Narrative:

I have observed irrational emphasis on on-time departure beyond everything else. Everyone is so concerned with making on time to avoid getting into trouble that safety is being compromised. They need to be reminded that they cannot board with running propeller right next the passenger and that safety is the first goal then on time. Ground crew boarded passenger with saab's right engine running at gate. Passenger walking right by the running propeller. We had to run out and stopped the boarding process. Person boarding the plane told me that he is instructed to do so and he wished to continue boarding. I had to tell him that we are simply not allowing people to board regardless of what he has been instructed to do as long as saab's right engine is running there. Later other personnel came out and asked if they can continue to board even though saab is still at gate with running propeller. I reminded him that we cannot have people walking right by the running propeller and it is unsafe and not allowed. I raised concern that airline workers there are not maybe aware of this and if so everyone need to be reminded of potential safety hazard including death of passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 PLT OBSERVES PAX BEING BOARDED ON ACFT WITH ENG AND PROP TURNING.

Narrative: I HAVE OBSERVED IRRATIONAL EMPHASIS ON ON-TIME DEP BEYOND EVERYTHING ELSE. EVERYONE IS SO CONCERNED WITH MAKING ON TIME TO AVOID GETTING INTO TROUBLE THAT SAFETY IS BEING COMPROMISED. THEY NEED TO BE REMINDED THAT THEY CANNOT BOARD WITH RUNNING PROP RIGHT NEXT THE PAX AND THAT SAFETY IS THE FIRST GOAL THEN ON TIME. GND CREW BOARDED PAX WITH SAAB'S R ENG RUNNING AT GATE. PAX WALKING RIGHT BY THE RUNNING PROP. WE HAD TO RUN OUT AND STOPPED THE BOARDING PROCESS. PERSON BOARDING THE PLANE TOLD ME THAT HE IS INSTRUCTED TO DO SO AND HE WISHED TO CONTINUE BOARDING. I HAD TO TELL HIM THAT WE ARE SIMPLY NOT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO BOARD REGARDLESS OF WHAT HE HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED TO DO AS LONG AS SAAB'S R ENG IS RUNNING THERE. LATER OTHER PERSONNEL CAME OUT AND ASKED IF THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BOARD EVEN THOUGH SAAB IS STILL AT GATE WITH RUNNING PROP. I REMINDED HIM THAT WE CANNOT HAVE PEOPLE WALKING RIGHT BY THE RUNNING PROP AND IT IS UNSAFE AND NOT ALLOWED. I RAISED CONCERN THAT AIRLINE WORKERS THERE ARE NOT MAYBE AWARE OF THIS AND IF SO EVERYONE NEED TO BE REMINDED OF POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD INCLUDING DEATH OF PAX.

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.