Bus429 points towards Human Factors as does PondLifeMan. The CAA have made all the right noises about HF but haven't so far employed their teeth.
HF concerns the ability of human beings to operate within their limitations. Push an individual to their limit and mistakes are inevitable. Pilots have seen their work place vastly improved, through intensive use of the ergonomics branch of HF, and their procedures and processes tightened up through the use of another branch - CRM. Finally, their hours of work are strictly regulated to keep fatigue to a minimum. These HF improvements are commendable; pushing a pilot to his personal limit may have obvious and immediate effects - often disastrous.
Engineers working conditions are not controlled, they may work outside in all hours and all weathers or in dingy hangars with defective lighting, poor heating and often with broken equipment. Their working hours are not only unregulated, the transport industry is exempt from the EC working hours limitations and in the UK, the government has never even accepted the directive on working hours for anyone. Cap this with the extreme pressure applied by most companies to avoid "Tech Delays" and the subtle psychological pressure that "...if you won't do it, theres plenty more out there who will..." and you have a Human Factors farce.
The CAA have included HF into the AME Licence exams, produced all the CAPs and made the appropriate noises, but there is no sign at all of them applying pressure and accountability where it is needed - at Board level. Once again, all efforts are brought to bear on the good old LAE, increasing the psychological pressures under which they work and further eroding HF standards. Surely the opposite effect to what was intended?...
...and what use precisely is CHIRP? Has CHIRP ever produced a satifactory change? Or is it yet another mere 'nod in the right direction'? If it is working, when will we see the evidence?
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Through difficulties to the cinema