145.A.30(e) — competency of personnel

(e) The organisation shall establish and control the competency of the personnel involved in any maintenance, airworthiness reviews, safety management and compliance monitoring in accordance with a procedure and to a standard agreed with the competent authority. In addition to the necessary expertise related to the job function, the competency of the personnel must include an understanding of the application of safety management principles, including human factors and human performance issues, which is appropriate to their function and responsibilities in the organisation.

What it requires

145.A.30(e) sets an outcome, not a syllabus. The organisation must establish and control the competency of the personnel it involves in maintenance, airworthiness reviews, safety management and compliance monitoring, following a procedure and to a standard it agrees with its competent authority. The clause names no course, no duration and no delivery method — those are choices for the organisation, subject to the authority’s agreement. It does specify what competency must include beyond job-function expertise: an understanding of safety management principles, including human factors and human performance, appropriate to each person’s function and responsibilities. The detail of how to meet this sits in AMC1 to AMC5 145.A.30(e), and the resulting procedure has to be written into the organisation’s maintenance organisation exposition under 145.A.70.

Who it applies to

The clause applies to all personnel involved in maintenance, airworthiness reviews, safety management and compliance monitoring. AMC4 145.A.30(e)(a) turns this into a working staff list: nominated persons, line managers and supervisors; certifying staff, support staff and mechanics; planners, engineers and technical records staff; compliance monitoring and safety management staff; specialised services staff; stores and purchasing staff; and ground equipment operators.

UK position

UK 145.A.30(e) reproduces the EU text word for word, with the CAA as the competent authority under SI 2023/588, in force since 1 July 2024. The clause sits alongside the UK’s own numbering for nominated persons, at 145.A.30(b)(1) to (3).

Where it is answered on this site

This site explains 145.A.30(e) in two guides and covers it directly in three courses:

• How often is human factors training required in an EASA Part-145 organisation?
• Is online human factors, fuel tank safety and EWIS training accepted by EASA and the UK CAA?
• EASA Part-145 Safety Training including Human Factors – Initial
• EASA Part-145 Safety Training including Human Factors – Continuation
• EASA Part-145 Regulatory Training – Initial