Narrative:

We were cleared for pushback from the gate and during the pushback we received clearance from the pushback tug operator that we were cleared for engine start. I told the first officer to start both engines since we had a short taxi and no traffic to follow for a runway 19 departure. After pushback was completed; I failed to hear a brakes set call from the tug operator. As the first officer was starting #2 engine; I was surprised to see the tug operator attempting to stand on the tug waving his arms at me. At the same time; we got an ECAM indication that the forward cargo door had been opened. I immediately brought the #2 engine master switch to 'off.' I then asked the pushback operator what was going on. He told me that they had another bag to load. I chided him immediately that he did not tell me prior to the loading actually taking place and that if he had attempted to make contact with me I had not heard him. In either case; all ramp personnel were to remain clear of the engines and not open cargo until I acknowledged him. I told him that someone was going to get seriously hurt doing what they did by opening the forward cargo door during engine start.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING PUSHBACK; GND CREW ATTEMPT TO OPEN FORWARD BAGGAGE PIT OF A319 WHILE ENGINES ARE BEING STARTED.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE AND DURING THE PUSHBACK WE RECEIVED CLRNC FROM THE PUSHBACK TUG OPERATOR THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR ENG START. I TOLD THE FO TO START BOTH ENGS SINCE WE HAD A SHORT TAXI AND NO TFC TO FOLLOW FOR A RWY 19 DEP. AFTER PUSHBACK WAS COMPLETED; I FAILED TO HEAR A BRAKES SET CALL FROM THE TUG OPERATOR. AS THE FO WAS STARTING #2 ENG; I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THE TUG OPERATOR ATTEMPTING TO STAND ON THE TUG WAVING HIS ARMS AT ME. AT THE SAME TIME; WE GOT AN ECAM INDICATION THAT THE FORWARD CARGO DOOR HAD BEEN OPENED. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT THE #2 ENG MASTER SWITCH TO 'OFF.' I THEN ASKED THE PUSHBACK OPERATOR WHAT WAS GOING ON. HE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD ANOTHER BAG TO LOAD. I CHIDED HIM IMMEDIATELY THAT HE DID NOT TELL ME PRIOR TO THE LOADING ACTUALLY TAKING PLACE AND THAT IF HE HAD ATTEMPTED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH ME I HAD NOT HEARD HIM. IN EITHER CASE; ALL RAMP PERSONNEL WERE TO REMAIN CLR OF THE ENGS AND NOT OPEN CARGO UNTIL I ACKNOWLEDGED HIM. I TOLD HIM THAT SOMEONE WAS GOING TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT DOING WHAT THEY DID BY OPENING THE FORWARD CARGO DOOR DURING ENG START.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.