RCA Prevention and Control Flashcards

What is the primary goal of implementing preventive actions after completing a Root Cause Analysis?

Answer: To eliminate or reduce the likelihood of recurrence

Preventive actions aim to eliminate or reduce the likelihood that the same root cause will produce another incident in the future.

Which type of control is considered most effective in the hierarchy of controls for preventing recurrence?

Answer: Engineering/elimination controls

Engineering controls and elimination are at the top of the hierarchy of controls because they physically remove or reduce the hazard rather than relying on human behavior.

A 'barrier analysis' in RCA prevention focuses on which of the following?

Answer: Evaluating controls that should have prevented the event but failed

Barrier analysis examines the safeguards or controls that were in place, why they failed to prevent the event, and how stronger barriers can be implemented.

When ranking preventive actions, which criterion is MOST important to consider first?

Answer: Effectiveness in addressing the root cause

Effectiveness in actually addressing the root cause is the primary criterion because a cheap, easy action that doesn't fix the root cause provides little value.

What is a 'poka-yoke' device used for in RCA prevention strategies?

Answer: Making errors physically impossible or immediately detectable

Poka-yoke (mistake-proofing) devices are design features that make it impossible or very difficult for errors to occur, removing reliance on human vigilance.

Which element is essential for a preventive action plan to be actionable and accountable?

Answer: Assigned ownership and a target completion date

Assigning a responsible owner and a specific target date ensures accountability and measurable progress toward completing each preventive action.

What is 'latent failure' in the context of RCA prevention and control?

Answer: A dormant systemic weakness that contributes to incidents when triggered

Latent failures are hidden systemic weaknesses—such as poor procedures or design flaws—that lie dormant until combined with active failures or triggering conditions to cause an incident.