E145 pilot reports ground support workers are not familiar with safe operating procedures regarding ...

Attributes
ACN	692962
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	692962
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Iad ramp crew failed to recognize the beacon and operating engine and proceeded to open the baggage door before I could get either a gpu plugged in or the APU on line. The ramp supervisor offered the following explanation: 'they probably couldn't hear the engine because of their ear protection.' me: 'but they're trained to look for the beacon; right?' supervisor: 'no; they reference the lead marshaller' (I think this is what he said; english was clearly a second language for this individual which made communication difficult. I have worked with 1 ramper than I can remember in iad who had a good use of the english language). This is not a small outstation. If we can't get the ramp supervisors to come up with the right answers in regards to what our standards are; perhaps we need to be more realistic about what their people will be capable of.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 PLT RPTS GND SUPPORT WORKERS ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH SAFE OPERATING PROCS REGARDING APCHING ACFT WITH ENGS STILL RUNNING. CITES INADEQUATE TRAINING AND LANGUAGE BARRIER ISSUES.

Narrative: IAD RAMP CREW FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE BEACON AND OPERATING ENG AND PROCEEDED TO OPEN THE BAGGAGE DOOR BEFORE I COULD GET EITHER A GPU PLUGGED IN OR THE APU ON LINE. THE RAMP SUPVR OFFERED THE FOLLOWING EXPLANATION: 'THEY PROBABLY COULDN'T HEAR THE ENG BECAUSE OF THEIR EAR PROTECTION.' ME: 'BUT THEY'RE TRAINED TO LOOK FOR THE BEACON; RIGHT?' SUPVR: 'NO; THEY REF THE LEAD MARSHALLER' (I THINK THIS IS WHAT HE SAID; ENGLISH WAS CLEARLY A SECOND LANGUAGE FOR THIS INDIVIDUAL WHICH MADE COM DIFFICULT. I HAVE WORKED WITH 1 RAMPER THAN I CAN REMEMBER IN IAD WHO HAD A GOOD USE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE). THIS IS NOT A SMALL OUTSTATION. IF WE CAN'T GET THE RAMP SUPVRS TO COME UP WITH THE RIGHT ANSWERS IN REGARDS TO WHAT OUR STANDARDS ARE; PERHAPS WE NEED TO BE MORE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT THEIR PEOPLE WILL BE CAPABLE OF.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

E145 pilot reports ground support workers are not familiar with safe operating procedures regarding approaching aircraft with engines still running. Cites inadequate training and language barrier issues.