Date: 201305
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: B737-800
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)
Human factors: Situational Awareness
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter FOD
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Routine Inspection
Contributing factors: Company Policy; Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: When I arrived at the aircraft I noticed a large amount of FOD; not only in our Gate Safety Zone; but also in adjacent safety zones.  Winds were about 10 knots from the south.  Some of the larger soft FOD (paper) was blowing from Safety Zone to Safety Zone (moving north).  I immediately communicated with one of two Ramp Agents with my request to have him initiate a FOD walk down.  He was in the process of socializing with the other Ramp Agent near the forward cargo bay; and he responded to me by saying that he would do the FOD walk down 'later.' The Ramp Agent was not disrespectful.  However; there seemed to be a total lack of 'situational awareness' and lack of a 'sense of urgency' to collect FOD from the Safety Zone and Ramp.  If each Ramp Agent took responsibility for his/her Safety Zone and immediate surrounding area by collecting FOD; the FOD would not then migrate into other safety zones; ramp; taxiways; and runways. (Runway XX was shut down the other night after we landed for FOD on the runway - large white plastic bag).  This Ramp Agent's attitude is typical of many of the ramp agents' attitudes.  What is lacking is good leadership; proper training; and hands-on supervision to ensure the job is being accomplished.  There is a great deal of apathy and laziness at this airport.  In the two hours prior to departure; I observed no attempt; whatsoever; on the part of the ramp agents or ramp supervisors to pick up the large amount of FOD on the flight line.  Rather than call a Ramp Supervisor; I retrieved a white plastic trash bag from the aircraft forward galley; and picked up all the FOD from the Safety Zone.  The process took less than 10 minutes.  During my FOD walk down; I retrieved over 70 pieces of FOD (hard and soft).  Six bag pieces; one black zip strip; one stone; four plastic baggage tags; three pink transfer tags; one company rush tag; two metal baggage keys; 14 baggage zipper pieces; three metal washers; one metal nut; two lock pieces; one metal cylinder; one metal rivet; one paper clip; an aluminum ruler; five red stir stick pieces; nine miscellaneous paper pieces; two sets of hearing protection; one golf tee; two plastic loops; one blue plastic gum pack (empty); one Equal packet; one baggage claim tag; one M&M Peanut bag; one nylon string; one metal triangle bag piece; one crushed Motts tomato juice can; one aluminum can top; one Downline Destinations report; one Transfer Report; one Inbound/Outbound Report; one Local Manifest Report; one Utz Cheese Curls pack; one 8x10 color photo of Air Force One; and one GKN Pack slip/Commercial Invoice.  Most of this FOD came from our own airline operation.  It is not migrating from some other place.  During my FOD walk down; I witnessed FOD blowing from this Safety Zone into the next Safety Zone then into the one after that; etc.  Some have made the argument that Ground Operations is overworked and understaffed; and; as a result; they do not have the time to do a proper FOD walk down before every jet arrives in the Safety Zone.  That assumption was not valid today.  Gate ramp agents had two hours in which to conduct a proper FOD walk down.  Either we have a solid and consistent FOD awareness program or we do not.  The answer is that at ZZZ we do not!  We can continue to believe that; if we look the other way; everything is fine.  The fact is that 70+ pieces of FOD found in one Safety Zone (much of the FOD appeared to have been there for quite some time) is not evidence of an effective FOD Awareness Program.  Station Leadership needs to have a hands-on approach in solving this problem.  Training needs to be done to teach our ramp agents how to conduct a proper FOD walk down every time.  A FOD walk down cannot be done while sitting on the tug; talking to a friend; texting on the cell phone; etc.  A proper FOD walk down is completed by getting a plastic bag; hands out of the pockets; walk from the front to the back of the safety zone; eyes on the deck; picking up every piece of FOD; place it in the bag; every time before a jet arrives or departs the Safety Zone.  Supervisors need to enforce the FOD Awareness Program.  Please help us to prevent damaging our engines from preventable FOD ingestion.




Synopsis: B737 Captain reports an unacceptable FOD situation in the gate area prior to aircraft arrival.  Ramp personnel are asked to correct the problem but are unwilling to do so in a timely manner.  The Captain then picks up the FOD on his own.