) in Sebastopol, Calif., recently broke ground on a new Career Technical Education (CTE) Building, according to a news release. The 15,000-square-foot facility will offer specialized facilities for students in engineering, welding, culinary arts, agricultural sciences, and design thinking.

  • modern college building with circuit and brain motifs

    Anthropic Introduces Claude for Education

    Anthropic has launched a version of its Claude AI assistant tailored for higher education institutions. Claude for Education "gives academic institutions secure, reliable AI access for their entire community," the company said, to enable colleges and universities to develop and implement AI-enabled approaches across teaching, learning, and administration.

Digital Edition