A practical guide to the 5S routine for workshops.

Go through your equipment and separate what's owned and in use from what's redundant, borrowed, or out of service. The goal isn't to throw things out — it's to know, definitively, what belongs and what doesn't. A simple asset register (even a spreadsheet) is the first real step here.

Give everything a fixed place and a fixed identity. This is where QR tagging earns its keep — instead of remembering which forklift is which, or where a specific tool lives, a label gives every asset a permanent, scannable identity that doesn't depend on memory.

Regular cleaning and inspection — not just for appearance, but because a clean, inspected machine reveals problems (leaks, wear, damage) before they become failures. This is where pre-start and pre-operation checklists belong.

Turn the first three steps into a repeatable process everyone follows the same way — not "however today's shift feels like doing it." A preset digital checklist does this better than a paper pad, because it can't be filled in differently by every person who touches it.

The hardest step. Sustaining 5S means the routine survives busy weeks, staff turnover, and time — which usually requires some kind of record that makes it visible when the routine has slipped, rather than relying on good intentions.