PROP STRIKE DURING PARKING.

Narrative

ACFT WAS BEING TAXIED IN BY MYSELF; AS WE NEARED THE RAMP AREA; NO OBSTRUCTIONS WERE OBSERVED BY MYSELF OR MY FO. THE RAMP WAS DRY. THERE WAS A SIGNALMAN AT MY NOSE AND A WING WALKER TO THE L OF THE ACFT. THERE WERE ALSO 3-4 OTHER RAMP SVC PERSONNEL TO MY L. AS WE SLOWLY TAXIED IN; I WATCHED THE SIGNALMAN FOR SIGNALS. AS WE SLOWED TO A STOP; I HEARD A 'SAWING NOISE' AND IMMEDIATELY STOPPED. THE SIGNALMAN ALSO TOLD ME TO STOP; AS SHE CRINGED. THE ACFT STRUCK A 2 INCH BY 2 INCH BY 4 FT ROPE STAND WITH THE L PROP. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO EACH OF THE 6 PROP BLADES. IT WAS LEARNED LATER THAT A NEW; UNSUPERVISED RAMP AGENT PUT THE STAND THERE; AGAINST COMPANY POLICY. THE RAMP AGENTS DID NOT CHK RAMP FOR OBSTRUCTIONS WHICH IS ALSO COMPANY POLICY. SIGNALMAN HAD CONSTANT EYE CONTACT WITH ME AND WAS NOT LOOKING TO THE SIDES OF THE ACFT OR THE WING WALKER; WHO TRIED TO SIGNAL HER AT THE LAST MOMENT. MY VIEW IS OBSTRUCTED THAT FAR BACK OF THE FUSELAGE; SO I MUST FOLLOW THE SIGNALMAN'S SIGNAL; PER COMPANY POLICY. THE SIGNALMAN AND WING WALKER WERE LATER DISMISSED FROM THE COMPANY. I HAVE RECEIVED NO DISCIPLINARY ACTION. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS UNSUPERVISED RAMP PERSONNEL; AND A COMPLACENT JOB DONE BY THE SIGNALMAN. I WAS TAXIING VERY SLOW AND IT WOULD BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE ROPE STAND GIVEN ITS SIZE AND BEING NIGHTTIME FROM THE ACFT. THIS ALSO IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO AN XX ACFT.