Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) Masterclass

Professional training course

Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) Masterclass

This course provides participants with an in-depth and practical understanding of how to investigate and prevent equipme... The outline covers Purpose of Failure Investigation, Prevention and Control, Understanding Funct...

Classroom

8 sessions
22 - 26 June 2026 Amsterdam €2,975 Register
17 - 21 August 2026 Istanbul €1,995 Register
21 - 25 September 2026 Vienna €2,975 Register
19 - 23 October 2026 Barcelona €2,695 Register
2 - 6 November 2026 Paris €3,150 Register
21 - 25 December 2026 Frankfurt €2,275 Register
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Online / Live

8 sessions
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Introduction

Course overview

Why Attend

This course provides participants with an in-depth and practical understanding of how to investigate and prevent equipment failure.

Failure analysis has historically been viewed as the domain of technical specialists, using complicated tools and programs to inform maintenance and operating teams what they have done incorrectly. 

This course demystifies failure analysis and places it in the hands of the maintenance and operating organizations in order to enable greater asset reliability.

The course explores models such as Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA); it demonstrates how these can be broken down into simple steps that can engage the whole organization, from the operating team to the technical specialists.

The course also covers effective failure control and how to learn from the failure investigation or failure prevention analysis to not just identify the problem, but to implement effective robust controls as well in order to prevent future similar failures across an organization’s assets.

As well as best-in-class visuals and slides, this course includes a high level of interaction between the facilitator and participants to ensure the course is meeting their specific requirements. 

Numerous relevant case studies are utilized to demonstrate key points and a series of exercises are conducted to apply learning and to appreciate key aspects of best practice.

Course Methodology

This is an interactive course. There are open question and answer sessions, regular group exercises, videos, case studies and presentations on best practice and the fundamentals of reliability improvement. 

Participants have the option and opportunity to share and discuss their own work experience and to identify issues and enhancements that can be immediately tackled/applied upon returning to their organizations. 

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Understand equipment function and therefore skillfully identify equipment failure
  • Effectively investigate equipment failure incidents to understand root causes
  • Implement effective controls to avoid similar incidents occurring
  • Engage their organization to achieve more effective failure investigation
  • Analyze critical equipment systems to avoid future failure
Target Audience

This course is ideal for maintenance managers, operations managers and reliability professionals. Maintenance engineers, experienced supervisors, planners and functional specialists will also benefit greatly from this course.

Target Competencies
  • Failure investigation
  • Failure control implementation
  • Root cause analysis and 5Y
  • Failure mode identification
  • Reliability engineering

What you will achieve

Learning objectives

  • Understand equipment function and therefore skillfully identify equipment failure
  • Effectively investigate equipment failure incidents to understand root causes
  • Implement effective controls to avoid similar incidents occurring
  • Engage their organization to achieve more effective failure investigation
  • Analyze critical equipment systems to avoid future failure

Who should attend

Target audience

  • This course is ideal for maintenance managers, operations managers and reliability professionals. Maintenance engineers, experienced supervisors, planners and functional specialists will also benefit greatly from this course.
  • Target Competencies
  • Failure investigation
  • Failure control implementation
  • Root cause analysis and 5Y
  • Failure mode identification
  • Reliability engineering

Methodology

Learning approach

  • This is an interactive course. There are open question and answer sessions, regular group exercises, videos, case studies and presentations on best practice and the fundamentals of reliability improvement.
  • Participants have the option and opportunity to share and discuss their own work experience and to identify issues and enhancements that can be immediately tackled/applied upon returning to their organizations.

Course content

Course outline and key learning areas

Module 1

Purpose of Failure Investigation, Prevention and Control

  • Understanding the needs of the business
  • How equipment failures effect profit and customer satisfaction
  • Risk assessment and prioritization
  • Introduction to the Integrated Model of Excellence for Maintenance

Module 2

Understanding Function and Failure Modes

  • Understanding equipment function
  • The history of failure mode modelling and where people go wrong
  • Introduction to failure types

Module 3

Principles of Failure Investigation

  • What is Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA)
  • Gathering data, how to understand what has really happened
  • Investigating further with Barrier Analysis and Change Identification
  • Getting to root cause with 5 why’s
  • Organising your investigation with Cause Types and Fault Trees
  • The importance of facts and data based analysis

Module 4

Principles of Failure Prediction

  • What Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA) is
  • Understanding when it is appropriate to undertake FMEA
  • Pitfalls for FMEA and how to avoid these
  • FMEA as part of an integrated Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) process

Module 5

Implementing Failure Prevention Controls

  • Types of controls
  • How to choose the appropriate control
  • Making controls stick

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What does Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) Masterclass cover?

This course covers Maintenance and Engineering through a structured five-day outline focused on practical application, discussion, and implementation planning.

When is the next available session?

The next scheduled session starts on 18 - 22 May 2026, with additional classroom dates and mirrored Online / Live options listed in the course schedules section.

Who should attend this course?

This course is ideal for maintenance managers, operations managers and reliability professionals. Maintenance engineers, experienced supervisors, planners and functional specialists will also benefit greatly from this course., Target Competencies, Failure investigation

How can I register for a session?

Use any Register button next to the available course dates to open the participant registration page and submit your booking request for the selected session.

Is this course available online as well as classroom-based?

Yes. The course detail page includes both classroom sessions and Online / Live sessions, with online options aligned to the same course dates for easier planning.

Where are classroom sessions delivered?

Current classroom venues include Munich, Amsterdam, London, Istanbul, Vienna, Barcelona, Paris, Frankfurt.

Still Have Questions?

Contact the academy team for course details, delivery options, and delegate guidance.

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