Reasons for safe work practices in aviation line maintenance operations – and possible threats…

1. Reasons for safe work practices in aviation line maintenance operations – and possible threats… Working on Safety Conference 2006, The Eemhof, The Netherlands By: Kenneth Pettersen & Karina Aase

2. Purpose and topics • Present preliminary results from my PhD research • Data from aviation line maintenance operations • Part of research project directed towards understanding and analysing simultaneous changes to the Norwegian civil aviation system • Understand how safety is constructed as part of the reality of work • Use this perspective for understanding how change efforts effect safety

3. Concepts • We view operational safety as a dynamic, interactive, communicative activity that is created as people conduct work, construct discourse and rationality around it, and gather experience from it (Dekker 2006). • We view operational safety as a result of interdependancies and interactions between different levels in a socio-technical system. Thus, operational safety is affected by changes at different levels (Rasmussen) • We view slack (i.e. time, knowledge, competence, tangible assets) as a possible precondition for safety instead of as unnecessary waste (Lawson 2001; Sagan 1993).

4. Methods • A descriptive approach • Participant observation • Non-participant observation • Interviews • Conversations • Analysing data using categories induced from the data

5. The line maintenance work context • Work was multifaceted with multiple goals and • Multiple hazards • Time constraints • Complex technology • An imperfect knowledge base and epistemic uncertainty • Trial and error strategies for solving problems

6. Research focus • Formal descriptions of work are limited sources for knowledge about reality • Formal descriptions of work are developed under uncertainty • Text and 2D graphics cannot describe what is ”normal” • Technological complexity • Interaction between sub-systems • New fault categories • Technicians had developed a practice where they expanded their formal knowledge boundaries by using knowledge from experience and practical skills

7. Elements of safe practice • An awareness of imperfection • Numerous interpretations of the world were acknowledged • Sensitive to ones practical boundaries of knowledge and competence • Epistemic uncertainty • Technological complexity • Assumptions about safety • Safety promoted as a superior goal • Creation of extended timeframes • The value of slowing things down to address all safety concerns (Roberts and Tadmore 2006)

8. Elements of safe practice II • Promotion of practical knowledge and skill • Culture of experts and specialized skill • Deference to expertise • The organisation’s complete technical competence • Organising for diversity • Structure • Minimum hierarchy made flexible reorganisations possible • ”Garbage can” processes

9. Effects of changes • New interface between maintenance org. and airline • Lost the feeling of aircraft ownership • Decrease in experience transfer between maintenance control, maintenance engineers and technicians • Less contact with the technology • The building of structural walls • Engine work-shop sold • Component work-shop closed down • Heavy Maintenance Department closed down • Reduced availability of competence, skill and resources

10. Effects of changes • Change in learning processes • Fewer refresher courses • Formal updates on operations as e-learning • Information on new faults and problem solving strategies as e-learning • Cut-off from interaction with other operational personnel • Change in infrastructure • Altered patterns for learning of operative knowledge • Worst case:loss of operative knowledge and experience

11. Implications for work on safety • Work on occupational safety must include approaches directed at the realities of work practice • Thereby discovering how safety is created in different communities of practice • Involves etnographic approaches • Value ”bottom-up” perspectives and analysis of work practice when making decisions about safety • Value slack in organisations as possible preconditions for safety instead of unnecessary waste