Narrative:

Our aviation maintenance technicians (amts) have received many documents associated with lavatory security seals. Among these are airworthiness directive (ad) 2011-04-09; transportation security administration (tsa) directive 1544-01-10y; alert bulletins (ab) 10-25-004 and 11-35-001; engineering order (eo) XXX-159 and eo-174. Aircraft maintenance manual (amm) 20-20-11 is also intended to provide maintenance guidance for the placement of security seals and the accomplishment [check] of security seals. At this time lavatory security checks are being accomplished by contract cleaning personnel. This security check involves inspecting each lavatory for any evidence of torn or tampered with security seals. If any are found tampered with the contract cleaners are to notify cabin services; who in turn calls for maintenance to open and inspect the area behind the panel with the broken seals; than reinstall panel and apply new security seals as directed by amm-20-20-11. Amm 20-20-11 (table 1; location of security seals for aircraft tail numbers) is not in accord with the current fleet configuration and conflicts with the engineering orders associated with lavatory security seal installations. Amm 20-20-11 has many steps in it that are wrong and should be deleted. I personally have documented these discrepancies by taking pictures of many aircraft lavatory security seals placed in wrong locations; or locations that required seals but did not have any. Each of the aircraft observed had their cabin checklist signed-off; yet the seals were not in accord with the amm and some appeared tampered with. I have submitted information associated with this issue which was addressed; yet no progress at the line maintenance level has been seen as of yet. Although maintenance is tasked with the initial installation of the seals and receives alert bulletins and other guidance regarding the seals there is currently no maintenance task (weekly; daily or overnight) to verify that the seals are in the correct place and correct in number. If the security check is accomplished daily; then the proper location of the security seals should also be checked daily by maintenance; just as it is a maintenance responsibility to inspect behind tampered with panels and install new security seals. Personnel are not being trained in proper procedures. Tsa directive 1544-01-10y and FAA mandated ad 2011-04-09 [are] being ignored. Suggest maintenance inspects behind panels and installs the security seals. It should be a maintenance function each day for proper security seal location instead of the current eye sore that is being viewed by our passengers that use the aircraft lavatories.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Line Mechanic reports the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) 20-20-1 (location of security seals for aircraft tail numbers); is not in accord with their current fleet configuration and conflicts with Engineering Orders (E/O) associated with lavatory security seal installations. He has found security seals placed in wrong locations or locations that required seals but did not have any.

Narrative: Our Aviation Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) have received many documents associated with lavatory security seals. Among these are Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2011-04-09; Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Directive 1544-01-10y; Alert Bulletins (AB) 10-25-004 and 11-35-001; Engineering Order (EO) XXX-159 and EO-174. Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) 20-20-11 is also intended to provide maintenance guidance for the placement of security seals and the accomplishment [check] of security seals. At this time lavatory security checks are being accomplished by Contract Cleaning Personnel. This security check involves inspecting each lavatory for any evidence of torn or tampered with security seals. If any are found tampered with the Contract Cleaners are to notify Cabin Services; who in turn calls for Maintenance to open and inspect the area behind the panel with the broken seals; than reinstall panel and apply new security seals as directed by AMM-20-20-11. AMM 20-20-11 (Table 1; location of security seals for aircraft tail numbers) is not in accord with the current fleet configuration and conflicts with the engineering orders associated with lavatory security seal installations. AMM 20-20-11 has many steps in it that are wrong and should be deleted. I personally have documented these discrepancies by taking pictures of many aircraft lavatory security seals placed in wrong locations; or locations that required seals but did not have any. Each of the aircraft observed had their cabin checklist signed-off; yet the seals were not in accord with the AMM and some appeared tampered with. I have submitted information associated with this issue which was addressed; yet no progress at the Line Maintenance Level has been seen as of yet. Although Maintenance is tasked with the initial installation of the seals and receives alert bulletins and other guidance regarding the seals there is currently no Maintenance Task (Weekly; Daily or Overnight) to verify that the seals are in the correct place and correct in number. If the security check is accomplished daily; then the proper location of the security seals should also be checked daily by Maintenance; just as it is a Maintenance responsibility to inspect behind tampered with panels and install new security seals. Personnel are not being trained in proper procedures. TSA Directive 1544-01-10y and FAA Mandated AD 2011-04-09 [are] being ignored. Suggest Maintenance inspects behind panels and installs the security seals. It should be a Maintenance function each day for proper security seal location instead of the current eye sore that is being viewed by our passengers that use the aircraft lavatories.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.