Apply Five Whys to convert a recurring waste finding into a preventive action.
Recurring open hazardous waste drum in a maintenance satellite accumulation area. ASQ Five Whys and root-cause analysis The common trap is treating the visible nonconformance as the root cause. In environmental compliance, that produces cosmetic fixes: relabel the drum, sweep the sediment, retrain the operator, or restart the monitor. Those actions may be necessary, but they do not explain why the system allowed the condition to exist, persist, or go undetected. A thin fix leaves the same pathway open for the next shift. Step 1 Define the problem in observable terms: "55-gallon solvent rag drum found open during two weekly…
Sign up free — one personalized lesson every day, matched to your role and goals.
Already have an account? Sign in