Date: 202012
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Parked
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Hazardous Material Violation; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Pre-flight; Routine Inspection
Result: Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Manuals
Primary problem: Manuals

Narrative: Aircraft X.  Ground Service personal brought Hazardous Cargo paperwork to the cockpit about dry ice being loaded in the aft cargo compartment and live animals being loaded in the forward cargo compartment.Normally live animals are loaded in the aft or bulk cargo compartments which are heated by engine bleed air. If carrying animals in the aft cargo compartments we make sure the cargo heat switches are in the high position which will warm and maintain the compartment temperature between 65F and 75F.  Due to the dry ice being loaded in the aft we are not allowed to have animals and dry ice in the same compartment.I was told by the ground service worker that they load live animals in the forward cargo compartment and do this regularly because the forward cargo compartment is heated. I explained that it is heated with cabin air that has flowed through the E & E compartments equipment ventilation system to cool the electronics and exhausted into the forward cargo compartment. We have no way of knowing what the temperature is in the forward cargo compartment is and no way of knowing if it is suitable for live animals.  We do have aft and bulk cargo compartment temperature indications on our air synoptic located in the cockpit. I asked Ground Personnel to swap the locations of the dry ice and live animals so that the animals could be kept warm for the flight in the aft cargo compartment.  I was told that this would be difficult to do because the dry ice would need to be moved to another canister and this would take time.  I asked to speak with the Ramp Supervisor and I spoke with the Station Manager. She explained that their ROM (Ramp Operations Manual) authorizes the loading of live animals in the Forward Cargo Compartment of the 777.  I explained that our Aircraft Operations Manual authorizes the loading of live animals in our aft or bulk cargo compartments only.  She explained that they have done this before and that I was not the first Captain to question this practice.I called the Dispatcher for the flight and discussed the situation with her thinking that she had seen this situation before and she had not.  She did some investigation and spoke with a mechanic and he told her that the forward cargo was heated. I explained to her what our manual stated and where live animals were to be transported.  The Station Manager directed the ramp personal to move the dry ice to the forward cargo compartment and move the live animals to the aft cargo compartment as per our operating manual.  I thanked her for her help and cooperation and explained that both of our manuals not being in agreement is a problem and that I would write this up so that we can get this discrepancy rectified so that we are all on the same page. The Ramp Operating Manual and the Aircraft Operating Manual not being in agreement on where live animals are to be transported caused a waste of time and effort.  Also; the animal's lives might have been in danger if the temperature was too low for the extended period of time of this flight. Both manuals (Ramp Operating Manual and Aircraft Operating manual) being in agreement would alleviate this problem.  Ramp Services and Flight [Operations] should get together and clarify the procedures for this subject.




Synopsis: B777 Captain reported a discrepancy between FOM and Ramp Operations Manual regarding loading dry ice and live animals in cargo compartments. The specific incident was rectified but the conflict between the manuals requires a revision.