Corrective Actions vs. Recommendations

In a recent training session a group discussion unfolded about using the terms “ recommendations ” versus “ corrective action” and for the most part I have viewed these terms as being interchangeable with a bias towards the use of “corrective actions.”

The consensus was that a “recommendation” could be viewed as only a suggestion and that there was no guarantee that any concrete action would be taken simply based on a recommendation. Whereas “corrective action” implies by its very nature that positive steps would be taken to remedy the situation.

There's not much on the web when you search the terms “safety” and “recommendations.” One site offered a course on developing accident recommendations and raised many issues and here are just a few:  

• How to identify potential recipients of the recommendation.
• Types of recommendations (general, specific, urgent or routine.)
• How will the recommendation be perceived?
• How to sell your recommendation?
• Is it necessary to adopt all recommendations?

Clearly, the course developers feel that recommendations are not cast in stone and much thought is required to develop and sell them.

The Oxford Dictionary definition of recommendation:  

• suggest as fit for some purpose,
• advise as a course of action, or
• to make acceptable or desirable.

The first two meanings above suggest a recommendation addresses planned action, while the third one suggests recommendations are to be put into action.  

• In a paper by Conger & Elsea, Inc. they draw a distinction in that “ recommendations ” mean suggested actions usually proposed by the incident investigators.  

• “ Corrective actions ” refers to specific measures committed to be taken by an organization often at the managerial level and assigned for completion by a specific date.  

• “ Results ” are the organization's actions as actually carried out, including statements of dates implemented and effects, positive or negative whether intended or not.

Having said all this, I think what's important is not what term organizations choose to use, but rather, that effective changes are made to address incident circumstances.

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