Aircraft Maintenance Incident Analysis

In December 2007, The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) published its research paper which was funded by the Safety Regulation Group (SRG), and performed by David Hall Aero Consulting Ltd (DHAC). The work was commissioned to identify the common causes where maintenance has been a contributory factor in incidents and occurrences report to the CAA.

6.2.2 Maintenance Control

b) A review of the data comprising Inadequate Tool Control established that there were 84 occurrences where this was the primary cause of the hazard affecting the aircraft. Of these 84 events, forty three (51%) were due to personnel inadequately controlling their own personal tools or belongings. Twenty four events (29%) involved tooling or consumable materials that would of been issued to the person to use during a task, but with no expectation of return, e.g. rags, masking tape and drill bits. Just three (4%) of the events involved tools that would of been issued to personnel for which the system would have demanded their return to stores after the work had been completed.

The maintenance system requires tooling and materials to be controlled. In reality, however, only special tools owned by the maintenance organisation are subject to control. This typically involves special tools being issued to a person from a tool store who signs for it and has to return the tool at the end of the shift or task. Such systems often require a procedure to ensure that all tools have been returned prior to releasing the aircraft to service. Aircraft maintenance personnel in the UK invariably possess their own toolboxes of standard spanners, screwdrivers and pliers etc. These tools are not subject to a real system of control other than the owner being responsible for ensuring that he does not leave any in the aircraft after completing the task. The same is true of consumable materials issued to personnel. The person issued with the material is responsible for ensuring that it is not left in the aircraft.

The data suggests that the control of company owned special tools is performing its job but the control of personal tools is not as robust.

Extracts From The EASA P145 Regulation

145.A.40 Equipment, tools and material

• Equipment and tools must be permanently available.
• All tools, equipment and particularly test equipment, as appropriate, are controlled and calibrated according to an official recognised standard at a frequency to ensure serviceability and accuracy.
• A clear system of labelling all tooling, equipment is necessary giving information on when the next inspection or service or calibration is due.
• A register should be maintained for all precision tooling and equipment together with a record of calibrations and standards used.
• Need to show that all tools and equipment as specified in the maintenance data can be made available when needed.

Hand Tool Safety Is No Accident

"Tool FOD" is a serious hazard caused by tools left inside the aircraft after servicing. Tools can get tangled in control cables, jam moving parts, short out electrical connections or otherwise interfere with a safe flight.

Extracts from the EASA P145 regulation states that “an organisation to be approved for base maintenance shall ensure that all tools are permanently available, controlled and that a clear labeling and a tool register system is in place”.

With over 15 years experience, Coplan Limited offer safety and peace of mind and is also a recognised and valued supplier of many Tool FOD solutions. Such solutions include:

• Tool storage cabinets & work stations
• Electronic swipe access cabinets
• Bi-colour tool control foam (resistant to skydroll)
• Tool ID tags to identify specific cavities
• Supply of Stahlwille tools (aerospace DQS certified)
• Electronic self calibrating torque wrenches
• Laser marking of tools
• Colour coded sleeves for hand tool identification
• Mobile FOD bags
  

Our products & services provide a much needed solution payback over a short space of time. Have you ever consider the cost involved for ‘down time’ when looking for a lost tool, also the amount of people involved and the cost of replacing a lost tool, yet more importantly failing to comply with a CAA audit?

To discuss any of our solutions further or to arrange a product demonstration, then please do not hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Stahlwille Sensotork Wrenches & Electronic Torque Tester