Narrative:

When I went to work for this repair station; I was assigned to do inventory; monitor chemicals and hazmat; shelf-life items; parts receiving and certifications of parts. I was in charge of checking out parts; chemicals; and tools to the technicians. When I opened the cabinet with the chemicals and hazmat I found the logbook for them was out of date 9 months because the management failed to maintain the records and not dispose of out of date shelf-life items. I proceeded to reject and remove all out-of-date items. Some were over a year out of date. I also found many items and tools with calibration dates long expired; being used by the technicians. I reported this to quality control and management. The management finally took some action on calibrating some items like pressure gauges; but there were many other tools and gauges not calibrated before I left this company. A hydraulic test set had hoses that were severely damaged and aged. They were finally replaced after 2 weeks; after I started there. They were of dangerous quality; but they insisted on using them despite their condition. Management was also bypassing me to give technicians parts that did not yet receive traceability; certification and other related records to expedite repairs out the door. The working conditions were difficult. The building lacks proper heating; cooling and ventilation for the technicians. The dirt and dust levels were very high in particulates. I was not required to use my FAA a&P license while assigned in this position to return parts to service.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER ASSIGNED TO RECEIVING AND CERTIFICATION OF PARTS AT LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY FOUND MANY TOOLS BEING USED BY MECHANICS HAD CALIBRATION DATES LONG EXPIRED.

Narrative: WHEN I WENT TO WORK FOR THIS REPAIR STATION; I WAS ASSIGNED TO DO INVENTORY; MONITOR CHEMICALS AND HAZMAT; SHELF-LIFE ITEMS; PARTS RECEIVING AND CERTIFICATIONS OF PARTS. I WAS IN CHARGE OF CHKING OUT PARTS; CHEMICALS; AND TOOLS TO THE TECHNICIANS. WHEN I OPENED THE CABINET WITH THE CHEMICALS AND HAZMAT I FOUND THE LOGBOOK FOR THEM WAS OUT OF DATE 9 MONTHS BECAUSE THE MGMNT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE RECORDS AND NOT DISPOSE OF OUT OF DATE SHELF-LIFE ITEMS. I PROCEEDED TO REJECT AND REMOVE ALL OUT-OF-DATE ITEMS. SOME WERE OVER A YEAR OUT OF DATE. I ALSO FOUND MANY ITEMS AND TOOLS WITH CALIBRATION DATES LONG EXPIRED; BEING USED BY THE TECHNICIANS. I RPTED THIS TO QUALITY CTL AND MGMNT. THE MGMNT FINALLY TOOK SOME ACTION ON CALIBRATING SOME ITEMS LIKE PRESSURE GAUGES; BUT THERE WERE MANY OTHER TOOLS AND GAUGES NOT CALIBRATED BEFORE I LEFT THIS COMPANY. A HYD TEST SET HAD HOSES THAT WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED AND AGED. THEY WERE FINALLY REPLACED AFTER 2 WKS; AFTER I STARTED THERE. THEY WERE OF DANGEROUS QUALITY; BUT THEY INSISTED ON USING THEM DESPITE THEIR CONDITION. MGMNT WAS ALSO BYPASSING ME TO GIVE TECHNICIANS PARTS THAT DID NOT YET RECEIVE TRACEABILITY; CERTIFICATION AND OTHER RELATED RECORDS TO EXPEDITE REPAIRS OUT THE DOOR. THE WORKING CONDITIONS WERE DIFFICULT. THE BUILDING LACKS PROPER HEATING; COOLING AND VENTILATION FOR THE TECHNICIANS. THE DIRT AND DUST LEVELS WERE VERY HIGH IN PARTICULATES. I WAS NOT REQUIRED TO USE MY FAA A&P LICENSE WHILE ASSIGNED IN THIS POS TO RETURN PARTS TO SVC.

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.