Simplifying Safety in a Complex Environment - Building Organizational Accountability Whilst Maintaining Standardization
Abstract
In an organization as diverse as the 412th test wing, where over 10 platforms are being tested across several individual organizations, accountability to the functional goals of flight test safety becomes absolutely crucial to the implementation and success of safety planning and execution. In an attempt to cultivate accountability, the 412th test wing has removed the supplemental local policy governing flight test safety planning with the goal of giving ownership back to each individual organization. Multiple other facets of the safety process are also under review for change. The catalyst for these changes is the Department of Defense-mandated departmental shift in mindset, culture, and management to be more agile and responsive in today's fast-paced development environment. These changes may have the unintended consequence of removing built-in barriers within the mishap chain. For this model to work and continue to prevent mishaps, competence, knowledge, and workforce skill in creating and documenting the safety plan, as well as enhanced test safety communication, are compensatory prerequisites. 412th TW test safety is working to find a functional middle ground that allows organizations to take ownership for their own test safety documentation and processes, whilst still upholding the integrity of the efficient process that is independent review in the 412th test safety system. The existing process has been honed over decades of hard-fought lessons, some of them written in blood, and letting this standard slip would undermine the safety of Edwards flight test community. The right answer will be a balance between independent organizational accountability and standardization that allows for efficient, responsive review of documentation across these different organizations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 11, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1138006
Entities
People
- Alex Hale
- Collin Drake
- Rachel Jager
Organizations
- Air Force Test Center