How to explain deliberate sabotage?

Azaarus · Nov 15, 2021

QA Manager said:
I would like to know the final statement that @Azaarus submitted to customer about this whole incident. Please share with us. Rest all the posts in this thread are appreciated. Thanks to all.

This was what I went with for root cause, and the customer accepted it without issue:

'This was an employee performance issue unrelated to lack of training.
This operator is no longer employed at (COMPANY NAME).
Operator work instructions, Control Plan, PFMEA, IPIR and (CUSTOMER) Quality Inspection Criteria call out gate cut length. No document or work instruction update needed.'

I didn't realize this post got so many replies. I didn't get notifications, otherwise I would have come back and replied! Apologies!

Thee Bouyyy · Nov 15, 2021

Azaarus said:
the customer accepted it without issue:

That's great to hear.

Azaarus said:
I didn't get notifications, otherwise I would have come back and replied! Apologies!

Check preference option in your account. Guessing that, you have turned off the notifications.

Azaarus · Nov 15, 2021

Thee Bouyyy said:
That's great to hear.

Check preference option in your account. Guessing that, you have turned off the notifications.

View attachment 28400

Thank you!

Brakeman · Nov 15, 2021

Azaarus said:
This was what I went with for root cause, and the customer accepted it without issue:

'This was an employee performance issue unrelated to lack of training.
This operator is no longer employed at (COMPANY NAME).
Operator work instructions, Control Plan, PFMEA, IPIR and (CUSTOMER) Quality Inspection Criteria call out gate cut length. No document or work instruction update needed.'

I have used almost the exact same wording in a similar incident. However, I think it is very important to recognize that this requires an Internal 8D to actually get to a corrective or preventative action. Your company needs to flesh out if there are faults in the way employee relationships are handled, or if there were "red flags" that were ignored. Maybe there weren't but unless you look, you can't know for certain if the next operator will feel the same. Additionally it is important that you actively address this because it's likely that the other workers will remember this new way to hurt the company whenever they begin to feel disgruntled. The most ignorant of managers believe that workers won't "hit back" at unfairness in the workplace. The term sabotage was coined after textile workers who threw their shoes into the equipment, literally, because management made them pissed. If you don't address what angered the worker, you're not addressing the root cause.

Sidney Vianna · Nov 15, 2021

Brakeman said:
If you don't address what angered the worker, you're not addressing the root cause.

I don’t disagree with the underlying point, but one must be careful not to stretch RCCA as part of the QMS. While human factors are justifiably part of the potential options to be delved into, if one starts trailing issues as labor relations, inequalities, psychological (despite the note under infrastructure) challenges, etc the investigation of root cause might end up in unattainable solutions.

Alan_DB · Nov 15, 2021

Brakeman said:
I have used almost the exact same wording in a similar incident. However, I think it is very important to recognize that this requires an Internal 8D to actually get to a corrective or preventative action. Your company needs to flesh out if there are faults in the way employee relationships are handled, or if there were "red flags" that were ignored. Maybe there weren't but unless you look, you can't know for certain if the next operator will feel the same. Additionally it is important that you actively address this because it's likely that the other workers will remember this new way to hurt the company whenever they begin to feel disgruntled. The most ignorant of managers believe that workers won't "hit back" at unfairness in the workplace. The term sabotage was coined after textile workers who threw their shoes into the equipment, literally, because management made them pissed. If you don't address what angered the worker, you're not addressing the root cause.

I agree with the sentiment but I would do this outside of the QMS - its more to do with HR / departmental management.

Jim Wynne · Nov 15, 2021

Brakeman said:
I have used almost the exact same wording in a similar incident. However, I think it is very important to recognize that this requires an Internal 8D to actually get to a corrective or preventative action.

I agree that some investigation might be appropriate, but I don't think that 8D is the instrument to use. 8D is a report form, not a method.

Brakeman said:
The term sabotage was coined after textile workers who threw their shoes into the equipment, literally, because management made them pissed. If you don't address what angered the worker, you're not addressing the root cause.

No. sabotage | Etymology, origin and meaning of sabotage by etymonline

Brakeman · Nov 15, 2021

Jim Wynne said:
I agree that some investigation might be appropriate, but I don't think that 8D is the instrument to use. 8D is a report form, not a method.

No.
sabotage | Etymology, origin and meaning of sabotage by etymonline

Yes! https://sparkfiles.net/sabotage/

8 D refers to the 8 Disciplines, The Disciplines are a method if you're doing them right.
What is 8D? Eight Disciplines Problem Solving Process | ASQ

Brakeman · Nov 15, 2021

Alan_DB said:
I agree with the sentiment but I would do this outside of the QMS - its more to do with HR / departmental management.

The Quality in QMS is a adjective describes a management system that is done well, not a management system run by the Quality Department. The HR department is part of the company too and is certainly within the fold of the QMS.

Jim Wynne · Nov 15, 2021

Brakeman said:
Yes! https://sparkfiles.net/sabotage/

Sorry, but that site is far from authoritative when it comes to etymology. The shoes-in-the-machines thing was debunked long ago.

Brakeman said:
8 D refers to the 8 Disciplines, The Disciplines are a method if you're doing them right.
What is 8D? Eight Disciplines Problem Solving Process | ASQ

8D originated as a method for reporting CA activities, not as a process. If you engage in a rational corrective action process, 8D can be used to report and record the efforts, but again, it's reporting method, not a process. It seems particularly unsuitable for the present situation.

How to explain deliberate sabotage?

Azaarus

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Thee Bouyyy

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Azaarus

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Brakeman

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Sidney Vianna

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