Ground crew opened forward cargo door while #1 engine was still running on B737-400. Captain is conc...

Attributes
ACN	688744
Time
Date	200602
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
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	688744
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Upon late arrival in lax; APU was inoperative. #1 engine was running while jetway moved into position and external power was initiated. This took several mins to accomplish. During this time; I shut down engine #2 to save fuel. I left all other switches in position; including the anti-collision beacon. Despite this; as soon as the engine shut down; the ground crew opened the forward cargo door to (I assume) begin unloading. The threat; aside from personnel operating around an aircraft under power; is that others might approach the aircraft from the operating engine side merely because they visually sight personnel around the aircraft. Next time; I will not shut down either engine until ground power is available. Alternately; some guidance or policy for air crews and ground personnel as to the proper method/signal for 'all clear' should be communicated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND CREW OPENED FORWARD CARGO DOOR WHILE #1 ENG WAS STILL RUNNING ON B737-400. CAPT IS CONCERNED GND PERSONNEL ARE NOT AWARE OF THE DANGERS OF APCHING AN ACFT WITH ANY ENG STILL RUNNING.

Narrative: UPON LATE ARR IN LAX; APU WAS INOP. #1 ENG WAS RUNNING WHILE JETWAY MOVED INTO POS AND EXTERNAL PWR WAS INITIATED. THIS TOOK SEVERAL MINS TO ACCOMPLISH. DURING THIS TIME; I SHUT DOWN ENG #2 TO SAVE FUEL. I LEFT ALL OTHER SWITCHES IN POS; INCLUDING THE ANTI-COLLISION BEACON. DESPITE THIS; AS SOON AS THE ENG SHUT DOWN; THE GND CREW OPENED THE FORWARD CARGO DOOR TO (I ASSUME) BEGIN UNLOADING. THE THREAT; ASIDE FROM PERSONNEL OPERATING AROUND AN ACFT UNDER PWR; IS THAT OTHERS MIGHT APCH THE ACFT FROM THE OPERATING ENG SIDE MERELY BECAUSE THEY VISUALLY SIGHT PERSONNEL AROUND THE ACFT. NEXT TIME; I WILL NOT SHUT DOWN EITHER ENG UNTIL GND PWR IS AVAILABLE. ALTERNATELY; SOME GUIDANCE OR POLICY FOR AIR CREWS AND GND PERSONNEL AS TO THE PROPER METHOD/SIGNAL FOR 'ALL CLR' SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED.

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.

Ground crew opened forward cargo door while #1 engine was still running on B737-400. Captain is concerned ground personnel are not aware of the dangers of approaching an aircraft with any engine still running.