A B757-200 WAS DISPATCHED AND OPERATED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE PAX EMER OXYGEN SYS RENDERED INOP FOR MAINT TEST.

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DURING GND TIME AT ABQ; I WAS SITTING IN THE FIRST CLASS CABIN WHEN I NOTICED A PLASTIC LATCH PROTRUDING FROM THE PSU ABOVE MY SEAT. I THEN NOTICED THAT THIS WAS THE CASE WITH ALL OF THE PSU'S IN FIRST CLASS. I HAD NEVER NOTICED THIS BEFORE; SO I ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANTS IF THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE LATCH -- THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF ITS FUNCTION. I THEN CALLED B757 MAINT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A LOCKING DEVICE SO THAT THE OXYGEN MASK PRESENTATION SYS COULD BE TESTED WITHOUT DEPLOYING THE MASKS. THE FACTS ARE THAT THIS ACFT HAS FLOWN WHO KNOWS HOW MANY LEGS WITH ALL BUT 3 PSU'S LOCKED. THAT IS RIGHT -- ALL BUT 3 HAD TO BE RESET INCLUDING ALL OF THE FLT ATTENDANT'S PSU'S. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED WHEN MAINT EXPLAINED THE FUNCTION OF THE DOOR TEST STOP TO ALLOW THE PAX SVC DOOR TO OPEN BUT NOT TO DEPLOY THE OXYGEN MASKS. THE RPTR SAID THIS WAS A REAL SHOCK KNOWING THE ENTIRE PAX CABIN EMER OXYGEN SYS EXCEPT FOR 3 SEATS WAS RENDERED INOP. THE RPTR SAID SINCE THERE WAS NO LOGBOOK RECORD OF WHEN THE SYS TEST OCCURRED; THERE IS NO TELLING HOW LONG THIS SIT EXISTED. THE RPTR STATED NEITHER THE FLT ATTENDANTS NOR THE FLC ARE AWARE OF OR WERE TRAINED TO CHK FOR THIS DOOR LOCK BEING DEPLOYED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 452351 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE FUNCTION OF THE DOOR TEST STOP IS NOT MENTIONED IN ANY FLC MANUAL OR ANY PUB RELATING TO CABIN SAFETY CHKS. THE RPTR STATED BEING RATHER TALL AND WHEN MAKING THE CABIN CHK UNLESS THE PERSON MAKING THE CHK BENDS LOW AND LOOKS UNDER THE OVERHEAD BINS THE DOOR TEST STOPS WOULD BE MISSED IF DEPLOYED. THE RPTR SAID THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS TRAP.