A recent report by federal safety experts discovered significant problems with Boeing's safety culture, including a gap between senior management and other employees and a fear of retaliation when raising safety concerns.
Boeing's Safety Standards Incident
The report, requested by Congress, was completed by a panel of experts in March 2023 and released on Monday. It found gaps in Boeing's safety efforts and criticized the safety culture as "inadequate" and "confusing."
The experts did not focus on Boeing incidents but examined broader safety standards following two fatal 737 Max 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019 and years of headline-making issues.
Worries escalated after a door panel made by Boeing on an Alaska Airlines plane blew out midair over Portland on January 5, prompting an emergency landing.
Lack of Clear Communication on Safety Management Systems
After reviewing thousands of Boeing documents and conducting over 250 employee interviews, it was discovered that not all employees fully understood the company's safety management systems.
Employees at different work sites and groups also experienced confusion due to complex and frequently changing procedures and training.
The panel discovered that after a restructuring in Boeing's Organization Designation Authorization unit, which allows the FAA to delegate powers to some company employees, the risk of interference or retaliation had decreased but still existed, especially concerning salary and furlough ranking.
Report Highlighting Fear of Reporting Due to Retaliation
The report revealed a fear of reporting safety concerns due to potential retaliation, as managers might investigate reports within their reporting chain, leading to a lack of impartiality in the process.
Additionally, the report noted a lack of consistent and clear safety reporting channels within the business unit. Employees were not constantly updated on the outcomes of their reports, raising concerns on the panel that confusion about reporting systems could discourage employees from submitting safety concerns.
Total Findings and Recommendations
The panel also identified inadequate human factors and a lack of pilot input in aircraft design and operation that could impact aviation safety. In total, the panel made 27 findings and 53 recommendations, which the FAA stated it would carefully assess.
The FAA stated on Monday that it will maintain Boeing to the highest safety standard and ensure comprehensive action on the recommendations.
Boeing expressed support for the panel's review, saying they have made significant strides in promoting a safety culture that encourages all employees to speak up but acknowledges that there is more to be done. They added that they will thoroughly review the panel's assessment and use their findings to enhance their safety and quality programs further.
Since 2019, Boeing has implemented numerous changes to enhance product safety, including forming an aerospace safety committee in August 2019 and introducing a safety management system, appointing a chief aerospace safety officer in January 2021, as well as appointing an Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) Ombudsperson in June 2022, which oversees and maintains consistency in the FAA's oversight program, according to its website.
