Date: 201506
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Aircraft component: Cargo Pit Compartment
Component problem: Improperly Operated
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Ramp
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Training / Qualification
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Ground Personnel
When detected: Aircraft In Service At Gate
Result: Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Contributing factors: Environment - Non Weather Related; Aircraft; Company Policy; Human Factors
Primary problem: Company Policy

Narrative: Air Carrier X Ramp Service in ZZZ took over the 'below the wing work' of Regional Operator X's aircraft. We have been trained and signed off to work ONLY ERJ-175 aircraft. No one in ZZZ ramp service has been trained; qualified and signed off by our Air Carrier Ramp Service Trainer to work CRJ or CRJ-700 (CRJ7) aircraft! In the June schedule; Regional Operator X's CRJ was scheduled and was [worked] by unqualified ramp service personnel and again on the [following day] there were four CRJ or CR7 aircraft that were scheduled and worked by untrained and unqualified ramp service personnel!I brought this issue to Ramp Supervisor X and told him no one is qualified to work that aircraft and should not have been touched by any ramp personnel. He said nothing and left the room. I brought up the same issue at the afternoon briefing on the [second day] with Supervisor Y and tried to explain that we were not qualified to work these CRJ and CRJ7 aircraft. Supervisor Y asked the crew if there was anyone qualified. Two people raised their hands saying that since they had worked the planes (even though they are not qualified and [not] signed off by our Air Carrier Ramp Service Trainer) they felt they were qualified. I tried to explain to Supervisor Y that no ramp service personnel were qualified and we could not work the planes. Supervisor Y then said 'Are you done?' Realizing that I could not possibly get my point across; I said; 'Yes; I'm done.'It is very difficult to argue your point with a Supervisor who summarily dismisses any safety concerns when brought up and would just not take a Lead Ramp Serviceman with 25 years ramp experience seriously. An hour or so later; a ramp service lead noticed that the crew working a CRJ or CR7 had hooked up the wrong towbar; and the towbar wasn't locked properly. This Ramp Serviceman saved that aircraft from very serious damage because he had worked these type of aircraft [at another airport]. Also; even later that evening; an ERJ175 aircraft that we are qualified to work; suffered an aircraft damage; taking a delay; rendering the Forward Cargo Compartment inoperable. What would have happened to the ramp crew if the damaged aircraft was a CRJ or CRJ7? Likely; Management would have gone through their records; saw that the two people involved were not qualified and signed off to work the aircraft and then fire them because they should have told management they were not qualified!




Synopsis: An Air Carrier Ramp Lead expresses his safety concerns and also describes his work environment where company ramp personnel are being assigned to work a Regional Operator's CRJ-700 aircraft that they are not qualified or trained on. Company Management have been unresponsive to his concerns for safe operations.