Narrative:

On feb/xa/01 I received an electric wheelchair with a pilot notification form attached and the box for cable disconnect left unchked. As per our training in annual requalification, this is a no-go item. Either the battery must be removed or the cables disconnected and taped per procedures. I followed this procedure. My supervisor gave me a direct order to load it as is, because he said it's a dry cell battery. He stated he called the dangerous goods hotline and they said it was ok to load. I reminded him of a similar incident he was involved in yrs ago and he became very irate. I was very concerned at this point and called for my ramp lead and shop steward. We all felt based on our training this was an unsafe situation, and regulations are what we follow in our work practice. After this trip departed, we followed up with a call to the dangerous goods hotline. They stated the rules per regulations, not what my supervisor stated. Supervisor also stated that they could not disconnect the cables from the battery. I informed him that if we could not disconnect the cables from the battery it is a no-go item. I told him that it was not ok to load because that is not our procedure. He told me to load it. I then took the pilot notification form up to the captain. He explained to me that he was ok with it. He said he was on some type of battery hazmat team and was familiar with the type of battery it was. He told me that maybe our training on the batteries was not up to date. He told me to check with a shop steward. I told him I was a shop steward. I asked him why he would override the safety regulations. He said he was ok with it. I wished him and the crew good luck.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR LOADED IN THE FORWARD CARGO COMPARTMENT WITHOUT DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY.

Narrative: ON FEB/XA/01 I RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR WITH A PLT NOTIFICATION FORM ATTACHED AND THE BOX FOR CABLE DISCONNECT LEFT UNCHKED. AS PER OUR TRAINING IN ANNUAL REQUALIFICATION, THIS IS A NO-GO ITEM. EITHER THE BATTERY MUST BE REMOVED OR THE CABLES DISCONNECTED AND TAPED PER PROCS. I FOLLOWED THIS PROC. MY SUPVR GAVE ME A DIRECT ORDER TO LOAD IT AS IS, BECAUSE HE SAID IT'S A DRY CELL BATTERY. HE STATED HE CALLED THE DANGEROUS GOODS HOTLINE AND THEY SAID IT WAS OK TO LOAD. I REMINDED HIM OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT HE WAS INVOLVED IN YRS AGO AND HE BECAME VERY IRATE. I WAS VERY CONCERNED AT THIS POINT AND CALLED FOR MY RAMP LEAD AND SHOP STEWARD. WE ALL FELT BASED ON OUR TRAINING THIS WAS AN UNSAFE SIT, AND REGS ARE WHAT WE FOLLOW IN OUR WORK PRACTICE. AFTER THIS TRIP DEPARTED, WE FOLLOWED UP WITH A CALL TO THE DANGEROUS GOODS HOTLINE. THEY STATED THE RULES PER REGS, NOT WHAT MY SUPVR STATED. SUPVR ALSO STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DISCONNECT THE CABLES FROM THE BATTERY. I INFORMED HIM THAT IF WE COULD NOT DISCONNECT THE CABLES FROM THE BATTERY IT IS A NO-GO ITEM. I TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS NOT OK TO LOAD BECAUSE THAT IS NOT OUR PROC. HE TOLD ME TO LOAD IT. I THEN TOOK THE PLT NOTIFICATION FORM UP TO THE CAPT. HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT HE WAS OK WITH IT. HE SAID HE WAS ON SOME TYPE OF BATTERY HAZMAT TEAM AND WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE TYPE OF BATTERY IT WAS. HE TOLD ME THAT MAYBE OUR TRAINING ON THE BATTERIES WAS NOT UP TO DATE. HE TOLD ME TO CHK WITH A SHOP STEWARD. I TOLD HIM I WAS A SHOP STEWARD. I ASKED HIM WHY HE WOULD OVERRIDE THE SAFETY REGS. HE SAID HE WAS OK WITH IT. I WISHED HIM AND THE CREW GOOD LUCK.

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.