A B737-300 PLT RPTS A RAMP PERSON ENTERING THE GATE SAFETY ZONE AS A TAXIING ACFT APCHED THE GATE.

Narrative

I WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF THE SAFETY ZONE IN OKC FACING THE RAMP WITH MY BACK TO THE TERMINAL; CHKING THE LIGHTS ON THE ARRIVING ACFT FOR FLT. AS THE ACFT WAS ENTERING THE SAFETY ZONE; AN EMPLOYEE DROVE A TUG WITH 2 BAGGAGE CARTS ATTACHED INTO THE SAFETY ZONE ON MY L; THAT IS; BTWN ME AND THE JETWAY. THE TUG AND CARTS FULLY ENTERED THE ZONE IN FRONT OF THE TAXIING ACFT AND THEN EXITED TO THE R TOWARD GATE. HE WAS DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPD AND MISSED STRIKING ME BY ABOUT 3 FT. HE APCHED THE SAFETY ZONE FROM THE TERMINAL; THAT IS FROM MY BACK; SO I DID NOT SEE HIM UNTIL HE WENT BY ME AND ENTERED THE ZONE. WHEN THE ARRIVING ACFT WAS STOPPED; I WENT OVER TO THE ACFT AT GATE TO SPEAK WITH HIM BY NAME. I ASKED HIM WHAT HE'D BEEN THINKING AND WHY HE'D ENTERED THE ZONE WHEN THE ACFT WAS ENTERING. HE TOLD ME HE HAD TO ENTER THE ZONE TO AVOID HITTING ME BECAUSE I'D STEPPED TO THE R. I TOLD HIM THAT THAT WAS NO REASON TO ENTER THE ZONE AND THAT HE HAD BEEN TRAVELING MUCH TOO FAST. HE SAID HE HAD TO GET THERE BECAUSE HE NEEDED TO HELP HIS FELLOW RAMPER UNLOAD THE ACFT PARKED AT GATE. HE MAINTAINED THAT HE'D DONE NOTHING WRONG. THERE WAS NO COMPELLING REASON FOR THIS EMPLOYEE TO VIOLATE COMPANY PROCS; ENDANGER OTHER COMPANY PERSONNEL; AND TO POSSIBLY HARM COMPANY EQUIP. BY WAITING LESS THAN 1 MIN; THE INBOUND ACFT WOULD HAVE BEEN PARKED; I WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE WAY AND THIS MAN COULD HAVE ENTERED THE SAFETY ZONE AND CONTINUED HIS WORK WITHOUT INCIDENT. INSTEAD; HE DISPLAYED A RECKLESS; WILLFUL DISREGARD FOR COMPANY ESTABLISHED PROCS; A RECKLESS DISREGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS; AND A DISREGARD FOR COMPANY EQUIP. WHATEVER FEW SECONDS HE MAY HAVE SAVED BY ENTERING THE SAFETY ZONE WERE NOT WORTH PUTTING THE LIVES OF OTHERS AND THE ACFT AT RISK. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE JETWAY; THE CAPT OF THE INBOUND ACFT APCHED ME AND SAID HE WAS GLAD HE'D SEEN ME GO TO SPEAK TO THIS EMPLOYEE. HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO IF I HADN'T. A FUELER WHO'D BEEN WORKING NEARBY ALSO CAME TO ME IN THE JETWAY AND SAID HE'D SEEN WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE SAID; 'YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AROUND HERE OR THEY WILL RUN OVER YOU.' BASED ON HIS BEHAVIOR IN THIS INCIDENT AND HIS ATTITUDE; I BELIEVE IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS EMPLOYEE INJURES SOMEONE AND/OR SEVERELY DAMAGES SOME EQUIP.