Red Tagging
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Red tagging is a visual technique for identifying items that may be unnecessary, marking them for evaluation and potential removal.
Definition
Red tagging is a visual technique used during the Sort (Seiri) phase of 5S to identify items that may be unnecessary in a work area. A red tag (often a physical tag or label) is attached to items whose necessity is questioned: equipment not used recently, parts with no identified purpose, tools that may be surplus, or materials of unknown status. Tagged items are moved to a "red tag holding area" for evaluation. After a defined period, if no one claims the item or identifies a need, it's removed—disposed, relocated, or returned to a central store.
Examples
During a 5S event, operators red-tagged anything they hadn't used in the past month: spare parts with no clear purpose, old fixtures, duplicate tools, obsolete documentation. The red tag area filled with items. After 30 days, 80% was disposed or relocated, freeing significant floor space.
Key Points
- Visual identification makes excess obvious
- Holding period allows evaluation before permanent removal
- Decisions made as a team, not by individuals hoarding "just in case"
- Repeating red tag events periodically prevents accumulation
Common Misconceptions
Red tagging means throwing everything away. The holding area allows evaluation. Items with genuine purpose are returned; only truly unnecessary items are removed.
Red tagging is a one-time event. Clutter accumulates continuously. Periodic red tag events maintain the gains from initial sorting.
Try It
Red tagging is how you act on a weak Sort score, so score the area first. The audit below rates five Sort items, one of which asks directly whether obsolete, broken, or redundant items have been tagged and removed. Rate one real area, and every item you score 1 or 2 comes back as an action list with your notes attached. That list is the target for your next red tag event.