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Root Cause Analysis – standard methods and techniques
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Root Cause Analysis – standard methods and techniques
<cross-posted from Overhead Line Design forum>
Hi everyone,
The Network team at Northpower are trying to improve our investigation process and have recognised that standardised investigation processes with competency management are crucial. There are several root cause analysis techniques out there and we’re keen to learn what you use at your organisations:
What technique(s) do you use? (e.g. ICAM, Apollo RCA, Cordant, Ishikawa, 5 whys, HFACS etc)
Do you use the same techniques for asset failure as for HSE incidents?
How do you manage training and competency?
How is this process managed and sustained?
I can share some of what we’ve been developing if there’s enough interest!
Thanks,
Mike Spence
Senior Reliability Engineer
Northpower Network
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4 Replies
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Michael,
If you believe root cause analysis is appropriate for complex and chaotic work environments, then ICAM or fish bone or 5 why are all appropriate. At Delta we use ICAM currently but are looking for training provision in FRAM and STAMP as they are better for establishing causation from multiple inputs.
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Thanks Matthew, appreciated. Agree that some techniques do not identify all root causes.
Good to know about FRAM and STAMP, they were not on my radar. Will read up on those.
Did you consider Apollo RCA? It is good at flushing out all the immediate, technical and systemic/cultural causes of a problem, but is not specifically designed for safety incidents.
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Hi Michael
We use ICAM for complex or technical incidents – both asset and H&S incidents.
Otherwise for simple incidents it’s a 5-whys or mini ICAM. We found using the full ICAM format meant that we spent too long on minor incidents and failures compared to the learnings that we got from them.
We were putting many of our investigators through the ‘SafetyWise’ ICAM training and then 5-yearly refresher via IMPAC, but in the last 12 months are moving more to a learning teams approach (still using the PEEPO framework as it gives discipline and we are familiar with the framework) rather than designated investigator(s).
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Thanks Stephen, sounds pragmatic. I’m getting a better picture of the industry now.
Do you still have a designated facilitator (or “process nazi”) for each of your learning teams?
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