Narrative:

When assigned to tape cabin floorboards with fire tape, me and my fellow worker had a discussion about if the boards are to be sealed under the tape or not. Well, come to find out per maintenance manual that they can be sealed on the forward and aft ends with just tape. However, the edges of the board where they contact the floor beams, or seat tracks are supposed to be sealed with sealant. The boards that are 'new' are also supposed to be taped on all edges before the board is installed. I was told by the crew chief that they didn't need to be sealed or taped and that some paperwork somewhere, way back when, said we didn't have to do it that way. So we have done this for numerous aircraft and I have been on the dock since nov/97. I know that I and the majority of the crew has installed boards that should be taped and sealed depending on the board location. I don't know if there is paperwork somewhere that states it is ok to install boards in this manner or not, and what safety condition this could cause.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FOKKER 100 WAS RELEASED FOR SVC WITH THE PAX CABIN FLOORBOARDS NOT TAPED AND SEALED PER THE MAINT MANUAL.

Narrative: WHEN ASSIGNED TO TAPE CABIN FLOORBOARDS WITH FIRE TAPE, ME AND MY FELLOW WORKER HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT IF THE BOARDS ARE TO BE SEALED UNDER THE TAPE OR NOT. WELL, COME TO FIND OUT PER MAINT MANUAL THAT THEY CAN BE SEALED ON THE FORWARD AND AFT ENDS WITH JUST TAPE. HOWEVER, THE EDGES OF THE BOARD WHERE THEY CONTACT THE FLOOR BEAMS, OR SEAT TRACKS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SEALED WITH SEALANT. THE BOARDS THAT ARE 'NEW' ARE ALSO SUPPOSED TO BE TAPED ON ALL EDGES BEFORE THE BOARD IS INSTALLED. I WAS TOLD BY THE CREW CHIEF THAT THEY DIDN'T NEED TO BE SEALED OR TAPED AND THAT SOME PAPERWORK SOMEWHERE, WAY BACK WHEN, SAID WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT THAT WAY. SO WE HAVE DONE THIS FOR NUMEROUS ACFT AND I HAVE BEEN ON THE DOCK SINCE NOV/97. I KNOW THAT I AND THE MAJORITY OF THE CREW HAS INSTALLED BOARDS THAT SHOULD BE TAPED AND SEALED DEPENDING ON THE BOARD LOCATION. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS PAPERWORK SOMEWHERE THAT STATES IT IS OK TO INSTALL BOARDS IN THIS MANNER OR NOT, AND WHAT SAFETY CONDITION THIS COULD CAUSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.