Panel of Experts Highlight Safety Culture ‘Disconnect’ at Boeing, Raise Concerns of Retaliation
A recent report to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has shed light on the safety culture at Boeing, revealing a troubling “disconnect” between senior management and workers. The panel of outside experts, consisting of aviation-industry and government professionals, expressed concerns about the ability of employees responsible for checking the company’s planes to raise safety issues without fear of retaliation. Additionally, the experts noted that safety training and procedures at Boeing are constantly changing, leading to confusion among employees.
The study was ordered by Congress in 2020 following two deadly crashes involving Boeing 737 Max jetliners. These tragic incidents prompted legislation to reform the FAA’s certification process for new planes. The report comes at a crucial time as safety at Boeing is being re-examined after a recent blowout of an emergency door panel on an Alaska Airlines Max jet. Preliminary investigations revealed that bolts used to secure the panel were missing after repairs were conducted at Boeing’s factory in Renton, Washington.
One significant aspect highlighted in the report is the reliance on employees at Boeing and other aircraft manufacturers to perform quality reviews on behalf of the FAA since 2005. However, after the Max crashes in 2018 and 2019, which claimed the lives of 346 people, critics in Congress accused Boeing managers of pressuring employees to approve work done for the regulatory agency.
In response to the report, Boeing issued a statement acknowledging the need for further improvement in fostering a safety culture that empowers employees to speak up. The panel of experts recognized that Boeing has made some changes to reduce the likelihood of retaliation against employees who report safety problems. However, they cautioned that there are still opportunities for retaliation to occur within the company’s current structure.
Boeing faces immense pressure due to a substantial backlog of orders from airlines eagerly awaiting new, more fuel-efficient planes. To meet the demand, the company has increased its production rate of 737s to 38 per month. Critics, including Ed Pierson, a former senior manager on the 737 program and director of a nonprofit safety foundation, have long voiced concerns about the pressure on Boeing employees to prioritize assembly line speed over addressing potential problems.
Pierson emphasized the existence of a culture where employees feel compelled to remain silent for fear of repercussions. He stated, “There is a culture where employees on the front lines are learning to keep their mouths shut because of the fear that something could happen to them. The pressure is, ‘Move the plane down the line, move the plane down the line.’ It’s not, ‘Stop, let’s fix it, let’s do it right.'”
In an attempt to address these concerns, CEO David Calhoun urged employees to speak up and emphasized the importance of improvement. Calhoun acknowledged that the factory floor workers possess valuable insights into areas that require attention. He stated, “Our people on the factory floor know what we must do to improve better than anyone. We should always encourage any team member who raises issues that need to be addressed.” Following the Alaska Airlines blowout incident, Calhoun vowed that Boeing would prioritize taking its time to ensure the job is done right.
While Congress did not specifically instruct the panel of experts to investigate specific incidents or accidents, their work uncovered serious quality issues with Boeing products that became public. These events further amplified concerns about the implementation of safety-related practices across Boeing’s entire workforce.
The panel presented Boeing with 50 recommendations, including the development of a plan to address their concerns within six months and sharing that plan with the FAA. Additionally, they made three recommendations to the FAA itself. The FAA responded by affirming its commitment to holding Boeing to the highest standard of safety and ensuring comprehensive action is taken in response to the recommendations.
The report serves as a wake-up call for Boeing, highlighting the urgent need to bridge the gap between senior management and workers and create an environment where employees feel safe to raise safety concerns without fear of retaliation. As the company navigates its backlog of orders and strives to meet the demands of the aviation industry, prioritizing safety and fostering a culture of open communication will be paramount in restoring trust and ensuring the well-being of passengers and crew alike.
