The FAA fined American Airlines $7.1 million for safety violations. A technician used an incorrect Minimum Equipment List item to delay maintenance and, despite the known problems, the airline flew the plane 36 times before the problem was corrected. In another case, the airline delayed a scheduled maintenance on the autopilot system of a plane and intentionally flew the plane 10 more times before the maintenance was performed. American was also cited for not inspecting emergency lighting systems in a timely manner and was cited for violations of its drug and alcohol testing procedures.
Diane Valenti, an expert in performance consulting, helps companies maximize their investment in human capital. Often these costly issues can be avoided with relatively easy, cost
effective solutions, Valenti noted.
She recommends these simple solutions:
1) Mistake proof your process - ensure the proper checklist is used; such as creating a decision diagram or table that specifies what checklist to use when or even
color-coding checklists to help ensure technicians use the correct one.
2) Hold a post mortem - identify where the break down in communication, decision-making, responsibility, motivation and/or existing policies and procedures occurred
in order to course correct.
3) Look for the right steps - identify what was done to make the right decision and take the right steps in order to design a consistent process to replicate this
performance.
Bio:
Diane Valenti has over 20 years experience in performance consulting. She has worked with clients such as Genentech, Nike, and Starbucks Coffee Company. Diane is also the author of
Training Budgets Step-by-Step. She has been interviewed and appeared in articles in Training Magazine, TD's38;J and Learning Circuits.