Narrative:

I was accomplishing an engineering order installation of a transportation security agency approved mesh curtain class divider. This was a high priority item. It had been deferred several times for various reasons; parts not available; etc; but the biggest reason was that the curtain header was missing. It had been removed at the time curtains were removed from the cabins in 2001. My lead mechanic contacted engineering to assist us with obtaining the correct header and installation parts. I was working the aircraft by myself on this night due to a greater number of routine overnight aircraft. I had 8 work release items in addition to the overnight check; but at no time felt overloaded or stressed because of the workload. It just kept me very busy through my shift. Engineering came up with a part number which my lead ordered and delivered to the aircraft. It was the correct part with the exception that now the aircraft has had the video monitors removed. I installed the header and completed the mesh curtain installation. It was later; after work; that I started thinking that those headers used to have glow-in-the-dark exit signs. I knew the one I installed did not have any; but did have metal blanking plates mounted. When I arrived to work for my normal shift; I went straight to our placards manual; and sure enough that header was required to have 3 exit signs installed. I immediately notified the lead who notified maintenance control who was able to have the signs installed on a through flight without incident or delay -- all within 16 hours of the part being installed. I do believe I was distraction from certain details; but it would have helped if the engineering order had required me to verify all required placards were still installed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 WAS RELEASED FOR SVC AFTER AN ENGINEERING ORDER INSTALLING A MESH CURTAIN CLASS DIVIDER. PAPERWORK DID NOT REQUIRE INSTALLATION OF LIGHTED EXIT SIGNS.

Narrative: I WAS ACCOMPLISHING AN ENGINEERING ORDER INSTALLATION OF A TRANSPORTATION SECURITY AGENCY APPROVED MESH CURTAIN CLASS DIVIDER. THIS WAS A HIGH PRIORITY ITEM. IT HAD BEEN DEFERRED SEVERAL TIMES FOR VARIOUS REASONS; PARTS NOT AVAILABLE; ETC; BUT THE BIGGEST REASON WAS THAT THE CURTAIN HEADER WAS MISSING. IT HAD BEEN REMOVED AT THE TIME CURTAINS WERE REMOVED FROM THE CABINS IN 2001. MY LEAD MECH CONTACTED ENGINEERING TO ASSIST US WITH OBTAINING THE CORRECT HEADER AND INSTALLATION PARTS. I WAS WORKING THE ACFT BY MYSELF ON THIS NIGHT DUE TO A GREATER NUMBER OF ROUTINE OVERNIGHT ACFT. I HAD 8 WORK RELEASE ITEMS IN ADDITION TO THE OVERNIGHT CHK; BUT AT NO TIME FELT OVERLOADED OR STRESSED BECAUSE OF THE WORKLOAD. IT JUST KEPT ME VERY BUSY THROUGH MY SHIFT. ENGINEERING CAME UP WITH A PART NUMBER WHICH MY LEAD ORDERED AND DELIVERED TO THE ACFT. IT WAS THE CORRECT PART WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT NOW THE ACFT HAS HAD THE VIDEO MONITORS REMOVED. I INSTALLED THE HEADER AND COMPLETED THE MESH CURTAIN INSTALLATION. IT WAS LATER; AFTER WORK; THAT I STARTED THINKING THAT THOSE HEADERS USED TO HAVE GLOW-IN-THE-DARK EXIT SIGNS. I KNEW THE ONE I INSTALLED DID NOT HAVE ANY; BUT DID HAVE METAL BLANKING PLATES MOUNTED. WHEN I ARRIVED TO WORK FOR MY NORMAL SHIFT; I WENT STRAIGHT TO OUR PLACARDS MANUAL; AND SURE ENOUGH THAT HEADER WAS REQUIRED TO HAVE 3 EXIT SIGNS INSTALLED. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE LEAD WHO NOTIFIED MAINT CTL WHO WAS ABLE TO HAVE THE SIGNS INSTALLED ON A THROUGH FLT WITHOUT INCIDENT OR DELAY -- ALL WITHIN 16 HRS OF THE PART BEING INSTALLED. I DO BELIEVE I WAS DISTR FROM CERTAIN DETAILS; BUT IT WOULD HAVE HELPED IF THE ENGINEERING ORDER HAD REQUIRED ME TO VERIFY ALL REQUIRED PLACARDS WERE STILL INSTALLED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.