Narrative:

I parked at the gate after a very short taxi from the runway. Engines were still running for the required cool down period. After plugging in ground electric; a ground man opened the forward cargo door with right engine still running. We had to shut it down immediately for safety reasons 2 1/2 mins into the required 3 min cool down period. I normally attempt to taxi slow enough that I can shut down the right engine prior to stopping at the gate but sometimes this is not practical such as when attempting to get an on time arrival or for the confusion it causes the guide men if you stop short of the gate and they can't figure out why. I would assume that all guide men are educated about the danger of opening the cargo doors with the engine running. They need to be reminded to be aware of their surroundings on the ramp and that there are reasons that we sometimes do not shut down engines immediately after gate arrival.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 PARKED AT GATE AWAITING GND PWR. FWD CARGO DOOR WAS OPENED WITH THE RIGHT ENG RUNNING.

Narrative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

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.