Free corrective action and capa form
Jump to download form ↓Enter your email below to download this corrective action and capa form as a ready-to-use PDF.
Free corrective action and CAPA form (PDF-ready). Covers root cause, corrective action, preventive action and effectiveness review. Download free.
Commercial Director
Updated 3 May 2026
How to use: download the PDF, print or complete digitally on any device.
- PDF format, ready to print or fill on screen
- Use as-is or customise to suit your operation
- Go digital in MapTrack for photos, alerts and audit trails
Download free PDF template
Trusted by teams across Australia and New Zealand
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.
Used by construction, mining and field service teams
What is a corrective action and capa form?
A corrective and preventive action (CAPA) form is a structured document used in quality and safety management systems to record, investigate and resolve non-conformances. It ensures that when an issue is identified, whether through an audit, incident, customer complaint, inspection or management review, the organisation follows a systematic process: describe the problem, contain the immediate risk, analyse the root cause, implement corrective actions to fix it, implement preventive actions to stop it recurring, verify completion, and review effectiveness. CAPA forms are a core requirement of ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety) and many industry-specific standards including AS/NZS ISO 9001.
The CAPA process is fundamental to continuous improvement in any management system. Rather than simply fixing problems as they arise, a well-managed CAPA system forces the organisation to look beyond the immediate symptom, identify what caused the issue, and implement changes that prevent the same problem from happening again. By tracking each CAPA from identification through to effectiveness review, organisations build a documented history of how they respond to non-conformances, which supports regulatory audits, insurance requirements and due diligence obligations.
In Australia, Section 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 requires PCBUs to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers. A rigorous CAPA system provides the documented evidence that an organisation is meeting this duty by systematically identifying, correcting and preventing hazards. ISO 9001:2015 Clause 10.2 specifically requires organisations to react to non-conformities, take corrective action proportionate to the effects, and evaluate the need for action to eliminate root causes. AS/NZS ISO 45001 reinforces this by requiring documented processes for managing incidents and non-conformities within the occupational health and safety context.
Learn more about compliance and inspections in MapTrack.
Benefits of using this corrective action and capa form
- Systematic problem resolution: ensures every issue follows a structured path from identification to verified closure.
- Root cause elimination: the form prompts formal root cause analysis (5 Whys, fishbone, fault tree) rather than treating symptoms.
- Prevent recurrence: preventive actions address systemic weaknesses rather than just the immediate issue, reducing the likelihood of repeat non-conformances.
- Regulatory compliance: documented CAPAs demonstrate due diligence for ISO 9001, ISO 45001 and regulatory audits, satisfying external auditor expectations.
- Accountability: every action has a single owner, a due date and a tracked status, creating clear responsibility and visibility across the organisation.
- Continuous improvement: effectiveness reviews confirm whether corrective and preventive actions actually worked, driving real and measurable improvement over time.
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you move your reports from paper to MapTrack, you get:
- Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
- Automatically get alerts when faults are identified.
- Link every form digitally as a PDF to the relevant asset, location or person.
- Receive a digital PDF copy with every submission to your email.
- Ability to share forms digitally.
- Build conditional logic (show or hide questions based on answers).
- Take pictures or attach photos. Not possible with a paper-based form.
- Electronic signatures.
- Edit forms later without reprinting.
- Restrict permissions (who can view, complete or approve).
- Build forms with AI (describe what you need and MapTrack suggests the form).
- Set recurring audit schedules with automatic reminders and escalation.
- Produce regulator-ready PDF compliance packs in one click.
- Track corrective actions from finding to close-out with full audit trail.
Book a demo to see how MapTrack handles reports.
Try MapTrack free for 30 days
Full access to every feature. No credit card required. Per-asset pricing so you scale as your fleet grows.
- No credit card required
- 30 days free trial
- Cancel anytime
1-2 days/week saved
“Bloody amazing! We used to spend 1-2 days a week tracking and managing our generators alone.”
Steve McAllister
Asset Coordinator, Saunders International
What to include in a corrective action and capa form
This corrective action and capa form covers 10 key areas:
- CAPA details: reference number, date raised, raised by, department, priority (H/M/L), due date.
- Non-conformance description: detailed description of the issue.
- Source: audit finding, incident investigation, customer complaint, inspection, management review or other.
- Immediate containment actions: actions taken to contain the risk, with owner and completion date.
- Root cause analysis: method used (5 Whys, fishbone, fault tree) and root cause description.
- Corrective actions: actions to fix the root cause, with owner, due date and status.
- Preventive actions: actions to prevent recurrence, with owner, due date and status.
- Verification: verified by, date, evidence of completion, effective (Y/N).
- Effectiveness review: review date, reviewed by, issue recurred (Y/N), notes.
- Approval and signatures: raised by, approved by, closed by with dates.
How to use this corrective action and capa form
- Complete the CAPA details - assign a reference number, record the date, who raised it, department, priority and due date.: Use a sequential reference number from your CAPA register. Set the priority based on risk level: high for safety risks or regulatory non-conformances, medium for process improvements, low for minor issues.
- Describe the non-conformance or issue in detail. Select the source (audit, incident, complaint, etc.).: Write a clear, factual description including what happened, when, where and who was involved. Attach photographs, audit reports or complaint records as supporting evidence. Be specific about the impact of the non-conformance, whether it affected product quality, worker safety, regulatory compliance or customer satisfaction, so the root cause analysis can be properly scoped.
- Record any immediate containment actions taken to control the risk.: Document what was done to contain the immediate risk, such as isolating equipment, stopping a process, quarantining product or restricting access to a hazardous area. Record the person responsible, the date completed and any notifications made to affected parties. Containment actions are temporary controls that reduce exposure while the formal root cause analysis and corrective actions are developed.
- Conduct root cause analysis using an appropriate method (5 Whys, fishbone diagram, fault tree analysis). Document the root cause.: Select the analysis method appropriate to the complexity of the issue. Work through the analysis with relevant team members and document each step. Record the identified root cause clearly and concisely.
- Define corrective actions to address the root cause. Assign owners and due dates.: Each corrective action should directly address the root cause identified in the analysis. Assign a single owner for each action, set a realistic due date and define what evidence of completion is required.
- Define preventive actions to stop the issue recurring. Assign owners and due dates.: Preventive actions address systemic weaknesses that allowed the issue to occur. Consider updates to procedures, training programmes, engineering design changes, additional monitoring controls or revised risk assessments. Assign a single owner and a due date for each action, and specify the evidence required to demonstrate that the preventive measure has been implemented effectively across all affected areas.
- Once actions are complete, verify completion and record evidence.: The verifier should be independent of the action owner where possible. Confirm actions were completed as described by reviewing evidence such as photographs, updated procedures, revised training records, calibration certificates or inspection results. Record the verification date and note whether the evidence satisfactorily demonstrates the action has been fully implemented.
- Conduct an effectiveness review after an appropriate period to confirm the issue has not recurred. Close out the CAPA with signatures.: Schedule the effectiveness review 30 to 90 days after closure. Check whether the issue has recurred, review relevant data and records, and document the outcome. Close the CAPA with approval signatures.
In MapTrack, you can automate compliance tracking and audit trails. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.
Get the free templateEnter your email above to download the full corrective action and capa form as a PDF.Back to download formHow often should you complete this report?
A CAPA should be raised whenever a non-conformance, audit finding, incident, near miss, customer complaint or management review action requires formal tracking to closure. High-priority CAPAs (safety risks, regulatory non-conformances) should be raised immediately with short due dates. Medium-priority CAPAs (process improvements, recurring minor issues) should be raised within the current reporting period. All CAPAs should include an effectiveness review, typically 30 to 90 days after closure, to confirm the issue has not recurred. Your management system should define the criteria for when a CAPA is required versus a simpler corrective action, and track open CAPAs through regular management review meetings.
Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template aligns with the following regulations and standards:
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) - Section 19 (primary duty of care)
- ISO 9001:2015 - Clause 10.2 (nonconformity and corrective action)
- AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 - Occupational health and safety management systems
Need to automate compliance tracking and audit trails?
Register every asset in MapTrack, attach digital forms, and get a complete history of every inspection, service and compliance record.
Compliance and inspections · All templates · Pricing · Book a demo