B737-200. WHILE PULLING A CARGO CONTAINER; THE STRAP USED TO PULL THE CONTAINER BROKE. ALL 3 RAMP PERSONNEL FELL; 1 BEING INJURED.

Date: 2004-12 · Aircraft: B737-200 · Phase: ground

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|inflight-event-encounter-other-unknown

Synopsis

B737-200. WHILE PULLING A CARGO CONTAINER; THE STRAP USED TO PULL THE CONTAINER BROKE. ALL 3 RAMP PERSONNEL FELL; 1 BEING INJURED.

Narrative

WHILE UNLOADING FREIGHT CONTAINERS; ONE OF THE FREIGHT WORKERS GOT HURT WHEN THE STRAP THAT IS USED TO PULL THE CONTAINERS TO THE FRONT OF THE ACFT BROKE. ALL 3 WORKERS FELL DOWN; BUT THE WORKER ON THE SIDE WHERE THE STRAP BROKE HIT HER HEAD ON THE ACFT FLOOR AND SUSTAINED A GASH ON THE BACK OF HER HEAD. ONE OF THE OTHER WORKERS APPLIED PRESSURE TO STOP THE BLEEDING AND ICE WAS APPLIED TO THE INJURY. SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE FREIGHT OFFICE AND CFR WAS CALLED TO ASSIST WITH HER INJURIES. WHEN THEY TRIED TO PULL THE #4 CONTAINER OUT; IT GOT STUCK ON THE TRACKS. IT TAKES EXCESSIVE FORCE TO DISLODGE THE CONTAINER. ON THE CLOSED SIDE THERE IS ONLY A THIN STRAP THAT SPANS ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE CONTAINER THAT THE WORKERS CAN USE TO PULL IT FORWARD. SOME CONTAINERS HAVE STRAPS ON EACH END TO PULL THE CONTAINER. WE WERE FORTUNATE ONLY 1 OF THE 3 GOT HURT; AND HOPEFULLY NOT TOO SERIOUSLY. THE STRAPS NEED TO BE INSPECTED FOR WEAR AND TEAR AND CHKED TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SECURED TO THE CONTAINERS (MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER A THICKER STRAP OR DOUBLING UP ON THE STRAPS). FOR YRS THE FREIGHT WORKERS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FLOOR ROLLERS AND HOW THEY ARE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY (ROLLERS ARE TOO LOW SO THE CONTAINERS AND PALLETS SLIDE ON THE FLOORING OR RAILS).

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.