6.2Recurring issues (playbook)
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Reflex: one symptom = likely causes = a sequence of actions — diagnose before acting.
- Root: a recurring blocker almost always comes from the system (owners, reviews, verifications), not people.
- Order: start from the table's most frequent cause, then verify on the shop floor before applying the rest.
Hakim thread — 1 year on: the playbook posted in the QHSE room
One year on, Hakim keeps this playbook near his indicator board. Verdict: three lines served him most — PPE not worn, the management review that noted without deciding, and reports left unanswered. For each, he ended up fixing the root (trials with operators, 5 dated decisions, 48h / 15-day loop) instead of repeating the incident.
Observed symptom, verified causes, actions in order: the reflex holds in three steps.
One reflex per symptom
Most QHSE blockers are old classics. Linking each symptom to its likely causes and to an action sequence saves valuable time.
| Symptom | Likely causes | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| DUERP on a shelf, never updated | generic copy, no owner | rebuild by work units with operators, rate, date, review |
| PPE not worn | discomfort, one-size-fits-all, mockery | trials with users, sizes, training, managers setting the example |
| Disabled CPE (guard removed) | hindrance, pace, no checks | stop, understand the hindrance, adapt, check |
| Repeating accidents | missing or blame-oriented analysis | 5 whys on the system, dated actions, 3-month verification |
| Sorting that does not sort | complicated instructions, unaudited bins | 5 streams + photos, displayed weighings, 5-min brief |
| Management review that only notes | no decisions, no follow-up | agenda on indicators + 5 dated actions + circulation |
| Audit endured in a sprint | system asleep for 11 months | live monthly (reviews, actions), mock audit beforehand |
| Denied PSR (“not visible”) | blindness, fear of the topic | DUERP + anonymous diagnosis + organisational actions |
| Reports with no answer | no feedback loop | acknowledge within 48 h, visible action within 15 days |
Ready-to-say script — name the symptom before acting (1 min)
"My symptom: [DUERP on a shelf / PPE not worn / reports with no answer]. My #1 hypothesis: [the playbook's most frequent cause]. I verify on the shop floor then apply the sequence. I review in two weeks."
Copy-paste template — express diagnosis sheet
Observed SYMPTOM (facts and shop floor): ...
Since when / frequency: ...
Likely CAUSES (playbook 6.2): ...
Verification (visit, operators, DUERP, indicators): ...
ACTIONS (in order): 1) ... 2) ... 3) ...
Targeted SYSTEM (owners, reviews, verifications): ...
REVIEW in 2 weeks: improved? stable? worse?Small business / tight budget
No formal table: one symptom, one cause verified on the shop floor, one dated correction.
Algeria SME
Include short staffing and peaks in the causes before concluding a willingness problem; transpose to local law.
Remote / hybrid
Add the reporting channel to the likely causes: at a distance, an untransmitted signal looks like a calm shop floor.
Cross-cultural
Check the local framework before acting: protections or postings sufficient here may not be elsewhere.
48h challenge — apply tomorrow
Spot 1 current symptom on your site, fill the express diagnosis sheet and test the 1st action.
- I can link a symptom to its likely causes.
- I filled (or scheduled) an express diagnosis sheet.
- I know the referral to the level to dig into for my case.
On a machine, the guard has been removed for weeks. Which reflex does the playbook apply?
One recurring hassle is not ten incidents: it is a system to fix (owners, reviews, verifications).