ACR MECH RPT ON AIRLINE MAINT POLICY PROCEDURAL PROBS IN REPLACING UNSERVICEABLE ITEMS ON THE ACFT DURING A CHK 'A' SVC.

Narrative

WHILE PERFORMING AN 'A' MAINT CHK; I REPLACED HALON FIRE EXTINGUISHER DUE TO AN EXPIRED DATE OF MANUFACTURE. I INSTALLED A NEW SERVICEABLE UNIT OUT OF STOCK PER CHK INSTRUCTIONS (NOTE: SERVICEABLE UNIT FROM STOCK CAME WITH SERVICEABLE YELLOW TAG FROM STOCK). DUE TO HIGH WORKLOAD I DID NOT CHK NEW UNIT'S DATE OF MANUFACTURE AND MISINTERP INADVERTENTLY THE SERVICEABLE TAG'S DATE TO BE THE SAME AS THE MANUFACTURE'S DATE. (IT WAS ONLY AFTER I SPOKE WITH ANOTHER MECH DID I REALIZE THESE DATES COULD BE DIFFERENT). I SPOKE WITH MY SUPVR AND NOTIFIED HIM OF THE PROB BECAUSE THE PAPERWORK ('A' CHK DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS DOESN'T TELL OR SPECIFY TO CHK THE MANUFACTURER'S DATE); AND JUST INSTALLING A NEW SERVICEABLE UNIT PER INSTRUCTION SHEET COULD BE WRONG. HE SAID THERE IS A COMMITTEE TRYING TO CLARIFY THIS PROB WITH DIFFERENT DATES; IN RELATION TO TRACKING UNITS; IN RELATION TO PAPERWORK; AND UNTIL IT'S CLARIFIED; OR RECTIFIED WE'LL HAVE TO DOUBLE-CHK ALL DATES AS TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF CONFUSION.