A B757-200 PIC finds a hazmat discrepancy on his aircraft just prior to closing the door on his airc...

Attributes
ACN	511673
Time
Date	200105
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
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
ASRS Report	511673
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Improper loading of hazmat. Location: at the gate. Regarding repeat hazmat problems. Having just received 3 hazmat forms for hazmat, our flight was already 1 hour late. The gate agent queried me, 'ok to shut the door captain?' being late, tired, and the last leg home, I almost said yes. I asked the gate agent to wait an extra moment as I reviewed the hazmat form. Upon closer examination, I noticed that all 3 items of hazmat were put in the same cargo bin. Upon consultation with the hazmat hotline posted in part X section xx page aa, I was informed a consumer commodity and a flammable cannot be put in the same cargo bin. Had I let the pressure of getting this flight out, I could have violated serious hazmat procedures. Several issues come to mind: 1) our ground crews are under tremendous pressure to quickly turn a flight leaving little time to properly review hazmat handling -- undermanned. 2) sufficient hazmat training is lacking. 3) why are hazmat forms being given to the captain just before departure -- aren't these items known about several hours before departure? I am more than willing to discuss this matter and hope I don't get the standard response that always comes with a company form months after the event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 PIC FINDS A HAZMAT DISCREPANCY ON HIS ACFT JUST PRIOR TO CLOSING THE DOOR ON HIS ACFT AT THE RAMP AT ORD, IL.

Narrative: IMPROPER LOADING OF HAZMAT. LOCATION: AT THE GATE. REGARDING REPEAT HAZMAT PROBS. HAVING JUST RECEIVED 3 HAZMAT FORMS FOR HAZMAT, OUR FLT WAS ALREADY 1 HR LATE. THE GATE AGENT QUERIED ME, 'OK TO SHUT THE DOOR CAPT?' BEING LATE, TIRED, AND THE LAST LEG HOME, I ALMOST SAID YES. I ASKED THE GATE AGENT TO WAIT AN EXTRA MOMENT AS I REVIEWED THE HAZMAT FORM. UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION, I NOTICED THAT ALL 3 ITEMS OF HAZMAT WERE PUT IN THE SAME CARGO BIN. UPON CONSULTATION WITH THE HAZMAT HOTLINE POSTED IN PART X SECTION XX PAGE AA, I WAS INFORMED A CONSUMER COMMODITY AND A FLAMMABLE CANNOT BE PUT IN THE SAME CARGO BIN. HAD I LET THE PRESSURE OF GETTING THIS FLT OUT, I COULD HAVE VIOLATED SERIOUS HAZMAT PROCS. SEVERAL ISSUES COME TO MIND: 1) OUR GND CREWS ARE UNDER TREMENDOUS PRESSURE TO QUICKLY TURN A FLT LEAVING LITTLE TIME TO PROPERLY REVIEW HAZMAT HANDLING -- UNDERMANNED. 2) SUFFICIENT HAZMAT TRAINING IS LACKING. 3) WHY ARE HAZMAT FORMS BEING GIVEN TO THE CAPT JUST BEFORE DEP -- AREN'T THESE ITEMS KNOWN ABOUT SEVERAL HRS BEFORE DEP? I AM MORE THAN WILLING TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER AND HOPE I DON'T GET THE STANDARD RESPONSE THAT ALWAYS COMES WITH A COMPANY FORM MONTHS AFTER THE EVENT.

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.

A B757-200 PIC finds a hazmat discrepancy on his aircraft just prior to closing the door on his aircraft at the ramp at ord, il.