Which risk rating from a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) indicates the need to develop actions to reduce the potential effects of failure?

In a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), the risk rating that signifies the need to develop actions to reduce the potential effects of failure is severity. Severity measures the impact or consequence of a failure mode on the system or process being analyzed. When the severity rating is high, it indicates that the consequences of the failure could lead to significant negative outcomes, such as safety hazards, equipment damage, or considerable financial losses.

When a failure mode has a high severity score, it necessitates the development of mitigation actions to either prevent the failure from happening or to minimize its impact should it occur. This prioritization is critical in risk management, as addressing high-severity failures helps ensure the safety and reliability of the product or process.

The other ratings—occurrence, detection, and responsibility—play different roles in the FMEA process. Occurrence refers to how frequently a failure might happen, detection gauges the likelihood that the failure will be detected before it causes harm, and responsibility pertains to the assignment of ownership for managing the risk. While all these factors are important in a comprehensive risk management strategy, it is the severity rating that directly points to the need for action to address the potential effects of failure.