It is important to distinguish the following terms. These terms are frequently used interchangeably. This application of the terms may not be accurate.
- Corrective action is an action taken to eliminate the root/cause of an existing non-conformity.
- Correction is an action to eliminate a detected non-conformity; corrections are similar to “damage control” and have little to do with the root/cause of the problem. Corrections may also be called “remedial actions” or “immediate actions,” because they are steps to remove the immediate problem only.
- Preventive action is the action taken to eliminate the cause of a potential non-conformity; this occurs before an actual problem exists, but it is discovered that there is a possibility of error if action is not taken.
