With FEMA you can know what may go wrong at site and how to cater to such problems proactively
DECODING FMEA FOR PREVENTION OF FLAWS IN PROCESS AND PRODUCT
Failure Mode
Managers expect contractors follow explicit directions on working drawings and standard practices to a T. But more often than not, this does not happen and that’s how we have issues in construction. For instance, mortar mix proportions are clearly mentioned by engineers. What happens if the correct processes are not followed and we see variations in the mortar proportions, or the mixer is not being used to make mortar and there is no control of on water or even worse – if the mortar is lying used for over 30 minutes from preparation
These probable issues are potential failure modes and result in failures, if they occur at site. Effect of these potential failures is , inconsistency of the mortar mix that leads to weak masonry bonds – a serious issue in the building construction.
So failure mode is the way the ‘things may go wrong’ and effects analysis is ‘understanding what may happen in such cases. It is an effective planning tool developed by teams of construction experts, who bring their varied experiences in building issues to the table to identify probable causes and their consequences.
CREATING THE FMEA FRAMEWORK
So creating a FMEA Framework requires the team having greater breadth of experience of activities at site. For each failure mode, team determines all the potential root causes using tools classified as cause analysis tools, with the best knowledge and experience of all. After identifying the processes and the failure modes, they are flagged based on the Severity of the issue, the frequency of its Occurrence and ease of Detection (process controls which are existing). Risk priority number, (RPN), is then derived by multiplication of Severity, Occurrence & Detection. Criticality is derived by multiplying severity & occurrence. These numbers provide guidance for ranking potential failures in the order they should be addressed. Team then decides the actions to mitigate the issues. Implementation is monitored regularly and RPN is brought in control.
As a Third Party Agency, CQRA has leveraged its mix of domain experts and their experience to create a detailed FMEA framework that helps clients preempt construction snags that could snowball into major flaws
How the FMEA Grading System Works –
Let’s see some examples.
– If excavation slopes are not compacted well made in stable slope or steps. the probability of the sides collapsing is high leading to a high Severity rating of the failure mode.
– If no vibration or consolidation of concrete is carried out, then without doubt the Occurrence of honeycombing is possible, leading to a high Occurrence rating.
– When it comes to Detection of failure mode, this issue is rated on the system used for identifying problems on site. So honeycombing or a shoddy paint job is visible to the eye but testing the quality of mechanical welding requires specialized tests which must be done at site.
These three scales then lead to the Risk Priority Number (RPN) that the team can use to assess the severity of the issues and actions to be taken.
A Neglected Paint job :- Why is it important to list down potential failures, even innocuous ones like painting of steel railings? An employee lost his life when he climbed on top of a large silo at a facility on coastal South India and leaned on a steel railing that gave away. Neglecting proper and timely painting (which provides protection to steel from corrosive atmosphere) to steel members in a coastal climate led to severe rusting of the railing, a severe failure that lead to serious consequences.
Misplaced Steel Bars :- In a shocking incident in a metro city, a cantilever collapsed leading to the death of workers on site. It was misplaced reinforcement bars that should have been on the upper side of the cantilever that resulted in the collapse when some workers stepped on it. Had the project work been inspected with the FEMA framework, the failure mode would have been checked for detection and thus identified before the fatality.
Such incidents tell us that inspection is of paramount importance in construction and should be made mandatory. With RERA set to make Third Party Audits compulsory for projects, the role of FMEA is going to only get critical in ensuring quality and safety of construction.
BE PROACTIVE IN RISK MITIGATION
The FMEA framework is an effective tool to implement CAPA – Corrective Action, Preventive Action. CQRA’s system hence focuses on identification of problems proactively before the activity and take suitable preventive measures. The framework aids transfer of knowledge where everything is documented and useful to the entire team executing the project.
Most effective when used in the design and planning stage, FMEA can be used the mitigate risks even in the middle of projects. CQRA’s FMEA framework prepared by experienced experts is what your projects need to be on the safe side of the construction business. It will also help for sustainability in industry with controlled COPQ( Cost of Poor Quality).
