Date: 201309
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Light: Daylight
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Lead Technician
Reporter qualification: Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Workload
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Maintenance
When detected: Other During Maintenance
Result: General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Company Policy

Narrative: After completing the [Human Factors] Behavior training; I; as a Lead Mechanic; have a safety concern over the elimination of the second Taxi-Tow Lead Mechanic's slot on afternoon shift; as well as; not adding a Lead Mechanic to the second (new) Taxi-Tow crew on dayshift here in ZZZ. The new way of doing things in ZZZ will be to have one Lead Mechanic running two tow crews from a remote location or desk; on both dayshift and afternoon shift. I had addressed this concern to my local Management team here in ZZZ; back in August 2013; via company mail; but have never received a response from a single member. The [Human Factors] Behavior training placed an emphasis on safe aircraft movement by Maintenance.Currently; the Tow Crew Lead Mechanics on afternoon shift and on midnight shift are out on the moves; [onsite with the tow crews] overseeing them as required by our General Procedures Manual (GPM). A tow crew normally consists of six people: One Lead Mechanic and five Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMTs). The AMT's job assignments are as follows: towbarless tow vehicle (tractor) driver; radio operator; brake operator; and two wing walkers. The driver and radio operator are inside the tow vehicle; brake rider in the cockpit; and wing walkers are on the ground; clearing the area and walking wings. The Lead Mechanic acts as a sort of a quarterback for the crew. The Lead Mechanic oversees the [aircraft] moves; ensuring that safe practices and procedures are adhered to; equipment and personnel are being cleared; vehicles don't operate in the vicinity of the aircraft under tow; on and off the gate and [at] remote parking spots wing walkers are in place. [He also] acts as a tail walker; guiding the aircraft safely on push backs in congested areas; and as a guide man when parking an aircraft; marshalling in the aircraft while the wing walkers are in their positions at the wing tips; as well as dealing with the administrative portion of the moves and job assignments. The driving force to eliminate these jobs is to save money. It will cost more money than being saved with just one accident or incident between repair costs; lost time due to injury and lost revenue. The elimination; or not covering of those slots/crews [with Lead Mechanics]; will increase the likelihood of aircraft damages; goes against compliance with the GPM; and the new behavior mindset that frontline [Management] Leaders are supposed to endorse and practice. The only way to oversee any aircraft movement as required by the GPM; is to physically be in the immediate area of the aircraft being moved. There is no way a Lead Mechanic can oversee a move from a remote location; such as a desk or office as is being requested by ZZZ's Management. Recommend supplying each taxi-tow crew with its own Lead Mechanic; as has been historically done in the past. The respective Lead Mechanic's would then be able to oversee the moves; ensuring that equipment is cleared and safe practices and procedures are adhered to. This should help reduce the number of incidents/accidents that occur with aircraft movement; which appears to be a high priority; according to the [Human Factors] Behavior's course. Hangar and Line/Gate locations [involved].




Synopsis: A Lead Mechanic describes his safety concerns after elimination of Lead Mechanic positions on the second taxi-tow crew slots for days and afternoon shifts. He also adds historical relevance to the benefits of having Lead Mechanics directly involved with the taxi-tow crews and not be assigned to a remote desk away from the actual aircraft movement.