B737-400 flight crew reports wing walkers on pushback are not stationed at wingtips as required.

Attributes
ACN	710169
Time
Date	200609
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	710169
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time total : 240 flight time type : 3300
ASRS Report	709980
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

During pushback; the wing walker did not stay at the wingtip station but walked next to the tug. We brought this to their attention; and the driver apologized. The wing walkers have to stay at their stations during push until brake is set. It's hard to see a stop signal and relay to the driver when the wing walker is under/covered by the nose area of the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 FLT CREW RPTS WING WALKERS ON PUSHBACK ARE NOT STATIONED AT WINGTIPS AS REQUIRED.

Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK; THE WING WALKER DID NOT STAY AT THE WINGTIP STATION BUT WALKED NEXT TO THE TUG. WE BROUGHT THIS TO THEIR ATTN; AND THE DRIVER APOLOGIZED. THE WING WALKERS HAVE TO STAY AT THEIR STATIONS DURING PUSH UNTIL BRAKE IS SET. IT'S HARD TO SEE A STOP SIGNAL AND RELAY TO THE DRIVER WHEN THE WING WALKER IS UNDER/COVERED BY THE NOSE AREA OF THE ACFT.

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.