Assessment of application of 5S practices in ceramic industry

Abstract

Results of research connected with determining the degree of implementation of 5S practices in ceramics industry are discussed in this paper. Direct survey with employees of companies plus expert interview was used in the research. A 21 point scale was used to assess the degree of implementation the 5S practices at individual stages of the manufacturing process. The specificity of production in ceramics industry enforces maintaining the regime of cleanliness during production. The research revealed that the level of conscious implementation of the 5S practices in companies depends on the culture of organization and the degree of involvement of employees in the improvement actions in their company. The presented results are a part of the research aimed at determining reference requirements for companies in terms of implementation and making use of the Lean Management (LM) instruments.