Summary
In short
- A root cause failure analysis trigger is a record used in KnowMaintain that decides whether a failure warrants a full investigation, based on cost, safety and repeat history. It is built against ISO 14224 and forms part of the Reliability and Predictive Maintenance programme.
- Raised after each significant failure. Completed by the maintenance manager.
- The template holds 34 fields across 4 sections.
- Scoring is investigation level.
- ISO is international Organization for Standardization. A voluntary international standard. Widely adopted, often required by customers, and certifiable where a management system standard.
- It connects to the rest of the library: links Case; triggers RCA.
What it is
What it is
What is a root cause failure analysis trigger?
A root cause failure analysis trigger is a record used in KnowMaintain that decides whether a failure warrants a full investigation, based on cost, safety and repeat history. It is built against ISO 14224 and forms part of the Reliability and Predictive Maintenance programme.
When is a root cause failure analysis trigger completed?
A root cause failure analysis trigger is completed at the moment the event happens, rather than reconstructed afterwards. Raised after each significant failure.
When to use it
When to use it, and when not to
This record is one step in a larger programme. Using it for work that belongs to a neighbouring template produces records that are hard to report on later.
Use it for
- The event or activity this record covers has occurred, or is about to
- A new record is needed; each one gets its own ID in the form RCFT-2026-000
- You are running the Reliability and Predictive Maintenance programme and this is one of its steps
- A linked record needs this one to exist: links case; triggers rca
Not for
- Equipment FMEA, which works through how an asset could fail, what the effect would be and how likely it is to be detected.
- Reliability Centred Maintenance Study, which decides the right maintenance strategy for each failure mode, from run to failure through to condition monitoring.
- MTBF Review, which reviews mean time between failures for an asset or asset class over a period.
- Anything outside KnowMaintain, which belongs in the workspace that owns that process
Standards
What it is built against
ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
A voluntary international standard. Widely adopted, often required by customers, and certifiable where a management system standard.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the root cause failure analysis trigger template based on?+
It is built against ISO 14224. ISO is international Organization for Standardization. A voluntary international standard. Widely adopted, often required by customers, and certifiable where a management system standard.
What sections does the root cause failure analysis trigger contain?+
There are 4 sections: header, screening criteria, related records, decision. Together they hold 34 fields, 21 of which are required.
How often is a root cause failure analysis trigger raised?+
A new record is raised at the moment the event happens, rather than reconstructed afterwards. Each one is given an ID in the form RCFT-2026-000, so it can be traced and referenced from other records.
Which programme does the root cause failure analysis trigger belong to?+
It is part of Reliability and Predictive Maintenance. Intervals set by failure behaviour rather than by the calendar.
How is a root cause failure analysis trigger scored?+
Scoring is investigation level. Scores exist to make the form tell you something, not to produce a percentage for its own sake.
Can the root cause failure analysis trigger template be changed?+
Yes. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it. Most teams install it as it is, run it for a cycle, then adjust.
The agents
What the agents do with it
The form is the easy part. Keeping it current, routing it to the right owner and holding the evidence together is the work that actually slips.
Holds the root cause failure analysis trigger library against your registers, routes each record to its owner, and keeps the evidence trail together.
Coordinates the crew, rolls completion and exceptions into one view, and holds every write for your approval before it touches a record.
This template lives in KnowMaintain — asset maintenance. Work orders, planned maintenance, calibration, reliability and shutdowns.
Meet KnowMaintain→Sources
Sources
- ISO — International Organization for Standardization