Narrative:

Mechanics working for company X informed me that they were being pressured by their supervisor to install a generator on the bk117b2 that did not have an approved part number. In refusing to do so; 1 mechanic told me that he 'felt' that he was going to be fired. Sometime later in this impasse company X maintenance director called to say that the local mechanics were correct (that the engine manufacturer did not allow that generator to be installed); and arranged for a suitable one to be shipped. This incident is illustrative of a manifestly hostile work environment that has been imposed by company X on the local maintenance staff. I could recount many similar and even more egregious examples. These amt professionals have for the 8 yrs that I have known them embodied the characteristics of competence; control and commitment to safety of flight. They have demonstrated willingness to take responsibility for their behavior; to make judgements based on industry standards; and to assertively encourage others to be involved in flight safety. Presently they are functioning under hostile supervision that has systematically removed from them all control over decision making; verbally demeaning their competence; and prohibiting (under threat of being fired) their discussion of their work situation with others in the organization. The local amt's have no trust in their supervisor; and they function chronically under the distraction of frustration and stress. I am observing the effects of this stress in work quality; and a prevailing attitude of cynicism. I have not been silent in witnessing the death of a safety culture here. Tragically; the person in a supervisory role over the local mechanics has the full faith and confidence of the company X leadership. The EMS organization that owns the aircraft; and for whom company X vends; is unwilling to engage the situation. The amt's are all looking for other work; but that begs the issue since whoever replaces them will be expected to function in the same environment. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated even pilots and nurses who are part of the emergency medical service (EMS) flight crews; whose company has contracted with reporter's FBO to maintain the EMS aircraft; have raised concerns about the inadequate maintenance on their aircraft and the lack of any response regarding those concerns.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECHANICS WORKING FOR AN FBO MAINT FACILITY; INFORM ONE OF THEIR PILOTS OF BEING PRESSURED BY THEIR SUPERVISOR TO INSTALL A GENERATOR ON THEIR HELICOPTER WITHOUT AN APPROVED PART NUMBER.

Narrative: MECHS WORKING FOR COMPANY X INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE BEING PRESSURED BY THEIR SUPVR TO INSTALL A GENERATOR ON THE BK117B2 THAT DID NOT HAVE AN APPROVED PART NUMBER. IN REFUSING TO DO SO; 1 MECH TOLD ME THAT HE 'FELT' THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE FIRED. SOMETIME LATER IN THIS IMPASSE COMPANY X MAINT DIRECTOR CALLED TO SAY THAT THE LCL MECHS WERE CORRECT (THAT THE ENG MANUFACTURER DID NOT ALLOW THAT GENERATOR TO BE INSTALLED); AND ARRANGED FOR A SUITABLE ONE TO BE SHIPPED. THIS INCIDENT IS ILLUSTRATIVE OF A MANIFESTLY HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS BEEN IMPOSED BY COMPANY X ON THE LCL MAINT STAFF. I COULD RECOUNT MANY SIMILAR AND EVEN MORE EGREGIOUS EXAMPLES. THESE AMT PROFESSIONALS HAVE FOR THE 8 YRS THAT I HAVE KNOWN THEM EMBODIED THE CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPETENCE; CTL AND COMMITMENT TO SAFETY OF FLT. THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED WILLINGNESS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR; TO MAKE JUDGEMENTS BASED ON INDUSTRY STANDARDS; AND TO ASSERTIVELY ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO BE INVOLVED IN FLT SAFETY. PRESENTLY THEY ARE FUNCTIONING UNDER HOSTILE SUPERVISION THAT HAS SYSTEMATICALLY REMOVED FROM THEM ALL CTL OVER DECISION MAKING; VERBALLY DEMEANING THEIR COMPETENCE; AND PROHIBITING (UNDER THREAT OF BEING FIRED) THEIR DISCUSSION OF THEIR WORK SITUATION WITH OTHERS IN THE ORGANIZATION. THE LCL AMT'S HAVE NO TRUST IN THEIR SUPVR; AND THEY FUNCTION CHRONICALLY UNDER THE DISTR OF FRUSTRATION AND STRESS. I AM OBSERVING THE EFFECTS OF THIS STRESS IN WORK QUALITY; AND A PREVAILING ATTITUDE OF CYNICISM. I HAVE NOT BEEN SILENT IN WITNESSING THE DEATH OF A SAFETY CULTURE HERE. TRAGICALLY; THE PERSON IN A SUPERVISORY ROLE OVER THE LCL MECHS HAS THE FULL FAITH AND CONFIDENCE OF THE COMPANY X LEADERSHIP. THE EMS ORGANIZATION THAT OWNS THE ACFT; AND FOR WHOM COMPANY X VENDS; IS UNWILLING TO ENGAGE THE SITUATION. THE AMT'S ARE ALL LOOKING FOR OTHER WORK; BUT THAT BEGS THE ISSUE SINCE WHOEVER REPLACES THEM WILL BE EXPECTED TO FUNCTION IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED EVEN PILOTS AND NURSES WHO ARE PART OF THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE (EMS) FLIGHT CREWS; WHOSE COMPANY HAS CONTRACTED WITH REPORTER'S FBO TO MAINTAIN THE EMS ACFT; HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE INADEQUATE MAINT ON THEIR ACFT AND THE LACK OF ANY RESPONSE REGARDING THOSE CONCERNS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.