Action Lifecycle

An action taken to eliminate the root cause of a detected nonconformity, failure, or undesirable situation to prevent its recurrence. Corrective actions address why something went wrong, not just the immediate symptoms. They are distinguished from immediate actions (containment) and preventive actions (proactive measures for potential future problems).

An action taken to eliminate the potential cause of a nonconformity or failure that has not yet occurred but is anticipated based on risk assessment, trend analysis, or lessons learned from similar equipment or industry experience. Preventive actions are proactive measures designed to prevent problems before they manifest.

An action specifically designed to reduce the probability or consequence of an identified risk. Mitigation actions differ from corrective actions (which address root causes of occurred failures) in that they proactively reduce risk for potential future events. They are tracked in the risk register and linked to the specific risk they address.

A discrete, auditable event in the lifecycle of a governed artifact (asset, risk, MOC, inspection) that records a decision, approval, status change, or significant action. Governance events capture who did what, when, why, and with what authorization. They form the backbone of the audit trail and provide the evidence chain for regulatory compliance.

A predefined hierarchy of responsibility that determines who is notified and in what order when an issue exceeds the authority or capability of the current handler. Escalation chains ensure that critical issues receive attention from increasingly senior or specialized personnel, with defined time limits for response at each level.