How do we harness the elusive concept of preventive action? People often think of preventive action as the extra thing you do after you've finished corrective action--like an extra coat of sealant. Actually, preventive actions are the initiatives you establish to minimize the number of corrective actions you conduct.

The Preventive Action Handbook is a great guide for defining the process, writing the procedure, establishing criteria, developing plans, and reporting back to management. It will help you benefit from a fundamental management tool that has a direct relationship to your organization's bottom line.

The Preventive Action Handbook will help you make your preventive action process more organized, more efficient, and more productive. The book's basic precepts hold true for any size organization. It can be used by quality managers, ISO 9000 management representatives, production supervisors, production group leaders, customer service managers, quality technicians, or anyone else involved in corrective action.

The book includes sample forms that guide you through the corrective action process in a logical and straightforward manner. The forms may be photocopied. They include:

Preventive Action Organizer Worksheet
Matrix of Preventive Actions
Preventive Action Initiative
Preventive Action Plan