Root Cause Analysis of Glovebox Glove Failure

The Nuclear Materials Technology (NMT) Division has the largest inventory of glovebox gloves at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Consequently, the minimization of unplanned breaches of the glove material, typically resulting in glove failures, is a significant safety concern in the daily operations in NMT Division facilities. To investigate processes and procedures that minimize unplanned breaches in the glovebox, information on glovebox glove failures has been compiled from formal records and analyzed using statistical methods. Based on these research results, the next step of the research is to identify root causes of glove failures and the actions adequate to prevent recurrence. In this paper, root cause analysis was conducted for a cleanup breach case study to demonstrate the computerized root cause analysis process. Based on analysis results, effective recommendations were generated.