B757-200 STRANDED SHORT OF GATE FOR MORE THAN AN HR DUE TO HVY SNOW; ZERO VISIBILITY AND ICY RAMPS FINDS MAINT IS UNAWARE OF FLT CREW AIRPLANE MANUAL REQUIREMENT FOR A SPECIAL MAINT INSPECTION OF ENGS OPERATING IN SUCH CONDITIONS WITHOUT PERIODIC RUN-UPS TO SHED POSSIBLE COMPRESSOR ICE BUILDUP.

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RPTR WAS CONDUCTING LINE CHK AND OBSERVED SEVERE WINTER OPS AT DEN ON ARR. WE WERE UNABLE TO TAXI TO GATE DUE TO VISIBILITY AND ICE AND BLOCKED GATE FOR APPROX 80 MINS AFTER TOUCHDOWN. BRAKING ACTION WAS POOR ON ALL SURFACES; ESPECIALLY RAMP. IT WAS DECIDED THAT ENG RUN-UPS WERE ILL ADVISED IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCE; ESPECIALLY WHEN SOME ACFT WERE RPTING THAT THEY WERE SKIDDING ON RAMP; 1 ACFT RPTED A 200 FT SKID! FLT MANUAL DICTATES A RPT TO MAINT WHEN MORE THAN 30 MINS ELAPSE BTWN RUN-UPS SO WE SENT MESSAGE ON ACARS TO MAINT ADVISING SPECIAL ENG INSPECTION WAS REQUIRED. ACARS MESSAGE BOUNCED AS IT TIMED US OUT AS A FLT -- ANOTHER ISSUE. SO CAPT MADE CALL TO MAINT AT GATE WHEN WE EVENTUALLY ARRIVED. CAPT RPTED TO ME THAT MAINT FELT THERE WAS NO SPECIAL INSPECTION REQUIRED; WHICH CLRLY CONTRADICTS THE FLT MANUAL. WE WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT BLADE ICING. I BRIEFED OUTBOUND CAPT ON REQUIREMENT FOR ENG DEICING. I AM UNSURE WHO THE CAPT WAS SPECIFICALLY TALKING TO; BUT MAINT NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS INSPECTION. I FILE THIS FOR AWARENESS PURPOSES.