Narrative:

Cvg ramp worker performed pushback, deviating from company procedures. Background information, flight originally had mechanical and a plane change and was running late. Doors closed, checklist performed, ramp was contacted to push back. Thumbs up signal was exchanged followed by me giving pushback signal. Signal was returned but push not initiated. Less than a min later, a tug driver gets off tug and walks away without any communications. This happens too frequently. I reset the parking brake since I have no idea if his tug is engaged, chocked, etc. After delay to locate a wing walker, tug driver returns and without any attempt at communicating, begins to push back our aircraft. Sensing this was about to happen, I released the parking brake before he began to push. This is only one example of many encountered on every trip of non-standard and potentially dangerous practice on the ramp pushbacks. Headsets are part of the solution, along with training and enforcement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF CARJ RPTS PUSHBACK GND PERSONNEL ARE REGULARLY IGNORING SOP FOR PUSHBACK PROCS.

Narrative: CVG RAMP WORKER PERFORMED PUSHBACK, DEVIATING FROM COMPANY PROCS. BACKGROUND INFO, FLT ORIGINALLY HAD MECHANICAL AND A PLANE CHANGE AND WAS RUNNING LATE. DOORS CLOSED, CHKLIST PERFORMED, RAMP WAS CONTACTED TO PUSH BACK. THUMBS UP SIGNAL WAS EXCHANGED FOLLOWED BY ME GIVING PUSHBACK SIGNAL. SIGNAL WAS RETURNED BUT PUSH NOT INITIATED. LESS THAN A MIN LATER, A TUG DRIVER GETS OFF TUG AND WALKS AWAY WITHOUT ANY COMS. THIS HAPPENS TOO FREQUENTLY. I RESET THE PARKING BRAKE SINCE I HAVE NO IDEA IF HIS TUG IS ENGAGED, CHOCKED, ETC. AFTER DELAY TO LOCATE A WING WALKER, TUG DRIVER RETURNS AND WITHOUT ANY ATTEMPT AT COMMUNICATING, BEGINS TO PUSH BACK OUR ACFT. SENSING THIS WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, I RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE BEFORE HE BEGAN TO PUSH. THIS IS ONLY ONE EXAMPLE OF MANY ENCOUNTERED ON EVERY TRIP OF NON-STANDARD AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PRACTICE ON THE RAMP PUSHBACKS. HEADSETS ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION, ALONG WITH TRAINING AND ENFORCEMENT.

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.