Boeing, the aerospace giant, is now facing new allegations of safety violations by a whistleblower who has questioned its quality control practices.
Merle Meyers has accused Boeing of using non-conforming components on aircraft without proper inspection. She worked for the company’s Everett factory in Washington State for over 20 years.
Meyers revealed in an exclusive interview with CNN the high-pressure atmosphere at the facility. The assembly teams would go to great lengths to get the parts needed to keep the production lines moving.
Meyers claims that the lapses in quality control he observed were deliberate, organized attempts to undermine quality control processes to meet demanding production schedules.
Meyers estimates that from the early 2000s onwards, more than 50,000 parts “escaped”, and were used in aircraft construction. These parts range from simple items such as screws to complex assemblies like wing flaps. Boeing 787 Dreamliners, for instance, have approximately 2.3 million parts.
Meyers explained that most of the parts meant for scrap were painted red, indicating they weren’t suitable for assembly lines. In some cases, this didn’t prevent them from being used in planes that were being assembled.
Meyers said to CNN, “It is a big problem.” “A quality system must keep the bad and the good parts separate.”
Airplanes have much higher safety standards and are more precise machines than cars or trains. The parts, materials, and production processes of aircraft are heavily regulated.
Meyers stated that workers also began signing for scrap parts that they obtained on forms that weren’t official Boeing documentation. These transactions were therefore not entered into the company database. He told CNN that the procurement department would intimidate employees at our scrap yard by saying they urgently needed these parts.
Whistleblower recounted how he was repeatedly rebuffed by management when he tried to bring up these issues. In a 2002 email, he said that the investigations were aimed at analyzing excuses made by process violators rather than taking action against those who violated compliance.
In a CNN statement, the company defended its practices.
Boeing stated that the quality team Meyers was part of “plays a significant role in identifying problems, improving processes, and strengthening compliance within our factories.”
The statement read: “We value employees who speak out and have put in place systems to encourage them to do so anonymously or confidentially.”
Meyers claims that his Boeing managers didn’t know how to deal with employees who raised concerns. He also said that, after years at the company, he received a list containing management grievances about his work and was allowed to either improve or to take a lump sum and leave.
He said, “I was given a checklist of things to fix – my behavior and my practices as manager.” “It looked like a program for personal development, but there was a financial incentive attached. You could either take the money and leave or not.”
Meyers’ accusations come on the heels of a slew of scandals and challenges facing Boeing. These include the grounding of its 737 Max aircraft after two fatal crashes; federal and congressional investigations, as well as several whistleblowers that have shed light on the practices of the company. These two individuals died recently, putting the company under even greater scrutiny.
Boeing faces significant challenges at the moment, and these new allegations are a further blow. Meyers’ and other whistleblowers’ allegations, if they are proven true, could damage the trust in the company. This could invite more scrutiny from law enforcement and lawmakers. According to reports, in June, prosecutors recommended criminal charges against Boeing. Boeing’s saga is far from over.
