Food for thought.....
Food for thought.....
Aviation Safety Connection
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Cockpit Concepts: March 20, 2008 [Mailed early due to travel]
Anonymous Reporting’s Dark Cloud.
As you know, I have repeatedly advocated voluntary internal reporting systems as a means of uncovering and communicating safety hazards and issues. Presently, many airlines participate in the FAA’s Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) that encourages flight crews to file incident reports that are treated confidentially. However, a court order threatens the very existence of this valuable safety management system component.
In the February 16 issue of the Washington Post, writer Del Quentin Wilbur writes: “Airlines and pilot groups say they may be forced to curtail a critical federal safety program after a federal judge's order requiring a regional carrier to disclose pilot incident reports to families suing the airline over a fatal 2006 crash.” The reference is to Comair’s takeoff accident from Lexington, KY in 2006. Wilber continues: “Safety experts worry that the judge's decision may lead some airlines to leave the program or deter employees from participating.” Lawyers representing the families argue that the information in these reports “… might show that Comair did not take action after learning of similar previous problems.” The judge ruled “… the reports must be turned over to the families because Congress did not bar the release of such documents in such circumstances” (and also took the position that the safety program would not be hampered).
Fellow subscriber John Wiley is doing research on this subject for eventual publication. He feels, “The ramifications of this ruling are significant not only for the aviation community but for any community trying to build a program whereby anonymous information about the real world is submitted by employees, observers, etc. This includes the health industry which is just now beginning to buy into many of the programs the aviation community has proven.”
John’s initial thoughts (“I may be wrong”), written for this Cockpit Concepts issue, outline the threat he sees to confidential reporting:
“The ASAP is under advisory circular 120-66B and defines as its basis an anonymous reporting system designed to be non-punitive. The program is built on trust which is a two way street, something of an unusual duck in American business. The individual files a report with certain expectations and the company also has expectations.
“The individual knows there was an error made and wants to improve the system while admitting to erring. The company wants to know what is actually happening and says it will not impose sanctions or punitive actions on the individual. Both have an interest in promoting a safer environment, yet problems can occur.
“IF the company fails to use the information correctly, the program will collapse. If the company does not respond in some way, the individual filing the report will come to believe it is 'just another program' and will lose confidence in the program.
“IF the company abuses the reports and sanctions the individual, the program collapses. And if the individual believes the program is just a 'get out of jail free card' because s/he knows the event will probably be found out via other means, the program can be invalidated.
“So you can see the ASAP rests on very fragile footing and that fragile footing is now being tested with the judge's ruling that data must be disclosed.
“Who really suffers? The traveling public. The information on how to improve the *real* world will not be available if programs such as ASAP become public.”
Thank you, John Wiley, for investigating this important issue. The experience of the Aviation.Org readership is wide and diverse, and I’m sure John would appreciate any reasoned and informed input you might have that will aid his research (responder names will not be disclosed without permission). If you will e-mail your comments to me I will forward them to him. Thanks.
--Bob Jenney (rmj@aviation.org)
Aviation.Org Update: March 20, 2008
1. Cockpit Concepts is e-mailed two times a month (5th, 20th). This issue is posted to Hangar 13's Library, and prior issues can be found in Archives.