Members of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) questioned Boeing executives about workplace safety culture and allegations of retaliation against employees involved in a mishap with a Boeing 737 Max 9 in January. The incident involved a door plug detaching mid-flight, causing rapid decompression on an Alaska Airlines flight. The NTSB raised concerns about the mistreatment of employees who made mistakes, calling into question Boeing’s commitment to a just culture.
Boeing’s director of quality, Hector Silva, stated that employees are not punished for good faith mistakes and the company has an anti-retaliation policy. However, two employees involved in the incident were reportedly sidelined and placed in a different building, referred to as “Boeing prison.” The NTSB pressed Boeing on where the error should have been caught before leading to an accident, but Boeing did not respond.
Boeing executives acknowledged that the mistake should have been caught earlier and emphasized the need to protect product safety. They also discussed steps being taken to address safety quality issues, including changes to door plug sensors to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Boeing committed to working with the NTSB on a safety culture survey of employees without interference. They also stated that the two employees involved in the mishap had been reassigned to a lateral position at their own request, pending the completion of an investigation.
Boeing’s new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, is set to take over on Thursday as the company continues to address concerns about workplace safety and retaliation against employees.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com