Medication And Aircraft Maintainers

Flying Safety, June, 2001 by Bill Sneeder

At our base, we discussed these concerns with the appropriate squadron commanders and supervisors, and we published an article in the MAJCOM safety magazine about self-medication. We also briefed the professional medical staff (family practice, primary care and other specialists who may see ground crew personnel) about preventive medicine issues. We emphasized the importance of determining a patient's occupation, the potential for medications to interfere with job functional requirements, discussing and documenting of medication side-effects, and the use of limited duty or quarters recommendations with a follow-up plan to determine fitness to return to duty.

We discussed the benefit of the person's physician, with the concurrence of the person under treatment, talking to the person's supervisor to help limit the impact on the workplace due to illness/injury and treatment. We also discussed the option of using some sort of tracking and documentation system similar to the Personnel Reliability Program (PRP) or AF Form 1042, Medical Recommendation for Flying or Special Operational Duty. With a computer-based interface to the workplace, medical providers can ensure supervisors are aware that a maintainer may not be fully functional to perform critical aircraft maintenance repairs and inspections after a visit to the doctor. Information like the nature and duration of impairment could assist in manning forecasts for maintenance tasks.

The review of selected USAF Class A mishap reports showed that questions of maintainer human factors generally have not historically been considered in maintenance-related mishaps. Furthermore, non-mishap incidents and ground mishaps are not usually investigated or documented so extensively. Adding a maintainer human factor review checklist item to the mishap investigation report template may prevent overlooking a potential element in the cascade of events leading to an aircraft mishap.

By presenting this information, I hope to contribute to the already-vigilant efforts to provide aircraft which are safe and functioning at peak performance. This can best be achieved by ensuring that the folks "turning the wrenches" are fit and at peak performance themselves--and are aware of the limitations caused by illness, injuries and the medications used in treatment. Accomplishing this requires education and guidance from medical support personnel and maintenance leadership. The effort required is justified, since these highly skilled, professional and dedicated individuals form the foundation to the flight mission effectiveness triad: Air Crew, Air Traffic Controllers, and Aircraft Maintainers.

Fix 'em safe!