Maintenance Error Investigation using MEDA
All EASA Part 145 approved organisations are required to have Maintenance Error Management System (MEMS). This is a formal system for investigating serious errors to determine the root causes and implement measures to prevent re-occurrence. This coursse covers the use of the Boeing developed Maintenance Error Decision Aid, MEDA, to standardise the conduct of investigating and reporting such errors.
MEDA is a tool for investigating the factors that contribute to maintenance errors. The MEDA process provides thorough and consistent investigations, determining factors that lead to an event and making improvements to reduce the likelihood of future incidents. Maintenance errors cost millions of dollars each year in rework, on-time performance and lost revenue, and have the potential to present hazards to safety. The MEDA process assists maintenance organisations to identify why these events occur and how to prevent them in the future.
The MEDA philosophy is based on three assumptions: People want to do the best job possible and do not make errors intentionally. A series of factors is likely to contribute to an error. Most contributory factors to an error can be managed. The findings of a particular error investigation often have much wider significance for the occurrence of errors generally. Addressing just some of the identified factors will probably significantly reduce the likelihood of the error recurring. MEDA involves the employees close to an error in the investigation and helps to establish how to manage the issues. Processes can be changed, procedures improved or corrected, facilities enhanced and best practices shared.
Following this course, particpants will be able to:
- Understand the responsibilities of a maintenance error investigator
- Implement a MEDA process
- Use effective interview techniques
- Manage challenging situations
- Perform effective investigations
- Identify contributory factors to an event
- Contribute to organisational error reduction
- Enable compliance with EASA MEMS requirements
