Date: 201204
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: BWI.Airport, MD
Aircraft: B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Parked
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter FOD
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Taxi
Result: General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Contributing factors: Airport; Company Policy; Staffing; Environment - Non Weather Related
Primary problem: Staffing

Narrative: During our taxi in; we noticed a great deal of FOD on the #1 engine side of the Safety Zone.  Before entering the Safety Zone;  I stopped the jet; set the parking brake; and signaled to the Ramp Agents that there was FOD in the Safety Zone (apparently they did not notice the FOD until we brought it to their attention).  It was obvious that an effective FOD walkdown had not been done prior to our arrival.  After one Ramp Agent picked up the largest; most obvious pieces of FOD and cleared the Safety Zone; we continued to taxi into the Safety Zone.  When we shut down the jet; I noticed a great deal of additional trash and FOD in and around the Safety Zone.  The area outside the BWI Maintenance Offices and Maintenance vehicles appeared very much like a trash dump with garbage and FOD littering the ground immediately in front of the BWI Safety Zone.  Much of the FOD was in and appeared to have blown into the Safety Zone.  I did a FOD walkdown; mostly within the Safety Zone; and I picked up the following items:  1 newspaper page; 2 bin slips; 1 transfer tag; 1 paper bag tag; 1 piece of carbon paper; 3 plastic bag tags; 1 receipt; 1 paper label; 1 cigarette butt; 1 yellow plastic zip strip; 1 red plastic stir stick piece; 1 elastic strap; 1 orange zip strip; 11 pieces of black plastic; 2 pieces of safety wire; 1 metal threaded bolt; 1 white plastic piece; 1 metal staple; 1 metal rivet; 1 rubber/metal baggage leg; 1 metal can top; 1 small metal bar; 1 red leather strap; 1 metal lock; 2 zipper pulls; 2 metal washer pieces; and 8 stones.   Unfortunately; the large amount of FOD in and around the Safety Zones (50 pieces today) is typical in BWI.  There are short periods of time when FOD awareness in BWI seems to get better (after it is brought to the attention of Leadership); then things seem to quickly go back to the usual lack of concern.   A FOD Program cannot operate effectively with an occasional 'shot in the arm.'  Everyone needs to remain engaged; be proactive; and aware at all times in order to have an effective FOD Program.  The proper signals must come from top Leadership personnel and be reinforced by the Supervisors.  The BWI Station Manager needs to take full responsibility for implementing an ongoing effective FOD awareness and FOD Prevention Program.  It should not continuously degrade (as it has been doing) into a program typified by apathy and noninvolvement.  The FOD awareness and FOD Prevention Program needs to be proactive and not reactive.  Everyone needs to participate in the FOD Program.  The Station Manager; Manager of Ramp and Operations; the Ramp Supervisors; and Ramp Agents need to be properly trained and need to actively participate in the FOD Program.  It needs to be a regular habit; not an occasional event.  In general; the BWI Ramp Agents are working hard and effectively in many areas.  The Supervisors need to be in the loop; and when there is a break in the action; get the Ramp Agents out into the Safety Zone and flight line to get a FOD walkdown complete before every jet arrives; and again before every jet departs. It does not take very long to do an effective FOD walkdown.  We just need to have a renewed awareness in the FOD Program to make it work effectively.  Please help us to keep the FOD under control by noticing the FOD; retrieving it; and resisting the temptation to just walk past a pile of trash/FOD anywhere on the flight line.  Even if the trash/FOD is not in the Safety Zone; if it is anywhere on the flight line; it will end up in the Safety Zone when the wind starts to blow.  Let's take some pride in our station; and clean up after ourselves.  Thanks for helping to keep our engines FOD free.




Synopsis: A B737 Captain reported the chronic failure on the part of ground crews at BWI to inspect for and remove FOD in the safety zones of gates used by their jets.