Narrative:

Shortly after arriving at the aircraft; I began conducting my walkaround. As I was walking from the nose of the aircraft towards the right side of the aircraft; I witnessed the (contract fueler) actively talking on his phone. He was using wireless earbuds and was having a full conversation with the person on the phone. I completed my walkaround while monitoring him talking on the phone the entire time. I finished my walkaround and approached him as he was walking away from the aircraft. I told him he couldn't be on the phone while fueling. He smiled and said; 'I'm outside.' I repeated my remark; and he merely repeated himself while pointing to the aircraft; smiling even more than he was before. At first his response didn't make sense; but it became obvious he couldn't speak english and was trying to say he was now away from the aircraft; so I caught him after the fact. He walked away and sat on the concourse exterior stairs and continued his telephone conversation. He never ended his phone call; took his earbuds out; or showed remorse or sense of wrongdoing. I find this action to be incredibly unprofessional and unsafe. Not only was he preoccupied with his phone call; while he should be focused on flight line duties; but he's endangering everyone's life by emitting electro-static electricity while fueling the aircraft. This is clearly not a skill problem; but a will problem. I think this gentleman should be fired and replaced with someone with the discipline and maturity to handle a job with such dire consequences for failing to meet safety standards. I also think company should cease business with (contract fueler) within the united states.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 First Officer reported that the contract fueler refused to stop his cellphone call while fueling and did not understand English.

Narrative: Shortly after arriving at the aircraft; I began conducting my walkaround. As I was walking from the nose of the aircraft towards the right side of the aircraft; I witnessed the (Contract Fueler) actively talking on his phone. He was using wireless earbuds and was having a full conversation with the person on the phone. I completed my walkaround while monitoring him talking on the phone the entire time. I finished my walkaround and approached him as he was walking away from the aircraft. I told him he couldn't be on the phone while fueling. He smiled and said; 'I'm outside.' I repeated my remark; and he merely repeated himself while pointing to the aircraft; smiling even more than he was before. At first his response didn't make sense; but it became obvious he couldn't speak English and was trying to say he was now away from the aircraft; so I caught him after the fact. He walked away and sat on the concourse exterior stairs and continued his telephone conversation. He never ended his phone call; took his earbuds out; or showed remorse or sense of wrongdoing. I find this action to be incredibly unprofessional and unsafe. Not only was he preoccupied with his phone call; while he should be focused on flight line duties; but he's endangering everyone's life by emitting electro-static electricity while fueling the aircraft. This is clearly not a skill problem; but a will problem. I think this gentleman should be fired and replaced with someone with the discipline and maturity to handle a job with such dire consequences for failing to meet safety standards. I also think Company should cease business with (Contract Fueler) within the United States.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.