A report published Monday by a panel of experts selected by the Federal Aviation Administration found a “disconnect” between Boeing's senior management and other members of the company over safety culture, among other issues.
The US Congress ordered the review after two 737 Max 8 planes crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people. The FAA selected the report committee, and it met for the first time in early March 2023.
The committee's report included recommendations for FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker to implement based on the deficiencies noted.
“The expert committee noted a disconnect between Boeing senior management and other members of the organization regarding safety culture,” the report stated.
The committee also noted the “inadequate and confusing implementation” of components of a positive safety culture, noting in its report that since managers may be allowed to evaluate employee evaluations in addition to performing investigative duties within their reporting series, this may create “hesitation.” In reporting safety concerns for fear of retaliation.
While the committee was not charged with investigating a specific incident, several quality issues about Boeing were raised as the committee worked on the report.
“These quality issues exacerbated the expert panel’s concerns that safety-related messages or behaviors were not being implemented across Boeing’s entire population,” the document said.
The report comes after a period of intense scrutiny of Boeing after a door seal blocked the emergency exit on a 737 MAX 9 plane that separated in midair on January 5. The accident prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to ground the Max 9 planes for weeks, resulting in thousands of flights being cancelled. Of flights.
The committee said Boeing has six months to review its recommendations, develop an action plan to follow up on those recommendations and share that plan with the FAA.
In a statement shared with HuffPost, Boeing said it cooperated with the committee's review and expressed appreciation for its work.
“We have taken important steps to foster a safety culture that empowers and encourages all employees to share their voices,” the statement read. “But there is more work to be done. We will carefully review the committee's assessment and learn from its findings, as we continue our comprehensive efforts to improve our safety and quality programs.”
In response to the report's release, the FAA said in a statement that it “will immediately begin a comprehensive review of the report and determine next steps regarding recommendations as appropriate.”
“We will continue to hold Boeing to the highest safety standards and will work to ensure the company addresses these recommendations comprehensively,” the statement read.
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