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Managers often assume that by simply establishing a new \u201ccorporate safety culture\u201d that they will impel workers to a greater safety focus with an overall reduction in FOD event generation.<\/p>\nManagers often assume that by simply establishing a new \u201ccorporate safety culture\u201d that they will impel workers to a greater safety focus with an overall reduction in FOD event generation.<\/p>\n
But In practice, management and line staff don’t always respond the same way to new information.<\/p>\n
It is dangerous for managers to believe that just by declaring safety as a corporate goal, or by creating new safety training and policies, that they will guarantee a cultural shift that is embraced and supported by all workers.<\/p>\n
In the real world, operational pressures and ingrained attitudes often weaken new safety initiatives as they filter down through layers of management, giving front-line workers mixed signals and confusing messages. Workers then perceive the current corporate safety culture effort as another \u201cflavor of the month\u201d program that will soon fade into oblivion.<\/p>\n
So let\u2019s use the analogy of organized football. Here, the league sets rules of the game similar to the \u201cgoals\u201d and expectations laid out by corporate headquarters when defining their \u201cnew and improved\u201d corporate culture. Much like the game of football, declaring a set of rules does not guarantee that the game will be played as expected.<\/p>\n
The real action is up to the coaches and players. The local workers \u2014 the team<\/em> \u2014 will develop their own perception of the importance of certain rules as well as an overall view of sportsmanship (ethical values). Much of the actual performance depends on shared beliefs, expectations, and team play.<\/p>\n In the same way that coaches inspire their teams, local line managers and workplace champions determine the direction of the local work culture. To have a winning (safety) team, these local influences (management and workers) must have a proper interpretation of the new operating procedures and actively pursue the designated safety initiatives \u2014 thereby effecting real change and creating a cultural shift.<\/p>\n Localized influences make or break any corporate safety initiative; any real success is a direct result of the investment of front-line managers and workplace champions.<\/strong><\/p>\n The following tools have proven helpful in creating a FOD Prevention Program within the airline operations environment. An organization seeking to reduce FOD and FOD-related damages should implement as many of these as possible and remember that the operational target in any FOD Prevention Program should always be \u201czero\u201d.<\/p>\n These FOD analyses<\/a> increase recognition of problem areas and trends.<\/p>\n They also facilitate inspection results, incident data,<\/a> mishap reports and feedback of progress.<\/p>\n Employees need specific information about what isn\u2019t working before they can be expected to improve the process. So tell them how they\u2019re doing, good or bad. Honest, continual feedback is vital to any process improvement.<\/p>\n Too much FOD comes from poor housekeeping, ineffective practices, or poorly maintained equipment. So everyone who works around the aircraft must be involved in controlling these problems. And that means foreign object debris training<\/a>.<\/p>\n FOD Programs are works in progress that require constant attention. As a result, every FOD plan needs to be regularly reviewed and updated.<\/p>\n Your FOD Program will help reduce employee injuries from flying debris as well as save money. A clean, organized work environment<\/a> will also enhance the professional image perceived by your customers and fellow employees. When front-line workers have an active role in the process it shows.<\/p>\n Workers must acknowledge that FOD Prevention is part of their job; this needs to be incorporated during new hire training and reinforced. Following are several key factors in setting up a FOD Program that have proved to be successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t Article Contents <\/p>\n Designate local \u201csafety representatives\u201d to facilitate safety initiatives and monitor conditions, including the FOD Prevention Program. In most cases companies who attempt to create this type of system fail to provide enough manpower to support the development of the program.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n For example, dayshift employees may feel that their shift is doing a great job and is effective in helping to create a safe work environment, but afternoon and overnight workers may not feel that their concerns are being addressed, since they rarely see the station safety representative.<\/p>\n To establish a safe work culture, ensure there is representation across the board on every shift and on every day. This demonstrates that management\u2019s commitment to creating a safe and FOD free work environment is real.<\/p>\n Increasing personal alertness to FOD and continually supporting the \u201cClean-As-You-Go\u201d mentality will lower your costs and create a safer workplace. Individual workers can and must promote an environment that actively defends against FOD and FOD-related events.<\/p>\n This is the keystone of your Ramp FOD Prevention efforts. The management team should ensure that FOD removal and prevention are common agenda items in daily briefings and scheduled meetings. In addition, to maximize\u00a0FOD awareness<\/a>, FOD campaigns and FOD fairs should occur on a semi-annual basis.<\/p>\n Condition new employees to recognize potential FOD hazards right from the start by learning the \u201cClean-As-You-Go\u201d mentality. All airport and airline personnel, including airport tenants, need annual training in the identification and elimination of FOD.<\/p>\n This training is easily reinforced through the use of\u00a0FOD posters and signs<\/a>. Effective instruction sessions stress safety to personnel and passengers, hazards to equipment, direct costs associated with FOD damage, and the indirect costs associated with flight delays and rescheduling. Training should include procedures for removing and eliminating FOD at its source. A review of recent FOD Report Cards will provide specific criteria to focus on.<\/p>\n Keep FOD disposal bins or\u00a0FOD Cans\u00a0readily available, clearly marked, and handy at every gate. EPA requires that empty oil cans have a separate collection process so used oil containers should never be placed in a FOD collection receptacle.<\/p>\n Disposal bins should have lids to prevent wind from redistributing FOD back onto the ramp areas and to preclude water fouling the bottom of your container. It helps to have small\u00a0FOD receptacles bolted to belt loaders. This makes it convenient for workers to clean while working flights, without having to walk to the front of the gate to dispose of debris. Line FOD containers with plastic bags for easy removal and replacement.<\/p>\n A specific policy must be developed and rigorously followed to insure FOD containers are emptied on a scheduled basis or at the end of the employee shift assignments.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Encourage fast, easy cleanup by making push brooms and shovels available at every gate.\u00a0Magnetic sweepers\u00a0mounted on equipment help pick up ferrous material. However, ferrous material is only part of the ground FOD threat. Most airport FOD comes from non-ferrous items like rocks, concrete, various types of plastic, paper, baggage parts and cargo wrap- pings.<\/p>\n Airport sweeping equipment come in many shapes and sizes, but two effective tools for clearing both gates and large open areas of debris quickly and thoroughly are our TracSweep\u00ae<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0FOD-Razor\u00ae<\/a> Sweepers. Both are non-motorized, all weather and easy to use, clean and maintain. They are also affordable – costing a fraction of the acquisition and running costs of larger truck mounted vacuum sweepers.<\/p>\n Each individual needs to be responsible for his or her assigned areas and adhere to a posted schedule. General work areas must be addressed on each shift to ensure they are clean and FOD free. In addition, FOD containers should be scheduled for disposal a minimum of three times per week.<\/p>\n Each aircraft gate area must receive a FOD Walk prior to every flight arrival and again prior to each departure. Transitional duty personnel coming off injuries can supplement FOD Prevention efforts as long as they do not exceed the physical limitations of medical restrictions.<\/p>\n Regular sweeping of ramp and taxiways should be coordinated with the local Airport Authority for all airport property that is not leased by the tenant.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Use a tools audit checklist<\/a> to ensure that all are inventoried and accounted for after every use in or around the aircraft. In addition, oily and dirty rags need to be disposed of in a proper manner because they pose a serious safety hazard due to their serious flammability risk.<\/p>\n In the late 1980s an aircraft caught fire due to a misplaced oily rag; the aircraft was a total loss. This illustrates that even the most seemingly inconsequential items can have devastating effects.\u00a0Take no Foreign Object for granted!<\/em><\/p>\n Airside and landside construction activities, as well as scheduled maintenance, should be communicated to airport users as early as possible. Airport preconstruction planning should include a means for controlling and containing FOD generated by the construction.<\/p>\n Contractors must fully understand the requirements and penalties written into their contracts regarding the control and removal of FOD. This is especially true in windy environments where debris is more likely to become airborne. Access to and from the construction sites should avoid areas of aircraft operation if at all possible.<\/p>\n Convene FOD meetings<\/a> at least once a month with all departments that come in contact with the aircraft \u2014 including any vendors and contractors. Each vendor should recognize the FOD hazards that their department can create. Notify affected departments of any unique FOD Prevention requirements.<\/p>\n Yes, birds and other animals are considered FOD<\/a> and are an enormous hazard to aircraft. They cause millions of dollars in damage each year. You may have seen the stripe of paint on the engine intake cone. Part of its function is to deter birds from flying into the engine area when at idle.<\/p>\n Under no circumstances should bird feeding be allowed on airport property.<\/p>\n Do not leave unattended food out in ramp areas where birds can get at it. Don\u2019t assume employees should know this \u2014 emphasize the hazards and the reasons to stay alert.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n When not in current use, all unattended items should be removed from ground support equipment and stowed securely. This may include paper products from carts or tugs. More often than not these items end up blowing around on the ramp if not removed promptly.<\/p>\n Flashlights and wands can also become a problem if not stowed correctly. Stowing them on the floor of a tug is not a good idea; they can roll beneath a pedal and impede driver operation. The cabins of all tugs should always be clear of any debris for this reason. In addition, loose debris in the beds of pickup trucks should be minimized and removed after every shift.<\/p>\n A ramp inspection<\/a> with the local airport authority should be scheduled and performed regularly. Loose and eroding concrete or asphalt pavements are serious FOD risks.\u00a0Pavement joints and cracks are a haven for FOD, so be sure to check engine paths around these areas.<\/p>\n In addition to a ramp surface inspection, a runway inspection should be performed at the beginning of each day. (This can also be accomplished as an agenda item of each airport FOD meeting. What better time to get all FOD committee members out on the ramp to identify real or potential FOD problems and reach agreement about needed corrective actions?)<\/p>\n Cargo bins seem to collect a lot of garbage \u2014 which can cause FOD mishaps. Periodically inspect bins and remove the trash. Aircraft that remain overnight in your station should have the bins inspected for debris and cleaned when necessary.<\/p>\n Loose equipment such as cones, air conditioner hoses and ground power cords should all be considered hazards if not stowed correctly.<\/p>\n Know where the danger zones are for blast and suction for your type of aircraft. If the aircraft is not properly spooled down, arrival items such as air conditioner hoses are easily ingested. Keeping a clear pathway for parking aircraft is essential to maintain a safe environment.<\/p>\n All equipment should be outside of the wingtips until the plane has come to a complete stop and the engines idle down.<\/p>\n Individual property is often overlooked as a FOD threat. Instruct ramp personnel not to leave any personal items near aircraft. These items include hearing protection, vests and kneepads.<\/p>\n All items such as raincoats, jackets, gloves, caps and food or beverage items that are not being worn or used should be stowed and kept away from the aircraft. None of these items should ever be left unattended near an aircraft.<\/p>\n Frontline workers need specific information about discrepancies before they can be expected to improve the process. Self-audits<\/a> should be performed at least one time per month (and informally as part of the daily routine). The results can be recorded, used as part of the FOD Report Card, and at minimum should be shared at monthly FOD meetings.<\/p>\n Evaluating the amount of FOD, what type, and where it was found is a good start in pinpointing problem areas. After a problem has been defined, subsequent meetings should focus on the corrective actions taken and evaluate the results. Then you can update and make adjustments to your written FOD Program if necessary.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s face it \u2014 no one enjoys picking up FOD. Appropriate motivational techniques<\/a> help keep the front line involved in the cleanliness of work areas. Using different methods to motivate and taking the time to recognize or reward good work is very important. FOD Prevention is a never-ending battle.<\/p>\n While your imagination can certainly yield other good ideas for your organization, a few successful methods are listed below:<\/p>\n Whatever path your organization takes to a FOD awareness culture, first establish a collective safety focus. This applies to the airline industry as a whole. Each airline must encourage the establishment of an effective event-reporting system<\/a> recognizing human factors and other causes which lead to FOD events. The reporting system should act as an industry-wide database, enabling even the smallest company to benefit from the combined knowledge.<\/p>\n Also critical to maintaining a safety culture is a system that allows a fair means of adjudication and discipline. Such a system provides consistent and fair assessments of causation and emphasizes open communication over blame and punishment.<\/p>\n The aviation sector must actively seek to learn from our mistakes. And this requires increased dedication, learning, and consistent commitment of resources, energy and time.<\/p>\n If we are successful at this endeavor, we will one day eliminate most threats from airport operating environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\nManagement Tools<\/h2>\n
Track performance and report your progress<\/h3>\n
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Plan for the long term<\/h3>\n
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Safety Representatives<\/h2>\n
Individual\u2019s Safety Role<\/h2>\n
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The majority of FOD in an airline\u2019s operating environment is generated by individuals performing their job functions within aircraft servicing and movement areas.<\/p>\nFOD Awareness<\/h2>\n
Training<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nProper Containment<\/h2>\n
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Proper Equipment and Tools<\/h2>\n
Sweeping Schedule<\/h2>\n
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Tool Inventory<\/h2>\n
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FOD Committee<\/h2>\nBird\/Animal Feeding<\/h2>\n
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Debris Removed from Ground Support Equipment<\/h2>\n
Ramp FOD Inspections<\/h2>\n
Cargo Bin Cleaning<\/h2>\n
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Aircraft Support Equipment<\/h2>\nPersonal Items<\/h2>\n
Self-Audits<\/h2>\n
Awareness Is Key<\/h3>\n
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Conclusion<\/h2>\nWe Are All In It Together<\/h3>\n