Root Cause Analysis, or RCA, "What is it?" Everyone uses the term, but everyone does it differently. How can we have any uniformity in our approach, much less accurately compare our results, if we're applying different definitions? At a high level, we will explain the difference between RCA and Shallow Cause Analysis, because that is the difference between allowing a failure to recur or dramatically reducing the risk of recurrence. In this book, we will get down to basics about RCA, the fundamentals of blocking and tackling, and explain the common steps of any investigative occupation. Common investigation steps include: Preserving evidence (data)/not allowing hearsay to fly as fact Organizing an appropriate team/minimizing potential bias Analyzing the events/reconstructing the incident based on actual evidence Communicating findings and recommendations/ensuring effective recommendations are actually developed and implemented Tracking bottom-line results/ensuring that identified, meaningful metrics were attained We explore, "Why don't things always go as planned?" When our actual plans deviate from our intended plans, we usually experience some type of undesirable or unintended outcome. We analyze the anatomy of a failure (undesirable outcome) and provide a step-by-step guide to conducting a comprehensive RCA based on our 3+ decades of applying RCA as we have successfully practiced it in the field. This book is written as a how-to guide to effectively apply the PROACT (R) RCA methodology to any undesirable outcome, is directed at practitioners who have to do the real work, focuses on the core elements of any investigation, and provides a field-proven case as a model for effective application. This book is for anyone charged with having a thorough understanding of why something went wrong, such as those in EH&S, maintenance, reliability, quality, engineering, and operations to name just a few.

This book comprehensively outlines what a holistic and effective Root Cause Analysis (RCA) system looks like. From the designing of the support infrastructure to the measuring of effectiveness on the bottom-line, this book provides the blueprint for making it happen. While traditionally RCA is viewed as a reactive tool, the authors will show how it can be applied proactively to prevent failures from occurring in the first place. RCA is a key element of any successful Reliability Engineering initiative. Such initiatives are comprised of equipment, process and human reliability foundations. Human reliability is critical to the success of a true RCA approach. This book explores the anatomy of a failure (undesirable outcome) as well as a potential failure (high risks). Virtually all failures are triggered by errors of omission or commission by human beings. The methodologies described in this book are applicable to any industry because the focus is on the human being's ability to think through why things go wrong, not on the industry or the nature of the failure. This book correlates reliability to safety as well as human performance improvement efforts. The author has provided a healthy balance between theory and practical application, wrapping up with case studies demonstrating bottom-line results. Features Outlines in detail every aspect of an effective RCA 'system' Displays appreciation for the role of understanding the physics of a failure as well as the human and system's contribution Demonstrates the role of RCA in a comprehensive Asset Performance Management (APM) system Explores the correlation between Reliability Engineering and Safety Integrates the concepts of Human Performance Improvement, Learning Teams, and Human Error Reduction approaches into RCA

This book comprehensively outlines what a holistic and effective Root Cause Analysis (RCA) system looks like. From the designing of the support infrastructure to the measuring of effectiveness on the bottom-line, this book provides the blueprint for making it happen. While traditionally RCA is viewed as a reactive tool, the authors will show how it can be applied proactively to prevent failures from occurring in the first place. RCA is a key element of any successful Reliability Engineering initiative. Such initiatives are comprised of equipment, process and human reliability foundations. Human reliability is critical to the success of a true RCA approach. This book explores the anatomy of a failure (undesirable outcome) as well as a potential failure (high risks). Virtually all failures are triggered by errors of omission or commission by human beings. The methodologies described in this book are applicable to any industry because the focus is on the human being's ability to think through why things go wrong, not on the industry or the nature of the failure. This book correlates reliability to safety as well as human performance improvement efforts. The author has provided a healthy balance between theory and practical application, wrapping up with case studies demonstrating bottom-line results. Features Outlines in detail every aspect of an effective RCA 'system' Displays appreciation for the role of understanding the physics of a failure as well as the human and system's contribution Demonstrates the role of RCA in a comprehensive Asset Performance Management (APM) system Explores the correlation between Reliability Engineering and Safety Integrates the concepts of Human Performance Improvement, Learning Teams, and Human Error Reduction approaches into RCA