FAASTeam Maintenance Safety Tip - Sept. 2011

Situational Awareness
 
Starting from the time we leave home in the morning 'til the time we return, we human beings get so busy because of all the things life throws at us, we sometimes forget about Situational Awareness. It does no one any good to get injured or killed either on the way to work or responding to a maintenance call at the aircraft.

We, being humans, can and do lose touch. It is imperative that we as professionals stop and get a "Handle" on what is actually going on before we throw ourselves in overdrive.
 
I personally have been caught once or twice by just being in too much of a hurry to get the job done, so I could go put out the next fire.  It seems that the simple task, or the task we do all the time, is the one that will come back to haunt us. Take a look around and see all the things that can come and bite you when you least expect it.
 
You may know that some one else is working on the aircraft, but has he or she done all the things required to make the aircraft safe to work on. Go and check; maybe they have lost Situational Awareness in a way that will adversely affect you.
 
You owe it to yourself, your passengers, and your family to stop and get that "grip" on what is really going on.

Maintenance Safety Tip
Notice Number: NOTC3260