Action Audit

6S Audit Software

What is a 6S audit?

6S Audit Diagram
A 6S audit is simply a 5S audit with one addition: Safety is pulled out as its own, separately scored sixth category. The five core steps stay exactly the same - Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize and Self-discipline - so everything you already do under 5S still applies.Organizations adopt 6S when safety is too important to leave implicit inside the other steps. By making it a distinct category, hazards get their own checklist items, their own score and their own corrective actions, which keeps safety visible at every audit.The five core categories are:
  • Seiri -> Sort
  • Seiton -> Set in order
  • Seiso -> Shine
  • Seiketsu -> Standarize
  • Shitsuke -> Self-discipline
Need the detail on those five steps? See our full 5S audit software page. Below we focus on the sixth S - Safety.
6S Audit Diagram

Safety as the sixth S

First of all, safety rules

Safety as the sixth S
The area called the sixth S is not really a further step after the 5S program - Safety should be a permanent element of each of the stages or, as some believe, the starting point and foundation for the whole 5S program. That is why, in 6S diagrams, safety is placed in the middle, as a common part shared by every step.Maintaining safety is based, among other things, on the use of personal protective equipment, training, information and warnings about dangers in the workplace. Above all, hazards should be identified and, where possible, eliminated.Example checklist questions:
  • Do you wear appropriate protective clothing while working?
  • Is the fire extinguisher in a visible and accessible place?
  • Are escape routes properly marked?
Safety as the sixth S

6S Audits on the Action Audit platform

6S Audits on the Action Audit platform
The auditing module available in the Action Audit platform lets your team run 6S audits reliably, using checklists prepared on the basis of best practices - with Safety configured as its own scored category.As with other types of audits, 6S offers advanced configuration options, including:
  • the ability to create your own 5S and Safety checklists
  • the ability of building groups of many auditors
  • the ability to schedule audits, also on multiple layers.
Extensive reporting functions speed up analysis and help identify bottlenecks - including safety hotspots that need immediate corrective action. Carrying out 6S audits online and in the mobile application is a time saver and the next step in optimizing safe, well-organized production work.
6S Audits on the Action Audit platform

Key benefits of implementing 6S audits using Action Audit software

Safety made visible and accountable - pulling Safety out as its own sixth category means hazards get their own score, owner and corrective actions at every audit, instead of being buried inside the other steps.

Time saving - the information obtained from the current users of the application shows that they achieve between 60 and 80 percent savings on time they previously spent on servicing the auditing process.

Greater team involvement - having a tool with which auditors can carry out an audit from a computer, a tablet or a phone, and people responsible for corrective actions have access to comprehensive information about any inconsistencies, the involvement of the entire staff is increased and the effectiveness of interdepartmental cooperation is improved.
Secondary benefits - having a properly planned and rigorously enforced system of 6S auditing, it is impossible not to mention a number of secondary benefits, including: a safer workplace, improved product quality, fewer complaints, improved key production indicators and increased customer satisfaction.

6S audit - frequently asked questions

What is a 6S audit?

A 6S audit is a 5S audit extended with Safety as a separate sixth category. It checks the five core steps - Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize and Self-discipline - and adds a dedicated, separately scored Safety category.

What is the difference between 5S and 6S?

The five core steps are identical. 6S simply makes Safety an explicit, separately scored category instead of treating it as an implicit part of the other steps. If you already run 5S, moving to 6S means adding Safety checklist items and a Safety score. See the full 5S method here.

What is the sixth S (Safety)?

Safety is the sixth S. Rather than a step that comes after the other five, it is a permanent element shared by all of them - covering personal protective equipment, hazard identification, fire safety, escape routes and workplace warnings.

Why add Safety as a separate category?

Making Safety its own category keeps it visible at every audit, gives it a clear owner and score, and ensures safety-related non-conformities trigger their own corrective actions - which is harder to guarantee when safety is only implied within the other 5S steps.

How to run Action Audit in 3 steps?

Step 1

Click on the link below and fill out a short form in which we will ask you to present a few basic parameters regarding audits in your company.

Step 2

One of our specialists will contact you to arrange an online meeting to see how Action Audit will work in your organization.

Step 3

Based on the information from the form and the meeting, we will prepare an Action Audit especially for you and make it available for free testing for 30, 45 or even 60 days!

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