Sep 10, 2010

   Article posted here 12/28/05 OSAP Reporting  

IMPORTANT OSAP REMINDER:  IF IN DOUBT.......REPORT IT!

§    If you have difficulties submitting an OSAP Report online, you must submit report via phone using the OSAP Hotline. Dial FLT-LINE, option 7 to submit phone report - see FAOM for more detailed information, and review this page completely! §    To report technical problems, or online errors, please contact the United Help Desk at (800) 255-5801

lmmediate Action Item Box: Review this important OSAP page completely! Do not skim over the page!

Read, Print, Share, Keep Spreading The News...Check your FAOM!

If you haven't already read about it - the Onboard Safety Action Program (OSAP) has the potential to change the way we affect SAFETY while performing duties associated with our career. AFA-CWA members at United are the first to have a Flight Attendant-specific program for reporting - be proud to know that your submissions have an impact on our industry!

Have you flown an ID which caused your physical and mental state to be impacted so much as to potentially affect your ability to evacuate an aircraft upon landing? Is your situational awareness impaired? What about your reaction time in an unplanned event?

Numerous reports from Flight Attendants - especially RESERVES assigned the evening Hawaii turns note fatiguing issues related to these trips. Could the turns potentially affect your reaction time in an emergency upon landing?

NOTE: Fatigue must be actual, not predicted. You may be directed to a urgent care facility or hospital for documentation if fatigue interferes with your duties.

Is a delayed-response due to alertness a safety concern? Report your physical and mental state of being via the OSAP Reporting System and document the safety-related concerns. Simply speaking about it to others does not affect change - we must continue to report these issues to where they can be addressed. Use this important safety tool and pass the word along - OSAP!

Has the following ever happened to you or your flying partner? §    FAOM Infraction* (FAOM not up-to-date) due to revision distribution or availability problem §    Trip Impairing Safety-Related Duties §    Inadvertent F.A.R. or Security Violation §    Accidental/Inadvertent Slide Deployment (ISD) §    Stolen/Lost FAOM §    Any Other Safety-Related Concern * Note: If it is apparent that revisions were distributed in F/A mailfiles, the Hotboard is up-to-date, and there were no co-terminal availability problems, an OSAP may not be accepted.

AFA has created a model program for the industry that will enable inflight safety professionals to report violations or possible safety issues that may affect aviation safety, while at the same time protecting them from fines or discipline.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed by AFA, UAL and the FAA, is a demonstration program that will last for 18 months. The three parties work together on addressing and processing OSAP Reports.

When a Flight Attendant has or thinks she/he has: §    Identified a potential safety hazard §    Found themselves in an unsafe situation §    Violated an F.A.R. §    Violated a company safety policy or procedure §    Failed to follow safety guidance in the FAOM §    Or, THEY ARE JUST NOT SURE, They should file an OSAP report on SkyNet. The report must be submitted within 24 hours (48 internationally) of the completion of the ID, the alleged violation must be inadvertent and must not appear to involve an intentional disregard for safety. Unless extenuating circumstances exist, or it is a sole source report, an untimely report will not be accepted. HOWEVER, always REPORT it if in doubt!

NOTE:  If you are subsequently made aware of an inadvertent FAR violation, company safety policy or procedure via company representative, you must submit an OSAP within 24 hours of notification. If in doubt - REPORT IT!

Flight Attendants will benefit from the new Onboard Safety Action Program (OSAP) by being able to report violations of safety regulations and Company safety policies without fear of discipline or FAA enforcement action.

For example, F/As concerned with being unable to perform their exit row briefings 5 minutes prior to door closure could report that they were unable to do this because passengers were not seated until the very last minute, without any concern for discipline or fines for failing to comply with a obligatory safety procedure. A F/A who had to stow trash in the lavatory for landing on a certain flight because there was no room in any acceptable trash stowage locations could submit an OSAP report to address the problem without the worry of incurring an FAA fine.

While many of our procedures and policies may look good on paper, what actually takes place on the line may differ greatly. Reporting information that affects the safety of our airline is valuable enough to all involved, especially the Company and the FAA, that they are willing to suspend their normal course of action, such as discipline, work history notations, and civil penalties.

The hope is that employees who are protected from discipline will be more concerned with reporting and less concerned about incriminating themselves or others. The program has been well received among most airline pilot groups for some time now, and we hope this program, the first for F/As at a major carrier, will be a success. Participation by all of us is paramount.

If a safety violation is observed by an FAA inspector or a supervisor, a F/A may still be able to submit an OSAP report, provided they meet certain criteria. In this situation the report must be filed timely, the incident must be inadvertent, no criminal activity, substance abuse or alcohol involvement by a working employee, or intentional falsification of information. The reasons for allowing a report after observation of a violation are many, but primarily, it is human nature not to want to incriminate oneself.

A F/A who may be cited for cracking ice in the galley during taxi could elect to say nothing, or could provide insight on the reasons for doing this. Perhaps reporting that a full dinner service on a route that is almost always turbulent would lead to some service changes; thus avoid pressuring F/As into violating the regulations by preparing the galley or taking orders on taxi.

NOTE: Alternatively, an OSAP can be filed using the OSAP hotline, via FLTLINE option 7.  Note: OSAP report via SkyNet MUST be submitted within 3 days (Refer to FAOM).

After a report is submitted, names, flight number and dates are removed to protect the anonymity of the submitter. Deidentified reports can be forwarded to appropriate departments for investigation and response to the event.

The Event Review Committee (ERC) evaluates the report, or event. The ERC consists of a representative from the AFA, the FAA, and UA. If it meets the criteria, and is timely, it will be accepted into the program. Again, unless extenuating circumstances exist, or it is a sole source report, an untimely report will not be accepted.

Concise reports should contain enough information to be thoroughly evaluated. If a F/A is unable to perform the exit-row verification process before door closure, provide any and all information about events leading up to the violation. Was boarding delayed? What was the staffing? Was everyone in the proper boarding position? Were the exit row passengers late? All of this information is essential.

The protective provisions enable F/As to openly report the event. If the report contains insufficient details, the OSAP Manager or the AFA ERC Representative may contact the reporter for additional information.

REMEMBER, when submitting your OSAP reports, they must not involve: §    An intentional disregard for safety, §    Alcohol or drug use by a working employee, §    Criminal activity, or §    Intentional falsification.

REMEMBER: The OSAP page is only active for 30 minutes, so it is suggested you type the text narrative of your report on Word or an e-mail, then 'copy and paste' into the OSAP 'text block' window.

Please Note: The OSAP Reporting System is housed on United's SkyNet website. Links below will direct you to SkyNet and require you to login. As explained above, an AFA representative on the ERC (Event Review Committee) will review the OSAP report along with the ERC reps from the FAA and United.

Image of the SkyNet "Report Creation" screen.
(L-R): "Flight Related" is a FASRS Report for in-flight incidents, "Non-Flight Related" is used for
hotels and non-flight related incidents, and "OSAP REPORTS" link is to the far right of the screen.

Image of the top portion of the actual OSAP Reporting Page on SkyNet

 To access OSAP while on SkyNet, go to:

Please Note: The OSAP page is only active for 30 minutes, so it is suggested you type the text narrative of your report on Word or an e-mail, then 'copy and paste' into the OSAP 'text block' window.

Please Note: You will receive a copy of your OSAP report if you select to receive one via a personal email address on the OSAP reporting screen. Please note that the email you receive will state receipt of your "FASRS" report. Please ensure you click the "OSAP - Reporting from home" link on SkyNet, or use the direct link above to avoid confusion.

While the examples given are not all-inclusive, this will give you and idea what types of incidents may call for you to REPORT IT!

Click HERE to read more about OSAP on the AFA MEC website!

• Still Got Questions?
• Contact LEC Safety, Health & Security Committee via 'Committee Roster'

Attention: F/As may also be contacted by a representative from NASA (see article below) to retrieve further information, or sent a NASA statistical reporting form. This information is for data collection only - identifying specifics are removed for privacy. You are encouraged to answer questions and fill out and return the forms.

OSAP Focuses on Why, Not Who 3/5/05 by MEC Safety, Health & Security Committee United AFA can be credited with helping to design the first safety reporting system that is mutually agreed upon by the carrier, Union and the FAA. The program, now effective, is designed to identify safety problems, through voluntary confidential reporting in order to fix issues before they arise as harmful accidents or incidents. The program seeks to identify the safety issue, not the person and ensures that United Airlines will not take any punitive action upon the employee based on the good faith reporting of a safety incident. However, reports involving drugs, alcohol, falsification or an intentional disregard for safety will not be accepted into the program. We encourage every Member and safety professional to become familiar with OSAP and use it diligently to improve the safety of our work environment. Contact your Local Safety, Health and Security Committee with any questions.

 

From Spring 2006 Issue of Union Update What is this mailing I received from NASA? Not only does your OSAP report help to identify safety concerns and Unied, it also helps identify safety concerns industry-wide. Part of our OSAP Program, and something that AFA-CWA was a strong proponent of, includes automatic reporting to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). ASRS is a part of the government’s effort to maintain and improve aviation safety, and functions much like OSAP except it serves the entire aviation industry, and not just one carrier or department. ASRS collects aviation safety incident reports nationwide from aviation employees, and acts on the information these reports contain by identifying industry-wide deficiencies, and issues alerting messages to persons in a position to correct them. The database is a public repository, which serves the FAA’s and NASA’s needs and those of other organizations worldwide that are engaged in research and the promotion of safe flight.   Incident reports are read and analyzed by ASRS’s aviation safety analysts. The analyst staff is composed entirely of experienced pilots and air traffic controllers. They have experience with air carriers, military, and general aviation, as well as ATC. Each report received by ASRS is read my a minimum of two analysts, who identify hazards that are discussed in person and “flag” that information for action. When hazards are identified, an alerting message is issued to the appropriate FAA office or aviation authority. Analysts also classify reports and diagnose the causes underlying each reported event. Their observations, and the original de-identified report, are then incorporated into ASRS’s database.   When an OSAP report is submitted, the report is automatically sent electronically to ASRS, where it also is reviewed and becomes a part of their database. The identifying strip is then removed and sent to the F/A reporter. In addition, a copy of the ASRS Callback newsletter, a letter explaining ASRS, and other material is also enclosed in the mailing. No further action is necessary by the F/A.   OSAP has been running for almost a year now, and has been successful at identifying several safety issues at United, providing protections from discipline and FAA enforcement action for all employees involved in inadvertent safety violations. If you have questions about the program, please contact your LEC Safety, Health & Security Committee through the “Committee Roster” page.

© 2006 AFA-CWA Council 12 Los Angeles. All Rights Reserved.

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