Commonly Misunderstood QMS Definitions: Correction, Corrective Action and Preventive Action
Introduction & Background
In this short post, we’re going to clarify some definitions that in my experience have been confused for too long.
When managing nonconformities, findings or deficiencies (whatever you fancy calling them), there are a variety of actions that require to be done prior in order to manage the issue appropriately.
Problem Statement
Organisations often confuse correction, corrective action, and preventive action as either the same thing or multiple things.
Now, this not only creates issues from the perspective of terminology. It also creates issues related to the implementation of misinterpreted definitions.
If you simply correct something that requires corrective action, you haven’t gotten to the root cause and in theory, that issue will occur (someday or another, I’ll put my mortgage on it).
Let’s look at our definitions (These are The Other Consultants versions, for actual definitions please refer to ISO 9000):
Correction refers to the act of identifying and fixing a problem or mistake that has already occurred. It is a reactive measure that is taken after the problem has been identified. A correction simply addresses the nonconformity at hand, it does not address the source.
Corrective action is a reactive measure that is taken to prevent the recurrence of a problem or mistake that has already occurred. It is intended to address the root cause of the problem and prevent it from recurring.
Preventive action is a proactive measure that is taken to prevent a potential problem or mistake from occurring. It is intended to identify potential issues before they happen and take steps to prevent them from occurring.
In summary, correction is a reactive measure that is taken after a problem has occurred, corrective action is a reactive measure that is taken to prevent the recurrence of a problem that has already occurred, and preventive action is a proactive measure that is taken to prevent potential problems from occurring.
Note: Corrective Action can only be effectively done if the root cause has adequately been identified through structured problem-solving. This means evidence of is/is-not matrices, Ishikawa’s, 5 Whys etc., if the evidence is not maintained, it did not happen…
Overall, it is important for organizations to clearly define and consistently use these terms to ensure that they are understood and applied correctly.