The following are excerpts regarding REASON Root Cause
Analysis and Lessons Learned from a U. S. Department of Energy report by Mr.
Tom Daniels, Director Nuclear Waste Management Division, Richland Operations Headquarters, and Mr.
John D. Long, Occurrence Reporting Program Manager, Richland,
presented
at a U.S. Department of Energy EFCOG Maintenance Workshop.
"The system makes it easy for the contractor to understand what
kind and form of information we need and want. As an example, I can tell you about a
situation that occurred only days ago. Our office rejected an analysis report, and
returned it to the contractor, requesting more complete causal information. The contractor
returned it to our office unchanged and stated that the report was complete and accurate.
In order to demonstrate what data we were requesting, our office used the computerized
method to build an analytical model of the occurrence, exactly as it was depicted by the
contractor’s report. The model was a collection of unanswered questions that showed
up in the model as chains ending in ID (for insufficient data). Along with the model went
our note requesting the answers to the many ID’s.
It is possible to validate quickly the accuracy and completeness of
occurrence reports. Our office is currently using the system to perform analyses and check
ORPS reports as well as analyses of type A and B occurrences.
The REASON system has many direct benefits for the contractor as well.
The Point of Occurrence methodology can be applied to all types of
occurrences. That means the reliability, quality of data, and efficiencies are available
on all cases.
With logic criteria to validate analyses, the contractor can be
confident of accuracy and completeness before submitting a report. This will dramatically
reduce rework and wordsmithing of reports.
With the ability to automatically generate and instantly edit
analytical models, in many cases hours will be saved on reporting. Instant analyses and
automatic cause and effect narratives can be transferred in seconds to reports, saving
endless hours of deliberation, writing and reworking.
With the new data, both DOE and our contractors will have a new tool at
our disposal, a tool that can be applied to maintain and improve the quality and
reliability of our operations."
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Root cause analysis information, please contact us at
(903) 236 9973
