Narrative:

Blue coffee server has a tight fitting snap on lid -- difficult to open and close. Lids/pots often cracked or warped causing further difficulties. My usual (and commonplace) method of closing lid is to position it and hold it along with server handle with my left hand and with my right hand in a fist, slam down on lid, popping it into place. This time lid was such an impossible fit, it rotated downward and my hand and forearm plunged into full pot of fresh, hot coffee. Pot tilted somewhat since counter is high, and coffee sloshed onto my head, face, and chest, also. Coffee pot server is poorly designed and frequent use and cleaning by catering distorts fit even further. Many incidents have occurred in the yrs it has been in use. To open pot you must empty it first as the difficulty opening it also often results in coffee spills and splashes. These actions are done automatically and we are usually rushing to finish service. The company has discussed replacing these pots for yrs -- due to the frequency of incidents. Somehow, no solution has been found. The only alternative to closing the lid is to place server on floor, bend down and with 2 hands on top, push down. I have also seen flight attendants step on lid. That way (on floor) the only burns you risk are to your feet and legs. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that there has been no follow up from the company. Reporter did make a report to the flight attendant union. She was able to find another container and plunge the arm into ice so it did not blister. She was treated at medical. The company did put out a memo that they have tried to get new coffee servers but they have not found one that will hold the same amount as has been brewed. Reporter is appalled that we can send a man to the moon but cannot come up with a coffee server that will close properly. The FAA hotline number was offered to the reporter. Flight attendant has 21 yrs experience, currently qualified on 5 types of aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT REGARDING THE POOR COFFEE SERVER LIDS WHICH CREATE A CLOSING PROB AND RESULTING BURNS TO FLT ATTENDANTS. THE SIT GETS WORSE AS THE SERVERS ARE WASHED AND REUSED. RPTR BURNED BADLY ON ARM, HEAD, FACE AND CHEST.

Narrative: BLUE COFFEE SERVER HAS A TIGHT FITTING SNAP ON LID -- DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND CLOSE. LIDS/POTS OFTEN CRACKED OR WARPED CAUSING FURTHER DIFFICULTIES. MY USUAL (AND COMMONPLACE) METHOD OF CLOSING LID IS TO POS IT AND HOLD IT ALONG WITH SERVER HANDLE WITH MY L HAND AND WITH MY R HAND IN A FIST, SLAM DOWN ON LID, POPPING IT INTO PLACE. THIS TIME LID WAS SUCH AN IMPOSSIBLE FIT, IT ROTATED DOWNWARD AND MY HAND AND FOREARM PLUNGED INTO FULL POT OF FRESH, HOT COFFEE. POT TILTED SOMEWHAT SINCE COUNTER IS HIGH, AND COFFEE SLOSHED ONTO MY HEAD, FACE, AND CHEST, ALSO. COFFEE POT SERVER IS POORLY DESIGNED AND FREQUENT USE AND CLEANING BY CATERING DISTORTS FIT EVEN FURTHER. MANY INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED IN THE YRS IT HAS BEEN IN USE. TO OPEN POT YOU MUST EMPTY IT FIRST AS THE DIFFICULTY OPENING IT ALSO OFTEN RESULTS IN COFFEE SPILLS AND SPLASHES. THESE ACTIONS ARE DONE AUTOMATICALLY AND WE ARE USUALLY RUSHING TO FINISH SVC. THE COMPANY HAS DISCUSSED REPLACING THESE POTS FOR YRS -- DUE TO THE FREQUENCY OF INCIDENTS. SOMEHOW, NO SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND. THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE TO CLOSING THE LID IS TO PLACE SERVER ON FLOOR, BEND DOWN AND WITH 2 HANDS ON TOP, PUSH DOWN. I HAVE ALSO SEEN FLT ATTENDANTS STEP ON LID. THAT WAY (ON FLOOR) THE ONLY BURNS YOU RISK ARE TO YOUR FEET AND LEGS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO FOLLOW UP FROM THE COMPANY. RPTR DID MAKE A RPT TO THE FLT ATTENDANT UNION. SHE WAS ABLE TO FIND ANOTHER CONTAINER AND PLUNGE THE ARM INTO ICE SO IT DID NOT BLISTER. SHE WAS TREATED AT MEDICAL. THE COMPANY DID PUT OUT A MEMO THAT THEY HAVE TRIED TO GET NEW COFFEE SERVERS BUT THEY HAVE NOT FOUND ONE THAT WILL HOLD THE SAME AMOUNT AS HAS BEEN BREWED. RPTR IS APPALLED THAT WE CAN SEND A MAN TO THE MOON BUT CANNOT COME UP WITH A COFFEE SERVER THAT WILL CLOSE PROPERLY. THE FAA HOTLINE NUMBER WAS OFFERED TO THE RPTR. FLT ATTENDANT HAS 21 YRS EXPERIENCE, CURRENTLY QUALIFIED ON 5 TYPES OF ACFT.

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.