What this checklist covers
The 5S Corrective Action Plan Checklist is a 15-point scorecard for 5S gaps, root cause, action owner, due dates, before/after evidence, repeat issue tracking, and closure discipline. Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on what the auditor sees on the day, and every gap goes into an action plan with an owner and a close date.
AutoSmart tip: 5S corrective action plans fail most often when the correction treats the symptom rather than the root cause. An item returned to a temporary location for the audit, with no permanent home created, will reappear as a finding in the next cycle. The test of a well-designed corrective action is whether a new staff member could maintain the corrected standard without being told — if the fix requires ongoing individual discipline, it has not solved the underlying 5S design problem.
The checks
Tap Yes, No or Maybe to try it: your answers stay in this page and clear when you refresh. For a detailed walkthrough, download our PDF or book a demo.
5S gap identification and root cause
- Is each 5S corrective action item clearly linked to a specific audit finding, with the zone, criterion, and score recorded alongside the action?
- Is a root cause statement documented for each action item — distinguishing between a one- time lapse (item out of place) and a systemic issue (no designated place exists for the item)?
- Are recurring findings (same gap appearing in the same zone across multiple audit cycles) classified as systemic and addressed at the process level rather than corrected zone by zone?
- Does the corrective action address the root cause — e.g., creating a designated location where none existed — rather than only restoring the item to a position it was temporarily returned to for the audit?
Action owner and due date
- Is a named individual (not a zone or department) assigned as responsible for each corrective action, with that individual's name recorded in the action plan?
- Is a realistic due date set for each action, with quick fixes (replace a label, clean a surface) given short deadlines and structural changes (install a shadow board, mark a floor zone) given appropriate lead time?
- Are overdue actions flagged at the next management review, with reasons for delay documented and a revised date set — not silently rolled forward?
- Is the action plan visible to zone staff, not held only in a management document, so the team is aware of open actions in their area?
Before/after evidence and approval
- Is a 'before' photograph taken at the time of the finding and a matching 'after' photograph taken from the same position after correction, retained as evidence of closure?
- Is closure evidence reviewed by the 5S auditor or zone leader before the action is accepted as closed — not self-certified by the responsible person alone?
- Are closed actions verified at the next audit visit to confirm the correction has been sustained, rather than only reverified at the point of original closure?
Repeat issue tracking and closure discipline
- Is a repeat issue flag applied to any finding that appeared in the previous audit cycle, triggering a higher-priority review and a more fundamental corrective action?
- Is repeat finding rate (percentage of current audit findings that also appeared in the prior audit) tracked as a KPI, with a reducing trend expected over successive cycles?
- Is the action plan reviewed in the management meeting on the same cycle as the 5S audit results, with closure discipline treated as equally important as audit score?
- Is there a defined consequence for persistent repeat findings — e.g., escalation to senior management review, increased audit frequency in the affected zone — that reinforces closure discipline?
How to run it
How the scoring works
Before the visit, fill in the dealer or centre, the auditor, the date and the audit cycle. Then score each of the 15 checks from 1 to 5 on what you see on the day, not on what the site aims for, and add them up out of 75.
- 1Not in place
- 2Attempted
- 3Defined
- 4Managed
- 5Fully sustained
- Green60–75 · 80–100%Compliant. Keep the standard.
- Amber38–59 · 50–79%Improvement needed: a structured action plan within 30 days.
- Red0–37 · Below 50%Priority intervention, escalated to regional management.
Then close every gap
Each gap goes into the action plan tracker and moves through four stages until the auditor closes it.
- 1PendingOwner and close date set
- 2In progressWork under way, evidence gathered
- 3CompletedEvidence submitted for review
- 4ApprovedVerified and closed by the auditor
