Narrative:

On the inbound into ZZZZ numerous overhead switches were noted either virtually destroyed/gummy/dirty; or literally falling apart. I had several other write-ups including coffee makers; oil service and inoperative warning lights. When I arrived that morning to leave ZZZZ; the contract maintenance guy said I needed to call maintenance; as the technician on the phone that night would not let him sign off/defer the rubber switch tips. I called and spoke with mr X at maintenance. He was rather annoyed with my 19 write-ups and said I should have crew placarded the items or had them fixed in ZZZ before departure. Now; he said that the items were crew placardable by XXX. This appears to be a 'catch all' XXX number. Now upon further reflection and reading of the XXX; it also states that if the damaged part has sharp edges; other considerations should be given by the amt; etc. My concern is this: 1) maintenance effectively refused to sign off/defer a logbook entry. 2) other repairs were authority/authorized and approved by maintenance that would fit under the XXX; ie; the slow to brew coffee maker. 3) I do not believe now; upon further reflection; that it was legal for me to crew placard items after a mechanic worked on the airplane and was not authority/authorized by maintenance to sign off/defer said items. 4) I believe these tips are there for safety; ie; no ripped open scalps of crew members and; therefore; do not fall under the premise of the catch-all XXX. I am filing this as I feel I may have violated our MEL.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 FLT CREW WROTE UP A NUMBER OF ITEMS INBOUND TO THEIR INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION AND WAS CRITICIZED BY HEADQUARTERS MAINTENANCE.

Narrative: ON THE INBOUND INTO ZZZZ NUMEROUS OVERHEAD SWITCHES WERE NOTED EITHER VIRTUALLY DESTROYED/GUMMY/DIRTY; OR LITERALLY FALLING APART. I HAD SEVERAL OTHER WRITE-UPS INCLUDING COFFEE MAKERS; OIL SVC AND INOP WARNING LIGHTS. WHEN I ARRIVED THAT MORNING TO LEAVE ZZZZ; THE CONTRACT MAINT GUY SAID I NEEDED TO CALL MAINT; AS THE TECHNICIAN ON THE PHONE THAT NIGHT WOULD NOT LET HIM SIGN OFF/DEFER THE RUBBER SWITCH TIPS. I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH MR X AT MAINT. HE WAS RATHER ANNOYED WITH MY 19 WRITE-UPS AND SAID I SHOULD HAVE CREW PLACARDED THE ITEMS OR HAD THEM FIXED IN ZZZ BEFORE DEP. NOW; HE SAID THAT THE ITEMS WERE CREW PLACARDABLE BY XXX. THIS APPEARS TO BE A 'CATCH ALL' XXX NUMBER. NOW UPON FURTHER REFLECTION AND READING OF THE XXX; IT ALSO STATES THAT IF THE DAMAGED PART HAS SHARP EDGES; OTHER CONSIDERATIONS SHOULD BE GIVEN BY THE AMT; ETC. MY CONCERN IS THIS: 1) MAINT EFFECTIVELY REFUSED TO SIGN OFF/DEFER A LOGBOOK ENTRY. 2) OTHER REPAIRS WERE AUTH AND APPROVED BY MAINT THAT WOULD FIT UNDER THE XXX; IE; THE SLOW TO BREW COFFEE MAKER. 3) I DO NOT BELIEVE NOW; UPON FURTHER REFLECTION; THAT IT WAS LEGAL FOR ME TO CREW PLACARD ITEMS AFTER A MECH WORKED ON THE AIRPLANE AND WAS NOT AUTH BY MAINT TO SIGN OFF/DEFER SAID ITEMS. 4) I BELIEVE THESE TIPS ARE THERE FOR SAFETY; IE; NO RIPPED OPEN SCALPS OF CREW MEMBERS AND; THEREFORE; DO NOT FALL UNDER THE PREMISE OF THE CATCH-ALL XXX. I AM FILING THIS AS I FEEL I MAY HAVE VIOLATED OUR MEL.

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.