Definition of CAPA
CAPA stands for Corrective Actions and Preventive Actions. Actions are set of activities used by organization to eliminate the causes of non-conformities or other undesirable situations. It is a systematic approach used in quality management systems, particularly in industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and software development, to address and prevent recurring problems or risks.
Corrective Action Definition
A corrective action responds directly to a problem, i.e. to a risk. It contains and addresses the specific problem, focuses on the root cause and implements appropriate activities to prevent the risk or problem from occurring again or recurring. Corrective action is reactive, occurring after the problem it responds to occurs and corrects it. A typical corrective action process includes:
- Identification of an existing problem
- Identifying the root cause/s
- Defining and implementing corrective measures and actions to solve the issue
- Implementing corrective actions - For preventing recurrence of the problem
Preventive Action Definition
Preventive action responds directly to risk analysis, i.e. the identified potential risk of a problem arising. It focuses on preventive activities so that the potential risk does not occur. A preventive measure is proactive, it arises before the problem it seeks to prevent occurs.
- Identifying a potential problem through risk analysis
- Identification of root causes
- Defining preventive measures and actions
- Implementing actions to prevent an occurrence
Difference between preventive and corrective action
- Corrective Action: Focuses on identifying the root cause of a detected issue or nonconformity and implementing actions to eliminate it, ensuring the problem does not reoccur.
- Preventive Action: Involves proactive measures to identify potential risks or nonconformities before they occur and taking steps to prevent them.
How to manage CAPA in company
- For small-scale and simple actions use tasks
- For complex actions use a measure organizer where you can define, among other things, the type of the measure.
- There are two basic actions: corrective actions and preventive actions (CAPA).