Technicians' attitudes to report unsafe practices in aircraft maintenance

Abstract

In the civil aviation sector, improper aircraft maintenance is a major contributing factor to significant aviation accidents and incidents. Numerous tasks still heavily depend on human hands-on intervention and are frequently prone to human error. A previous study found that several technicians are reluctant to report an unsafe practice that may violate the current safety guidelines imposed by aircraft maintenance organizations. This study systematically examines factors that influence the willingness of an aircraft maintenance technician (AMT) to report unsafe maintenance practices. Sixty-two AMTs actively practicing aircraft maintenance were interviewed to identify the main factors influencing their desire to report unsafe practices. The study revealed that many respondents chose not to report the violation despite their awareness of unsafe practices. The main factor is the workplace culture, in which the work culture and management style conspire to prevent employees from speaking up for fear of being reprimanded. Peer pressure inside the team is another factor cited in the report. Other common reasons include damage to relationships and retaliation. Many respondents did not personally experience retaliation in the workplace, but this fear of retribution dominates their working attitude. The findings of this study support the view in the literature that maintenance organizations should promote an employee-centric environment in which technicians can report unsafe practices. As part of promoting a safety-conscious work culture, workers should be encouraged to speak up regarding any unsafe maintenance practices, especially those that could lead to near misses or adverse incidents. Further research is necessary to determine cultural factors that affect the technician's safety report commitment.

Keywords: Aircraft maintenance, Safety reporting, Unsafe practices, Human error, Safety culture

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1004424