Root Cause Analysis Training

Conducting a Root Cause Analysis Training Course South Africa (FS12)

This root cause analysis training course helps learners understand how to investigate problems systematically, identify the true underlying causes of failures, non-conformances, incidents and recurring issues, and apply practical RCA tools, techniques and corrective action thinking in food businesses, manufacturing environments and quality management systems in South Africa and internationally aligned operations.

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16h Online self-paced pathway
2 Days Virtual or physical classroom duration
FS12 Course code reference
70% Pass rate for certificate
Conducting a root cause analysis training course South Africa
Course focus A practical intermediate-to-advanced course for QA managers, QC managers, supervisors, auditors, HACCP teams, technical managers, business owners and operational teams that need stronger problem solving, investigation, corrective action and root cause analysis capability.
Our classroom options

Choose the root cause analysis training format that best fits your learner or business needs

This FS12 root cause analysis course supports online self-paced learning, live virtual instructor-led training and physical classroom or onsite delivery for learners and businesses that need stronger capability in investigations, corrective action planning, problem solving and continuous improvement.

Option 1

Online Self-paced Training

A flexible learning pathway for learners who want to build independent understanding of root cause analysis, problem investigation, non-conformance review, corrective action planning and practical RCA tools.

  • ✓Duration: 16 hours
  • ✓Flexible access and self-managed progress
  • ✓Useful for individual learners and refresher development
  • ✓Certificate available after successful completion
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Option 2

Virtual Classroom Training

Live instructor-led training via Zoom for learners or teams who need guided support in applying root cause analysis methods, investigating recurring issues and improving corrective action effectiveness.

  • ✓Duration: 2 days
  • ✓Presented virtually via Zoom
  • ✓Ideal for QA, QC, supervisors, team leaders, auditors and managers
  • ✓Useful for CAPA, non-conformance and incident investigation processes
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Option 3

Physical Classroom Training

Practical classroom or in-house company training for organisations and teams that need a shared method for RCA, non-conformance investigation, corrective action verification and continuous improvement.

  • ✓Duration: 2 days
  • ✓Onsite or in-house delivery available
  • ✓Useful for group learning and cross-functional teams
  • ✓Minimum classroom size may apply
Enquire About Onsite Training
Helpful note: this course is particularly useful for organisations working to strengthen CAPA systems, internal investigations, complaint resolution, deviation analysis, audit findings closure, non-conformance management and continual improvement programmes.
Course overview

Built for practical root cause analysis and corrective action effectiveness in modern quality and food safety systems

This course introduces root cause analysis in a practical, structured and implementation-focused way for food businesses, manufacturing teams, technical departments and operational leaders.

Focused on real operational problems

The course helps learners investigate recurring failures, complaints, incidents, non-conformances, audit findings and process breakdowns with a stronger evidence-based approach.

Designed for quality and operational teams

It is especially useful for QA managers, QC managers, supervisors, HACCP teams, internal auditors, technical managers, operations managers and business owners.

Aligned with continual improvement needs

The training supports stronger use of RCA within CAPA, food safety management systems, quality systems, audit closure processes and broader performance improvement programmes.

Course Introduction

This Conducting a Root Cause Analysis training course provides a practical framework for understanding and applying RCA tools, investigation methods and corrective action logic to identify the true causes of recurring problems, failures and non-conformances.

  • ✓Focused on practical RCA and corrective action capability
  • ✓Useful for quality, food safety and operational problem solving
  • ✓Supports stronger analysis, decision making and prevention of recurrence

Who Should Attend?

This course is recommended for learners who need a clearer and more structured approach to investigating problems, identifying true causes and improving corrective action effectiveness.

  • ✓Business owners or persons in charge
  • ✓QA managers and QC managers
  • ✓Managers and supervisors
  • ✓HACCP or food safety teams
  • ✓Internal auditors and technical staff

Minimum prerequisites: no formal prerequisite is required, although prior exposure to food safety, quality systems, supervision, non-conformance handling or team-based problem solving will be helpful.

Course content

Key topics covered in the root cause analysis course

The outline below reflects the main investigation, RCA methodology, teamwork and corrective action topics covered during FS12 training.

Root cause analysis foundations

  • ✓Definition, purpose and benefits of root cause analysis
  • ✓The problem-solving process from definition to follow-up
  • ✓Difference between correction, corrective action and preventive action
  • ✓Core principles of RCA
  • ✓Integration of RCA into quality and safety systems
  • ✓Continuous improvement and RCA triggers
  • ✓Lean thinking, waste and PDCA relevance

RCA methods, tools and teamwork

  • ✓The Five Whys rules and approach
  • ✓Fishbone / Cause-and-Effect diagram
  • ✓A3 process, Is / Is Not analysis and flowchart analysis
  • ✓Pareto chart analysis and 8D methodology
  • ✓Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA)
  • ✓Brainstorming, nominal group technique and affinity diagrams
  • ✓Decision trees, teamwork, conflict management and dysfunctional team risks
  • ✓Assessment activities and practical RCA application
Implementation relevance: the course helps learners apply RCA principles to real complaints, audit findings, deviations, failures, incidents and recurring quality or food safety issues in practical business environments.
Benefits

What learners gain from this root cause analysis training course

The main goal is to strengthen practical investigation capability so learners can identify true causes more effectively and support stronger corrective action, compliance and continual improvement.

Stronger RCA capability

Learners should leave with a clearer understanding of how to investigate problems, differentiate symptoms from causes and apply appropriate RCA tools in a structured way.

Certificate of achievement

Learners receive a certificate of achievement after successful completion. A pass rate of 70% is required to receive the course certificate.

Useful for improvement planning

This course supports stronger corrective action planning, verification of effectiveness, audit close-out quality and reduced recurrence of operational and technical issues.

Helpful note: this course is especially useful for organisations needing stronger understanding of CAPA, non-conformance closure, complaint investigations, problem solving methods and evidence-based improvement planning.
Upcoming dates

Upcoming virtual classroom training events

Bookings in advance are recommended. If no public scheduled dates are listed, on-demand virtual and physical classroom delivery can still be arranged for businesses, technical teams, improvement teams and operational groups.

Important: this Root Cause Analysis course is also available through on-demand arrangements and may be offered in online self-paced format depending on availability. Use the enquiry form below for pricing, learner numbers, preferred dates and delivery format requirements.
On-demand training arrangements available
Venue: Virtual via Zoom
Time: 09:00 am to 04:30 pm (Timezone UTC/GMT +2 hours)
Course enquiry

Need FS12 pricing, registration support or onsite delivery information?

If you need support with FS12 course registration, root cause analysis training enquiries, virtual classroom arrangements, onsite delivery, pricing or learner planning, complete the form and ASC will review your request.

Course code FS12 – Conducting a Root Cause Analysis
Training formats Online self-paced, virtual instructor-led classroom, physical classroom / onsite delivery
Useful for Pricing enquiries, learner registrations, root cause analysis, CAPA support, corrective action effectiveness, audit close-out and team development
Course structure Practical training covering RCA foundations, investigation methods, analysis tools, team-based problem solving and continual improvement
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Frequently asked questions

Common questions about the FS12 root cause analysis course

This course teaches learners how to conduct a thorough root cause analysis from beginning to end using practical tools, techniques and structured problem-solving approaches.
It is especially useful for business owners, persons in charge, QA managers, QC managers, supervisors, managers, HACCP teams, auditors and operational teams involved in investigations and corrective actions.
No formal prerequisite is required. However, prior exposure to food safety, quality systems, supervisory work or operational problem solving may be beneficial.
Yes. This course may be available through an online self-paced pathway depending on availability, and it is also available through virtual classroom and physical classroom delivery.
Yes. Learners receive a certificate of achievement after successful completion. A pass rate of 70% is required.
Yes. ASC can discuss onsite delivery, private virtual classroom arrangements and root cause analysis training for companies, technical teams and cross-functional improvement groups.
Discussion

Questions, feedback and comments

Use the discussion area below to ask a question, share feedback or read previous replies about this root cause analysis training course.

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Recent questions and responses from learners and the ASC team.

Quick summary

The Conducting a Root Cause Analysis training course teaches structured problem-solving so you can find the true cause of non-conformances and food safety incidents rather than treating symptoms. Built for QA and QC managers, supervisors, HACCP teams, internal auditors and managers in South Africa, it covers practical RCA tools, corrective and preventive action (CAPA) and continual improvement. Delivered online self-paced, virtual or in-house.

Key facts

  • Delivery: Online self-paced, virtual instructor-led, or in-house
  • Who it's for: QA and QC managers, supervisors, HACCP teams, internal auditors, managers, food businesses
  • Covers: RCA methodologies (5 Whys, fishbone/Ishikawa), corrective and preventive action, problem-solving tools
  • Supports: CAPA processes and continual improvement required by FSMS standards (ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRCGS)
  • Certificate: Certificate of completion issued by ASC Food Safety Consultants

Frequently asked questions

What is root cause analysis in food safety?

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a structured method for identifying the underlying cause of a non-conformance, complaint or food safety incident, rather than just fixing the visible symptom. In a food safety management system, effective RCA drives corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) that stop a problem recurring. This course teaches recognised RCA tools and how to apply them in food operations.

What RCA tools does the root cause analysis training cover?

The course covers widely used techniques such as the 5 Whys, fishbone (Ishikawa) cause-and-effect diagrams and other structured problem-solving methods, plus how to translate findings into effective corrective and preventive actions. You learn to choose the right tool for the situation and document the analysis so it withstands audit scrutiny.

Why do food safety standards require root cause analysis?

Standards like ISO 22000, FSSC 22000 and BRCGS require that non-conformances are corrected and that their root cause is addressed to prevent recurrence. Auditors frequently raise findings where corrective actions are superficial. Strong root cause analysis underpins a credible CAPA process and demonstrates the continual improvement these food safety management systems expect.

Who should attend root cause analysis training in South Africa?

This course suits QA and QC managers, supervisors, HACCP team members, internal auditors and any manager responsible for handling complaints, non-conformances or corrective actions. South African food businesses working towards or maintaining certification benefit because effective RCA is central to closing audit findings and improving food safety performance.

How is the root cause analysis course delivered?

You can take the root cause analysis training online and self-paced, as a live virtual session, or in-house at your facility anywhere in South Africa. In-house delivery lets us use your own non-conformances and complaints as worked examples, making the RCA and CAPA techniques immediately relevant to your operation.

How much does root cause analysis training cost in South Africa?

The fee varies by delivery format (online self-paced, virtual or in-house) and number of delegates. Contact ASC Food Safety Consultants or request a quote and we will confirm the current price and any group discounts for your team.

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