B747-400 flight crew refused to enter gate area with equipment located beyond the 'clear lines.

Attributes
ACN	762309
Time
Date	200711
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : company check pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	762309
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

I was conducting a line check. Approaching the gate in low visibility due to fog; the captain noticed ground equipment parked over the 'safety lines' on both side of the gate area. Wing walkers or movement of the equipment was requested and received. This is a chronic problem at the ZZZ international gates and I have filed numerous reports concerning this issue. The outboard engines on the B747 must be operated during taxi for the primary and secondary brake system. Equipment and personnel over the safety lines is an issue that can cause injury to personnel or damage to equipment due to the proximity of the B747 engines. Please fix this problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-400 FLT CREW REFUSED TO ENTER GATE AREA WITH EQUIPMENT LOCATED BEYOND THE 'CLEAR LINES.

Narrative: I WAS CONDUCTING A LINE CHK. APCHING THE GATE IN LOW VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG; THE CAPT NOTICED GND EQUIP PARKED OVER THE 'SAFETY LINES' ON BOTH SIDE OF THE GATE AREA. WING WALKERS OR MOVEMENT OF THE EQUIP WAS REQUESTED AND RECEIVED. THIS IS A CHRONIC PROB AT THE ZZZ INTL GATES AND I HAVE FILED NUMEROUS RPTS CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. THE OUTBOARD ENGS ON THE B747 MUST BE OPERATED DURING TAXI FOR THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY BRAKE SYS. EQUIP AND PERSONNEL OVER THE SAFETY LINES IS AN ISSUE THAT CAN CAUSE INJURY TO PERSONNEL OR DAMAGE TO EQUIP DUE TO THE PROX OF THE B747 ENGS. PLEASE FIX THIS PROB.

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.