There’s always a question: Corrective action or preventive action, which one to execute? Are both necessary? If so, when? These are just some of the routines in a Quality Management System (QMS), making things a bit more complicated.
In a busy routine full of activities, not fully understanding how these actions work can be a major issue. We may end up opting for the wrong action and thus cause more problems and damage to our organizations. Not to mention the time wasted by employees!
Therefore, understanding what corrective actions and preventive actions are, and when to use them, is essential. That’s why we’ve created this simple content to explain each one and when to use them. Let’s dive into it!
What is Corrective Action and When Should It Be Used?
Corrective action, as the name suggests, is intended to correct a problem, nonconformity, or issue. It occurs after an incident has happened, addressing the root causes of the occurrence and preventing it from happening again.
Corrective action follows several specific problem-solving steps, typically involving:
Information collection;
Root cause analysis;
Creation of a corrective action plan;
Execution of the plan;
Effectiveness analysis of the resolution;
Standardization of learning and new procedural standards.
This type of action is the main driver of continuous improvement, working on processes and operational methods (the “how we do it”). It is also a common action in any QMS and is part of how we fulfill the “10 Continuous Improvement” requirement in ISO management system standards.
In short, corrective action is what we do to eliminate the root cause of a nonconformity (problem or incident) that has already occurred. The focus is to prevent the problem from happening again.
In addition to corrective and preventive actions, we also have immediate actions. It’s worth understanding them. Let’s take a look!
What is Immediate Action and When Should It Be Used?
While corrective action deals with the causes of a problem or nonconformity, immediate action specifically addresses the effects of these occurrences. Immediate action serves to ensure that a problem has the least negative impact possible on the company, its employees, and customers.
For example, imagine that during the painting process of a product, the color doesn’t match the planned one. While corrective action will identify the root cause of this issue, immediate action will isolate the product so it doesn’t reach the customer. If the product has already been delivered, immediate action will involve exchanging it, minimizing customer dissatisfaction.
In summary, while corrective action works to prevent a problem or NC from recurring, immediate action addresses the damage caused by it. It typically follows these steps:
Identification of effects;
Creation of a containment plan;
Immediate correction of effects;
Documentation of the events;
Opening of a nonconformity (if not previously identified);
Communication to the involved parties (if necessary).
Immediate action is what we do on the spot to contain the problem and prevent it from causing further damage. It doesn’t solve the cause but controls the effects (negative impacts).
What is Preventive Action and When Should It Be Used?
Finally, we have preventive action. As the name suggests, it works to prevent something from happening. While corrective and immediate actions address issues after they’ve occurred, preventive action works before they appear in the process. Preventive action addresses and eliminates the root cause before it can manifest, become a reality, and cause problems.
The logic here is to anticipate what might happen and prevent it from becoming an issue, avoiding losses, accidents, customer dissatisfaction, and headaches. Many consultants and quality management professionals now consider preventive actions, after the publication of ISO 9001:2015, as part of what the standard calls Risk Management. In essence, actions to eliminate or mitigate risk are preventive actions.
The basic steps of preventive action include:
Identification of potential problems (risks);
Assessment of potential issues (understanding the likelihood of occurrence and potential impacts);
Definition of preventive action (creating the preventive action plan);
Implementation of the plan;
Verification of the action’s effectiveness;
Documenting the process;
Communicating and aligning with relevant stakeholders.
In short, preventive action is what we do to eliminate the cause of a potential problem that hasn’t happened yet but could occur (a risk). This prevents possible negative effects and saves resources that would otherwise be used to address the impact of the issue if it were to occur.
Corrective Action or Preventive Action – Which One to Use in the QMS?
The reality is that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. Corrective action or preventive action should be executed according to the context of the problem or nonconformity.
In an ideal scenario, we should always opt for preventive action, anticipating issues and being proactive. However, we know that not all risks can be mapped, and some arise due to unexpected changes in context—for example, the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we won’t always be able to foresee what will happen.
On the other hand, corrective action should be executed whenever we identify a problem and recognize that it might recur. This helps ensure that we’re not repeatedly treating the same cause. If this doesn’t happen, the company ends up “putting out fires” and addressing the same problem, nonconformity, or occurrence repeatedly. This is because the problem will resurface, and we will only be treating its effects.
Immediate action should occur whenever any interested party is affected, preventing things from worsening. It is the simplest action, often the one most frequently taken. It is the “fire” that companies must constantly put out when corrective action is not in place.
In conclusion, corrective or preventive actions are always necessary, but which one should we use? The answer is: it depends on the context! Good professionals will analyze the facts and ensure everything is handled according to the needs and expectations of each process!
