Human factors training for all

Some follow-up is in order on our recent story about in-flight parts shedding on Air New Zealand jets and the priority assignment of the maintenance technicians responsible to the next "Human Factors in Maintenance" training course (see ASW, Oct. 28). Although the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has encouraged U.S. airlines and repair stations to adopt human factors training and maintenance error reduction programs, as yet there is no FAA regulatory requirement to do so. The UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in January of this year took the lead among aviation authorities in publishing a document titled "Aviation Maintenance Human Factors," Report No. CAP 716. This 166-page document covers practically every subject dealing with maintenance human factors and error, and it includes a training syllabus. It can be viewed on the CAA's website: http://www.srg.caa.co.uk/pub/pub_home.asp.

The day is fast approaching when operators will be required to establish maintenance error management systems (MEMS). David Hall, a CAA aircraft maintenance standards official, explained:

"The CAA produced Airworthiness Notice No. 71 in March 2000 (See ASW, Aug. 12). The objective was to tell industry how strongly we viewed the subject and to give support and encouragement for them to start investigating their errors from a human factors perspective. It was not a CAA requirement that they do this, but many did.

"Shortly afterwards, we were successful in convincing the Joint Aviation Authorities [JAA] that they needed to address human factors in the requirements of JAR-145. The JAR-145 Notice of Proposed Amendment, to incorporate human factors into JAR-145, has just gone through the final stage of rulemaking and should be out on the streets by late December.

"The new requirements include human factors training for all maintenance personnel, not just those who hold spanners [wrenches], and maintenance error management programs are required in all JAR-145 repair stations.

"The JAA have just advised me that compliance with the new requirements will be Sept. 1, 2003, except for the training in human factors, will be required as of July 1, 2005.

"Here at the CAA, we are rewriting Airworthiness Notice No. 71 to reflect these implementation deadlines."

In the meantime, we offer an irreverent view of human factors in aviation safety. >> Hall, e-mail david.hall@srg.caa.co.uk <<

As we all know only too well, there is a big difference between suggesting and requiring especially when cost is involved.