Narrative:

After brake release while waiting for ramp control to clear our pushback from gate xx in sea on aug/sat/06. I noticed a stream of water coming from below the flight deck on the ramp aimed at the tug driver. I then noticed the tug driver become annoyed and jump off the tug to keep from getting doused. I opened the window and found that another contract employee had the potable water hose in his hand and continued to spray the tug driver until I shouted at him to stop. I told him in a rather stern tone 'don't ever do that again.' he looked up sheepishly and nodded in acknowledgement to my chastisement; coiled up the hose line and walked out of sight. I called for both air carrier and contractor supervisors to the respond planeside and when they arrived I explained what had happened including the most crucial point that the tug driver had jumped off the tug even though the aircraft brakes had been released to his control. I told the supervisors that I didn't think that I needed to explain the importance of this point but continued just in case the point was lost on them; that someone could have been severely injured or killed or the aircraft damaged if the tug had jerked or rolled due to being in gear. I told them that I trusted that the situation would be remedied. I do not fault the tug driver as he was on the receiving end of the spray; but I do not think that such juvenile; willful and wanton; and dangerous behavior should be tolerated in an environment that has serious consequences with heavy equipment. Accidents I understand; especially after being on the flight several yrs ago where an alaska ramper was killed after being pinned against the aircraft and a tug. But I do not want to ever have to see what I saw due to someone's purposeful disregard for basic safety. Hire people that will take the job seriously and fire anyone that purposely disregards safety to send a message to anyone on the ramp that it is unacceptable behavior.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PLT RPTS THAT AT SEA DURING PUSHBACK BY A CONTRACT CREW; A FELLOW CONTRACT EMPLOYEE SPRAYED WATER ON THE TUG DRIVER CAUSING HIM TO EXIT THE TUG.

Narrative: AFTER BRAKE RELEASE WHILE WAITING FOR RAMP CTL TO CLR OUR PUSHBACK FROM GATE XX IN SEA ON AUG/SAT/06. I NOTICED A STREAM OF WATER COMING FROM BELOW THE FLT DECK ON THE RAMP AIMED AT THE TUG DRIVER. I THEN NOTICED THE TUG DRIVER BECOME ANNOYED AND JUMP OFF THE TUG TO KEEP FROM GETTING DOUSED. I OPENED THE WINDOW AND FOUND THAT ANOTHER CONTRACT EMPLOYEE HAD THE POTABLE WATER HOSE IN HIS HAND AND CONTINUED TO SPRAY THE TUG DRIVER UNTIL I SHOUTED AT HIM TO STOP. I TOLD HIM IN A RATHER STERN TONE 'DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN.' HE LOOKED UP SHEEPISHLY AND NODDED IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO MY CHASTISEMENT; COILED UP THE HOSE LINE AND WALKED OUT OF SIGHT. I CALLED FOR BOTH ACR AND CONTRACTOR SUPVRS TO THE RESPOND PLANESIDE AND WHEN THEY ARRIVED I EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED INCLUDING THE MOST CRUCIAL POINT THAT THE TUG DRIVER HAD JUMPED OFF THE TUG EVEN THOUGH THE ACFT BRAKES HAD BEEN RELEASED TO HIS CTL. I TOLD THE SUPVRS THAT I DIDN'T THINK THAT I NEEDED TO EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS POINT BUT CONTINUED JUST IN CASE THE POINT WAS LOST ON THEM; THAT SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED OR THE ACFT DAMAGED IF THE TUG HAD JERKED OR ROLLED DUE TO BEING IN GEAR. I TOLD THEM THAT I TRUSTED THAT THE SITUATION WOULD BE REMEDIED. I DO NOT FAULT THE TUG DRIVER AS HE WAS ON THE RECEIVING END OF THE SPRAY; BUT I DO NOT THINK THAT SUCH JUVENILE; WILLFUL AND WANTON; AND DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR SHOULD BE TOLERATED IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES WITH HVY EQUIP. ACCIDENTS I UNDERSTAND; ESPECIALLY AFTER BEING ON THE FLT SEVERAL YRS AGO WHERE AN ALASKA RAMPER WAS KILLED AFTER BEING PINNED AGAINST THE ACFT AND A TUG. BUT I DO NOT WANT TO EVER HAVE TO SEE WHAT I SAW DUE TO SOMEONE'S PURPOSEFUL DISREGARD FOR BASIC SAFETY. HIRE PEOPLE THAT WILL TAKE THE JOB SERIOUSLY AND FIRE ANYONE THAT PURPOSELY DISREGARDS SAFETY TO SEND A MESSAGE TO ANYONE ON THE RAMP THAT IT IS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR.

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.