Maintenance · Free Template
Instrument Failure Root Cause Analysis Template
Investigate instrument failures with a structured form: what happened, a 5 why analysis to reach the root cause, the cause category and a tracked list of corrective actions.
Excel (.xlsx)Printable PDFFilled exampleFree, no sign up
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- How to Use sheet with steps
- Template sheet, blank and ready
- Example sheet, filled in
- 20 built in formulas
- A4 portrait print setup
- Works in Excel, Google Sheets and LibreOffice
Preview of the Filled Example
This is the Example sheet from the download, so you can see exactly how the completed instrument failure root cause analysis looks.
Instrument tagLT 2101
Date of event18 Oct 2026
What happenedDrum level read 20 % high; high level alarm missed real low level
ImpactBoiler trip on low level, 4 h downtime
Root cause categoryMaintenance
TeamInstrument, operations, process
5 why analysis
| Why | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Why did level read high? | Wet leg on LP side had partly drained |
| 2 | Why did the wet leg drain? | Leaking vent valve on the condensate pot |
| 3 | Why was the leak not found? | Wet leg check not in the PM schedule |
| 4 | Why was it not in the schedule? | PM template copied from dry leg transmitters |
| 5 | Why was the template not reviewed? | No review step when PMs are created |
Corrective actions
| No | Action | Owner | Due | Done | Status | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Replace vent valve and refill wet leg | Instrument | 19 Oct 2026 | 18 Oct 2026 | Closed | |
| 2 | Add wet leg checks to PM for all wet leg loops | Maintenance planner | 13 Nov 2026 | Open | ||
| 3 | Add review step for new PM templates | Maintenance manager | 23 Nov 2026 | Open |
Open actions:2 · Overdue:0
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About the Instrument Failure Root Cause Analysis
Repeated instrument failures usually have system causes such as missing checks or poor design. A short 5 why analysis with tracked actions stops the same failure coming back.
How to fill in this template
- Describe the event and its impact factually.
- Ask why up to five times until you reach a cause you can fix in the system.
- Pick the root cause category.
- Agree corrective actions with owners and due dates.
- Track actions to closure; status updates automatically.
What the formulas do
- Status: Closed when a done date is entered; OVERDUE when past due; otherwise Open.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Must there be exactly five whys?
No, stop when you reach a cause that, if fixed, prevents recurrence.
Who should take part?
Instrument, operations and anyone with first hand knowledge.
What makes a good action?
Specific, owned, dated and aimed at the system cause, not only the broken part.
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