What is the difference between corrective actions and preventive actions?

• A. Corrective actions address identified deficiencies; preventive actions aim to reduce risk before another occurrence.
• B. Corrective actions and preventive actions are the same and have identical purposes.
• C. Corrective actions aim to prevent future occurrences, while preventive actions address existing deficiencies.
• D. Preventive actions address regulatory penalties after a mishap.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is timing and purpose: after a deficiency is identified, corrective actions fix the problem to prevent it from happening again; preventive actions are proactive measures taken to reduce risk before another incident can occur. In practice, corrective actions address the root cause revealed by an investigation—repairing equipment, updating procedures, retraining staff based on what went wrong. Preventive actions look ahead to potentially similar hazards and implement controls, process changes, or monitoring to lower the chance of a future issue—before any deficiency becomes evident. For example, fixing a failed sensor and revising maintenance intervals are corrective actions; adding stronger checks, improving hazard analysis, and enhancing safety culture are preventive actions. The distinction is about reacting to a known problem versus proactively reducing risk to avert problems altogether.