By Garth Calitz
Recently, a report by federal safety experts was released. The report highlighted significant issues with Boeing's safety culture. It revealed a "disconnect" between senior management and other employees, as well as a fear of retaliation when reporting safety concerns. The report was requested by the US Congress and completed by a panel of experts in March.
According to a report, there are certain "gaps" in Boeing's safety procedures, and its safety culture is described as "inadequate" and "confusing." The study was conducted in response to the two deadly crashes of Boeing's 737 Max 8 aircraft in 2018 and 2019 and several other safety issues that have made headlines in recent years. While the experts didn't investigate the specific incidents involving Boeing, they looked into the broader safety standards followed by the company.
On January 5th, an Alaska Airlines plane door panel, which Boeing manufactured, blew out midair over Portland, Oregon, causing an emergency landing. This incident raised concerns about the safety of Boeing's planes. A comprehensive investigation was conducted, which involved reviewing thousands of Boeing documents and interviewing over 250 employees. The investigation revealed that not all employees fully understood the company's safety management systems. There was confusion among employees at different work sites and groups due to complex and frequently changing procedures and training.
According to the panel report, there is still a possibility of interference or retaliation at the FAA's Organization Designation Authorization unit, even though it has undergone restructuring. The unit is a program in which some company employees are granted FAA powers. The report revealed that there remains a reluctance to report safety concerns due to the fear of retaliation, especially regarding salary and furlough ranking. The investigation process is not fully impartial since managers may investigate safety reports within their reporting chain.
In addition, the report highlighted the absence of a consistent and transparent safety reporting mechanism within the business unit. It also mentioned that employees weren't always informed about the outcomes of their reports, which could discourage them from reporting safety concerns in the future. The panel also discovered issues that impacted aviation safety, such as inadequate human factors and insufficient pilot input in aircraft design and operation. The panel made 27 findings and 53 recommendations, which the FAA has pledged to review thoroughly.
“We will continue to hold Boeing to the highest standard of safety and will work to ensure the company comprehensively addresses these recommendations,” an FAA said.
"We’ve taken important steps to foster a safety culture that empowers and encourages all employees to share their voice. But there is more work to do," Boeing said in a statement. "We will carefully review the panel’s assessment and learn from their findings, as we continue our comprehensive efforts to improve our safety and quality programs."
