Narrative:

After jetway had been removed from aircraft; ramp agent passed the dangerous goods pilot notification form through first officer's window. The boarded item was classified as yellow ii radioactive material and showed being boarded in pit 5. The reverse side of this form clearly states such material 'only' be loaded in pit 4 on the B737. When I asked the pushback crew member about this and told him that it needed to be located in pit 4; he put on the ramp lead. The lead then began to tell me; 'well; it is only 5 inches away from pit 4 so what's wrong with that?' and then 'it is secured to the floor in pit 5 and won't spill but if he moves it to 4 that it could spill. 'When I told him that I was only following procedures per the form; then I requested it moved to proper location. Not 5 seconds later he responded 'it's been moved.' both the first officer and myself noted that the aft cargo door had not been reopened. I advised him that I knew he had not accomplished the move and that it needed to be done. Period. After that; we noted the aft cargo door open; then closed. Dispatch was notified of situation and that we requested mia operations to advise us where that actual material was found upon arrival in mia. It was noted as being in pit 4. I am very disturbed by the lax attitude this lead had in regards to dangerous goods.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HAZARDOUS CARGO IS IMPROPERLY LOADED ON B737.

Narrative: AFTER JETWAY HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM ACFT; RAMP AGENT PASSED THE DANGEROUS GOODS PLT NOTIFICATION FORM THROUGH FO'S WINDOW. THE BOARDED ITEM WAS CLASSIFIED AS YELLOW II RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL AND SHOWED BEING BOARDED IN PIT 5. THE REVERSE SIDE OF THIS FORM CLRLY STATES SUCH MATERIAL 'ONLY' BE LOADED IN PIT 4 ON THE B737. WHEN I ASKED THE PUSHBACK CREW MEMBER ABOUT THIS AND TOLD HIM THAT IT NEEDED TO BE LOCATED IN PIT 4; HE PUT ON THE RAMP LEAD. THE LEAD THEN BEGAN TO TELL ME; 'WELL; IT IS ONLY 5 INCHES AWAY FROM PIT 4 SO WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT?' AND THEN 'IT IS SECURED TO THE FLOOR IN PIT 5 AND WON'T SPILL BUT IF HE MOVES IT TO 4 THAT IT COULD SPILL. 'WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS ONLY FOLLOWING PROCS PER THE FORM; THEN I REQUESTED IT MOVED TO PROPER LOCATION. NOT 5 SECONDS LATER HE RESPONDED 'IT'S BEEN MOVED.' BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF NOTED THAT THE AFT CARGO DOOR HAD NOT BEEN REOPENED. I ADVISED HIM THAT I KNEW HE HAD NOT ACCOMPLISHED THE MOVE AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE DONE. PERIOD. AFTER THAT; WE NOTED THE AFT CARGO DOOR OPEN; THEN CLOSED. DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED OF SIT AND THAT WE REQUESTED MIA OPS TO ADVISE US WHERE THAT ACTUAL MATERIAL WAS FOUND UPON ARR IN MIA. IT WAS NOTED AS BEING IN PIT 4. I AM VERY DISTURBED BY THE LAX ATTITUDE THIS LEAD HAD IN REGARDS TO DANGEROUS GOODS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.