Page 52 - Root Cause Failure Analysis

Root Cause Failure Analysis Methodology
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( SUPERVISION

Preparation

Pm

No work packages

selection
Figure 3-1 1 Common factors of supervision-related causes.

Another common reason for failure in this category is lack of supervisor training. Few
first-line supervisors have been given the basic skills training that they need for their
position. The materials presented previously under Poor Operating Practices and Pro-
cedures should be included in any evaluation where poor supervision is a potential
source of the problem.

Worker Selection
Selection of workers assigned to specific jobs or tasks is a common contributor to
problems. Generally, workers are assigned tasks based on the supervisor’s perception
of their abilities. In part, this is because skill levels are not universal across most
plants and the supervisors attempt to put their best people on sensitive or critical jobs.
Problems with this approach are that some members of the workforce become over-
loaded, which causes less skilled personnel to be used for job functions they are not
qualified to perform. When evaluating potential root causes that may fall into this cat-
egory, refer to the previous subsections on training problems.

Supervision During Work
Most of the problems that result from this cause result from the dual functions that
many supervisors must provide. Due to other responsibilities, they are unable to
directly supervise work as it is being done. A second potential cause of this problem is