Objection! Assumes facts not in evidence!
You're assuming that the Senior Worker was not pestering his bosses about getting someone else up to standards to be able to take over when Senior Worker is not available (whether on vacation, retired, or injured/dead from an accident). Trust me, Senior Worker wants to be able to take vacation days, especially if they're use-or-lose!
I have seen FAR too many companies/manglement not caring that they are setting up a single-point failure over "that one dude who knows everything." Hell, even Amazon seems to still run on that model...
Scott -
Howdy !
Hey... I'm " frequently wrong, but...never in doubt " !
I don't believe you have taken me to task over the facts, as-much-as for the conclusions I've drawn ?
What I tried to articulate was:
Neither Boeing factory floor leadership nor 2nd and 3rd level managers put sufficient numbers of adequately trained / qualified workers in-place to prevent the door plug from being re-installed improperly... in the Senior Worker's absence. That's an established fact.
Even devoid of proper direction and guidance on work team composition & training, the Senior Worker could have invested time in bringing at least a few other co-workers up-to-speed on door/ door plug removal/install info...on things like: proper tools, pertinent tech data, test equipment, parts, consumables, proper documentation; and certainly HANDS ON " On-the-job-Training ". He could have done this on his own initiative. I have no specific knowledge that the Senior Worker agitated, campaigned for, cajoled, or otherwise tried to get Supervision / Management off " top dead center " on these collective issues. If it is revealed that he did do so, I'd be happy...more than happy...to recant.
From what I've read, the Senior Worker did not train others who could as minimum, work in his absence. This was factual information coming from a reliable source, otherwise.... people like investigators, interviewers; or by extension the FAA and Hearing Committee members were given non-factual information. And for that matter, us too.
Going forward:
Management will communicate approved manufacturing process corrective actions down the chain to workers on the floor ( who doubtless identified all these in the first place ).
I'd be surprised if these actions did not include refinements being made to the "Door Team".
Things like number of workers assigned, their qualifications and experience level.
As regards " qualification ", there will likely be a certain level of qualification training taking place... " Know & Show ". Special certification to be cleared to perform these tasks, should at least be considered.
As regards training:
Training items listed above would ideally be taught and overseen by a person(s) that
possesses the requisite knowledge. Moreover, this " Master Trainer " would also need to
train additional " Trainers ". IF the Senior Mechanic didn't perform in this capacity previously, he most likely WILL soon; if not already doing so @ Management's behest.
Annual refresher training on door /door plug tasks should also be considered.
That the Senior Mechanic didn't " see the need " and step off on at least some of this vital training on his own, nearly beggars belief.
Boeing would do well to find out when this specific worker intends to transfer or retire; and respond in a timely fashion.
With regards,
357Mag