<< >> NASA ASRS Report 639592, December 2004

B737-200. While pulling a cargo container, the strap used to pull the container broke. All 3 ramp personnel fell, 1 being injured.

Attributes
ACN	639592
Time
Date	200412
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : btr.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	639592
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter other non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

While unloading freight containers, one of the freight workers got hurt when the strap that is used to pull the containers to the front of the aircraft broke. All 3 workers fell down, but the worker on the side where the strap broke hit her head on the aircraft floor and sustained a gash on the back of her head. One of the other workers applied pressure to stop the bleeding and ice was applied to the injury. She was taken to the freight office and crash fire rescue equipment was called to assist with her injuries. When they tried to pull the #4 container out, it got stuck on the tracks. It takes excessive force to dislodge the container. On the closed side there is only a thin strap that spans across the width of the container that the workers can use to pull it forward. Some containers have straps on each end to pull the container. We were fortunate only 1 of the 3 got hurt, and hopefully not too seriously. The straps need to be inspected for wear and tear and checked to make sure they are secured to the containers (might want to consider a thicker strap or doubling up on the straps). For yrs the freight workers have been complaining about the floor rollers and how they are not working correctly (rollers are too low so the containers and pallets slide on the flooring or rails).

Related reports:

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200. WHILE PULLING A CARGO CONTAINER, THE STRAP USED TO PULL THE CONTAINER BROKE. ALL 3 RAMP PERSONNEL FELL, 1 BEING INJURED.

Narrative: WHILE UNLOADING FREIGHT CONTAINERS, ONE OF THE FREIGHT WORKERS GOT HURT WHEN THE STRAP THAT IS USED TO PULL THE CONTAINERS TO THE FRONT OF THE ACFT BROKE. ALL 3 WORKERS FELL DOWN, BUT THE WORKER ON THE SIDE WHERE THE STRAP BROKE HIT HER HEAD ON THE ACFT FLOOR AND SUSTAINED A GASH ON THE BACK OF HER HEAD. ONE OF THE OTHER WORKERS APPLIED PRESSURE TO STOP THE BLEEDING AND ICE WAS APPLIED TO THE INJURY. SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE FREIGHT OFFICE AND CFR WAS CALLED TO ASSIST WITH HER INJURIES. WHEN THEY TRIED TO PULL THE #4 CONTAINER OUT, IT GOT STUCK ON THE TRACKS. IT TAKES EXCESSIVE FORCE TO DISLODGE THE CONTAINER. ON THE CLOSED SIDE THERE IS ONLY A THIN STRAP THAT SPANS ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE CONTAINER THAT THE WORKERS CAN USE TO PULL IT FORWARD. SOME CONTAINERS HAVE STRAPS ON EACH END TO PULL THE CONTAINER. WE WERE FORTUNATE ONLY 1 OF THE 3 GOT HURT, AND HOPEFULLY NOT TOO SERIOUSLY. THE STRAPS NEED TO BE INSPECTED FOR WEAR AND TEAR AND CHKED TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SECURED TO THE CONTAINERS (MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER A THICKER STRAP OR DOUBLING UP ON THE STRAPS). FOR YRS THE FREIGHT WORKERS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FLOOR ROLLERS AND HOW THEY ARE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY (ROLLERS ARE TOO LOW SO THE CONTAINERS AND PALLETS SLIDE ON THE FLOORING OR RAILS).

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.