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We've got information about
RCM
training and trade shows available to you if you visit our Events Calendar
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| Browse the . . . |
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| where you'll find books on
failure analysis. |
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| In their book, ?Root Cause Analysis: Improving
Performance for Bottom Line Results,? authors Robert J. Latino and Kenneth
C. Latino of the Reliability Center, present a step-by-step action plan
on how to properly construct and implement a root cause failure analysis
program. Unlike many ?pie in the sky? programs that offer outstanding
results only if things are operating in a perfect world and ignore the
possible pitfalls, the authors don?t hesitate to discuss the risk factors
and roadblocks that must be overcome in order for an RCA program to be
successful. |
| Not only do they cover the roadblocks, they
offer specific how-to tips to help you overcome them in your facility.
From Chapter 1, ?An Introduction to Root Cause Analysis,? to Chapter 10,
?Automating Root Cause Analysis: The Utilization of PROACT?, the authors
literally lead you by the hands on how to properly perform RCA. Every
potential pitfall is exposed and solutions offered to help you in your
quest. |
| I was particularly impressed with the emphasis
that RCA should be used as a tool to help correct on-going problems that
are sucking dollars from your organization a few thousand (or more) at
a time. The natural tendency, in many cases, is to enact RCA in response
to a catastrophic event. But it is the on-going problems that largely
go unnoticed because they have become an accepted cost of doing business
that one should really focus on. In fact, many of these on-going
problems may not even appear in your CMMS ? they?re that much an accepted
maintenance cost. |
| Will an RCA be conducted when a catastrophic
event occurs? Of course it will. But an organization that overlooks
the
potential return on investment from also focusing on the on-going problems
is wasting a lot of money and manpower. |
| Is a proper RCA easy or inexpensive to conduct?
No. Like anything else, to do it properly and gain maximum benefit
you will have to invest manpower and money. But with documented ROI?s
in some instances ranging from 3200% to 17,900% you must certainly stand
up and take notice of the potentially powerful impact of a properly conducted
and implemented RCA. |
| This book, ?Root Cause Analysis: Improving Performance
for Bottom Line Results? should, in my opinion, be a standard part of any
RCA practitioners ?toolbox.? It reads easily and was readily understandable,
even by an admitted RCA novice like myself. |
| I can?t comment on the strengths and weaknesses
of the Reliability Center?s own PROACT software as an RCA automation tool,
as I have not evaluated other packages. But I would certainly agree
that the automation of the RCA process in some way will be very important
for RCA to remain a positive tool for organizations on a long-term basis. |
| On a side note, I want to highly commend ISPAT
Inland of East Chicago, Indiana, Eastman Chemical of Kingsport, Tennessee,
and LYONDELL-CITGO Refining of Houston, Texas, for their sharing of their
RCA case studies in the book. It is these real-life examples that
bring things together and help give other organizations an ?I can do it
too!? attitude. |
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