The 5S principle in the laboratory

How a laboratory chair makes work clean and safe

Order is everything - this applies especially in the laboratory. If we want to organise work processes efficiently and make sure that work is done to a high standard, with accurate results, it is worth looking at Asia - and more specifically at the 5S principle. The concept is now extremely popular worldwide in many laboratories, production facilities, and offices. It is a workplace organisation method originating in Japan - or to be more precise, from the Japanese automotive manufacturer Toyota. Its purpose is to increase productivity, quality, and safety at work. The principle of it is a consistent and systematic enforcement of order and cleanliness at the workplace - down to the last detail. This creates a better overview in the workplace and should, for example, reduce wasted time spent looking for work materials. The 5S principle summarises the key aspects of workplace organisation in specific instructions:

Seiri: Sort - Identify and eliminate all unnecessary items.

Seiton: Set in order - Put down all necessary items in a defined place so they can be easily accessed for use, and mark them clearly.

Seiso: Shine - Clean your workplace thoroughly on a regular basis.

Seiketsu: Sanitize - Maintain a high standard of cleanliness at all times. Ensure everything is in its right place and that your workplace is not cluttered with items that should not be there, and prevent new unnecessary items being left at the work station.

Shitsuke: Self-discipline helps to maintain order and cleanliness. All items must always be put back where they belong; clear labelling helps.

The 5S principle - a real benefit to laboratories

Cleanliness and order are top priority, especially in the laboratory. The specific conditions applicable here have stricter requirements with regard to the equipment and to the organisation of working areas and work stations. For instance, in many cases the labelling of work materials plays an important role. For effective contamination control it is often crucial that these work materials can be clearly assigned to their respective work area. Laboratory chairs, for example, should never be pushed between unclean and clean work areas because contamination could affect the investigation results in some circumstances and lead to incorrect findings. Being able to label a laboratory chair can be a real success factor here.

The Labsit laboratory chair from Bimos guided by the 5S principle

When it comes to good structure and a clear overview at work, the Labsit laboratory chair from Bimos is completely in line with this principle. It has an optional label holder in the grip at the back of the chair: the Labclip. This makes it possible to attach individual labels to the chair so the laboratory chair can be visibly assigned to certain departments and application areas. The Neon work chair also offers the possibility of personalising the Supertec backrest upholstery. With this individual labelling system, the 5S principle can therefore be followed in any type of laboratory.





Interested in seating solutions for the laboratory which conform to the 5S principle? Click on the link below to discover the laboratory chairs from Bimos.

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