Glossary
What is Root Cause Analysis?
Root cause analysis (RCA) is a method for identifying the underlying cause of a failure or problem—rather than just the immediate cause—so that recurrence can be prevented. It often uses work order and maintenance history to understand what happened.
What it means
RCA is used after significant failures or repeated issues. Maintenance data (what was done, when, parts, conditions) supports the analysis.
Why it matters
- RCA seeks the root cause, not just the symptom.
- Techniques include 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams and fault tree analysis.
- Maintenance logs and work order history provide evidence for RCA.
- Actions might include procedure changes, PM updates or design changes.
Example in maintenance operations
A bearing failed. RCA finds: lubrication was missed (root cause: PM not assigned; deeper cause: no reminder). Action: ensure PM is in CMMS and assigned.
Related concepts
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