EMPLOYEE SAFETY MEMO
CORPORATE SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SMS)
TO:
All Commercial Airplanes & Defense Personnel, Engineering Staff, Quality Assurance, and Operations
Leaders
FROM:
Howard McKenzie, Chief Aerospace Safety Officer
Global Enterprise Quality & Operations Committee, The Boeing Company
DATE:
October 24, 2024
SUBJECT:
Mandatory Protocols: Safety Management System (SMS) Compliance, Stop-Work Authority &
FOD Elimination
LOCATION:
Boeing Corporate Headquarters (Arlington, VA) & Global Manufacturing Facilities (Puget Sound,
Charleston, St. Louis)
1. EXECUTIVE SAFETY COMMITMENT & OPERATIONAL IMPERATIVE
At The Boeing Company, safety, quality, and integrity are the foundational pillars of our manufacturing, defense, and
engineering operations. The airworthiness of our aircraft and the personal safety of our team members depend upon an
uncompromising commitment to standard operating procedures.
This memorandum re-emphasizes mandatory safety protocols across all manufacturing environments, flight lines, and
engineering divisions under our enterprise-wide Safety Management System (SMS).
“First-time quality and safety are non-negotiable. Every employee has the full support of executive leadership to
stop work whenever a quality or safety concern arises.”
— Enterprise Safety & Quality Imperative
2. CORE WORKPLACE SAFETY MANDATES
Strict Work Instruction Compliance:
Manufacturing operations must follow released engineering drawings and
Process Requirements (BAC/BPS). Unauthorized workarounds or non-conforming build deviations are strictly
prohibited.
Unconditional Stop-Work Authority (SWA):
Every team member has the absolute right and obligation to halt
assembly or testing if an unsafe condition, improper tool application, or quality defect is observed. No manager or
supervisor may override a Stop-Work action without formal Quality Engineering review.
Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Control:
100% tool accounting and continuous "Clean-As-You-Go" practices are
required in all internal cavities, wing boxes, and avionics bays. Unaccounted items must be reported immediately.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
Safety footwear, side-shield eye protection, and high-visibility vests are
required in active factory floors. Specialized zones require electrostatic discharge (ESD) or cleanroom garments.
3. CONFIDENTIAL REPORTING & SAFETY ESCALATION CHANNELS
Transparent communication is critical to early defect detection. Employees are encouraged to report non-conformances,
near-misses, or process gaps using the established reporting structures below:
BOEING
GLOBAL
SAFETY
&
QUALITY
•
•
•
•
THE BOEING COMPANY — INTERNAL SAFETY & QUALITY MEMORANDUM
Page 1 of 2
