October 26, 2016
Why say it three times? Because repetition will lead to understanding the critical importance of its meaning. The dictionary defines compliance as the act of conforming, cooperation, obedience. With each action that you take while at work, the compliance element must be accounted for.
Safety compliance must be the first thought with any task that is undertaken. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is essential. Always deploy hearing protection in a noisy environment; hearing loss is prevalent among high seniority technicians. Drilling or cutting requires eye protection. Use of chemicals or grinding/sanding means that in addition to eye/face protection, the appropriate gloves and/or protective coveralls and respirators are needed. If you’re using a lift or going up on a wing, the safety harness must be worn and properly secured. Perform a quick inspection of any ladder or stand prior to stepping on it. Always ensure that your qualifications are current before operating any motorized equipment. Even if you are well experienced, training records must be maintained.
Job Instruction compliance has far reaching consequences if not given full consideration. All aircraft documentation is retained for years and is subject to review at any time, including but not limited to logbooks, non-routine cards, parts tags, and engineering documents. Any signed document is scanned into a computerized retention system and can be accessed with just a few key strokes. It is essential to follow each step and instruction when using the AMM, SRM, IPC, GPM/MPM, Wiring Manual, Engineering Documents, etc. If your Job Instruction is AD related, there is absolutely NO deviation of any kind allowed. Complacency is a common pitfall of Job Instruction non-compliance. Always seek help if task instructions are not fully understood.
Compliance with Company and Union Polices:
Our companies have expansive GPM/MPM polices. These documents govern every aspect of how we go about maintaining the aircraft we work on. It is very important to become familiar with these documents, not to know them by memory, but rather have a general knowledge of where to find the needed information.
Our Union also has a lot of information for its Members. In addition to our respective airlines’ Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA), there is the AMFA Constitution, Professional Standards Handbook, Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), and each Local’s By-Laws. It would be impossible for our members to know all of this information; therefore, all of the referenced material can be found in the Member Resources section of the AMFA National website.
In closing, each of us should have our focus on safety compliance first. Stay safe, work smart, and always watch out for each other.
Scott King
National Safety & Standards Director