RCA RCA Corrective Actions 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In RCA, what distinguishes a 'corrective action' from a 'containment action'?
- Containment actions are permanent; corrective actions are temporary
- Corrective actions address the root cause to prevent recurrence; containment actions provide immediate short-term relief (Correct answer)
- Corrective actions are cheaper than containment actions
- Containment actions require management approval; corrective actions do not
Correct answer: Corrective actions address the root cause to prevent recurrence; containment actions provide immediate short-term relief
Containment actions are temporary fixes to stop immediate harm, while corrective actions target the root cause to permanently prevent the problem from recurring.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of a 'systemic corrective action' in RCA?
- Retraining one employee who made an error
- Redesigning the process to prevent the error from being possible regardless of who performs it (Correct answer)
- Replacing a broken part with an identical spare
- Documenting the incident in a log book
Correct answer: Redesigning the process to prevent the error from being possible regardless of who performs it
Systemic corrective actions change the system or process so that the root cause condition cannot recur, rather than just addressing the individual incident.
Question 3: What is the 'hierarchy of corrective actions' in RCA, ranked from most to least effective?
- Training → Procedures → Engineering controls → Elimination
- Elimination → Engineering controls → Administrative controls → Training (Correct answer)
- Training → Administrative controls → Engineering controls → Elimination
- Procedures → Training → Elimination → Engineering controls
Correct answer: Elimination → Engineering controls → Administrative controls → Training
Elimination of the hazard is most effective; then engineering controls; then administrative controls; and lastly training, which is least reliable for preventing recurrence.
Question 4: In RCA, what does it mean to 'mistake-proof' (poka-yoke) a process as a corrective action?
- Requiring employees to double-check their own work
- Designing the process so that errors are impossible or immediately obvious (Correct answer)
- Posting warning signs near hazardous equipment
- Increasing the frequency of quality inspections
Correct answer: Designing the process so that errors are impossible or immediately obvious
Mistake-proofing (poka-yoke) redesigns a process or tool so that an error either cannot be made or is instantly detected before it causes harm.
Question 5: Why is it important to assign a specific owner and due date to each corrective action in RCA?
- To determine who to blame if the problem recurs
- To ensure accountability and track progress toward timely implementation (Correct answer)
- To satisfy ISO documentation requirements only
- To calculate the cost of corrective actions
Correct answer: To ensure accountability and track progress toward timely implementation
Assigning ownership and due dates creates accountability, ensures actions are not forgotten, and allows progress to be monitored until completion.
Question 6: What is 'effectiveness verification' in the context of RCA corrective actions?
- Confirming that corrective actions were approved by management
- Checking after implementation that the corrective action actually prevented recurrence of the problem (Correct answer)
- Verifying the cost of the corrective action was within budget
- Confirming that all team members completed their training
Correct answer: Checking after implementation that the corrective action actually prevented recurrence of the problem
Effectiveness verification involves monitoring performance data after corrective actions are implemented to confirm the root cause has been eliminated and the problem has not recurred.
RCA RCA Corrective Actions 1
In RCA, what distinguishes a 'corrective action' from a 'containment action'?