What is FOD prevention?
Keeping loose objects off the airfield: how tools, materials and waste are controlled during AGL work so nothing is left on the pavement.
FOD means foreign object debris: any loose object in the wrong place on the airfield. Aircraft tyres and engines can be damaged by small items, so AGL work must never leave anything behind. Tools, nuts and bolts, cable offcuts, packaging, sealant, soil and stone and items falling from open vehicle loads are all FOD risks that the working party creates and therefore controls.
Prevention is a habit through the whole job. Tools and materials are logged and counted out and back in, loads and waste are covered, bagged or secured, and the area is cleaned as the work goes on. Vehicles and footwear are checked before leaving the work area. Before handing back the area is walked or swept as the airport requires, any FOD found is picked up and reported, and a lost item is reported at once and searched for rather than left.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What is FOD prevention?
FOD stands for foreign object debris: any loose object in the wrong place on the airfield, such as a tool, bolt, offcut or stone, that could damage an aircraft or hurt someone. FOD prevention is the set of habits that stop AGL work leaving anything behind.
Q2Why does FOD matter so much?
Aircraft tyres and engines can be damaged by small objects, and debris can be thrown or ingested at speed. A damaged tyre or engine on a runway or taxiway can have serious consequences, so even a small item is treated as a safety issue.
Q3What kinds of FOD can AGL work create?
Loose hardware such as nuts, bolts and washers, cable offcuts, sealant and tape, packaging, tools, and soil or stone from excavation. Vehicles can also carry mud and stones onto pavements, and loose items can fall from open loads.
Q4How are tools and materials controlled?
Tools are logged and counted out before work and counted back in afterwards, and only what is needed is taken to the work area. Materials are kept in covered containers or bags, and waste is collected as the work goes on rather than left for later.
Q5What if a tool or part is lost?
It is reported at once to the supervisor and, through the airport’s procedure, to airport operations, and a search is made. The area is not treated as clear until the item is found or the airport has been told and has decided how to proceed.
Q6What must be confirmed before the area is handed back?
That every tool is counted back, waste and packaging are removed, soil and stone are cleared, the area has been walked or swept as the airport requires, and any FOD found has been picked up and reported. Only then is the area reported clear.
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