How the score works
Each item is worth up to 4 points. Items marked N/A are removed from both the earned and possible totals, so an office isn't penalized for having no floor drains to keep clear. Each S gets its own percentage too, which usually matters more than the total: an area at 75% overall with Sustain at 30% will slide back within weeks.
The five S's
- Sort (Seiri) — remove what isn't needed. If nobody can say why it's there, red-tag it.
- Set in Order (Seiton) — a marked place for everything that stays, located by how often it's used.
- Shine (Seiso) — clean, and use cleaning as inspection. Leaks, wear, and loose fasteners show up on clean equipment.
- Standardize (Seiketsu) — write down and post what "good" looks like so the first three S's become routine, not a one-time cleanup.
- Sustain (Shitsuke) — regular audits, visible results, and ownership. This is the S most programs fail on.
Many sites add a sixth S for Safety (sometimes called 6S). If yours does, add your safety items as custom items under the most relevant S, or track them in a separate audit.
Running audits that stick
- Audit on a fixed schedule — weekly or every two weeks for the same area — so the history shows a real trend.
- Rotate auditors. People score their own area generously. A second set of eyes from a neighboring area keeps scores honest.
- Every low score gets a finding. A score without a named problem and an owner doesn't change anything.
- Photograph the standard. A posted "this is what good looks like" photo makes Standardize scoring objective.
FAQ
What's a good 5S score?
There's no industry standard cutoff. Many sites set a target around 80% for established areas and accept lower scores while an area is getting started. The trend and the Sustain score tell you more than any single number.
Can I change the checklist items?
Yes. Add your own items under any S with the "+ Add item" link. Custom items are saved with your audits in this browser.
Where is my audit history stored?
Only in this browser on this device. Nothing is sent to a server. Export the history to CSV to keep a backup or share it with your team.
Sources & standards
- Hirano, Hiroyuki. 5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace: The Sourcebook for 5S Implementation. Productivity Press, 1995.
- Lean Enterprise Institute. “5S.” Lean Lexicon. lean.org
Checklist items, the 0–4 scale, and score bands are practitioner guidance written for this tool, not reproduced from a published audit form. Adapt them to your site’s standard.