B737 CAPTAIN REPORTS BOARDING LATE ARRIVING MEALS THROUGH THE 1L DOOR AFTER THE JETWAY HAS BEEN REMOVED AND THE INABILITY OF THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT TO CLOSE THE DOOR AFTER CATERING DEPARTURE.

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WE WERE JUST ABOUT TO PUSH BACK FOR DEP WHEN I SAW A MAN APPROACH THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT WITH AN 'A' FRAME LADDER ON WHEELS. HE PUT THE LADDER UP TO THE SIDE OF THE ACFT; WHICH CONCERNED ME SO I OPENED MY SLIDING WINDOW. HE WAS BANGING THE SIDE OF THE ACFT TO GET THE FLT ATTENDANT TO OPEN 1L. WHEN I ASKED HIM WHAT HE WAS DOING; HE IDENTED HIMSELF AS SOMEONE FROM THE CATERING COMPANY; AND HE STATED THAT HE HAD SOME MEALS THAT HE HAD TO BOARD. THE JETWAY WAS ALREADY PULLED AWAY FROM THE ACFT AS WE WERE ABOUT TO PUSH. I ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANT TO DISARM AND OPEN 1L SO THAT SHE COULD GET THE MEALS HANDED TO HER. THE FLT ATTENDANT COMPLIED; BUT THE DOOR FULLY OPENED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR FROM INSIDE THE AIRPLANE. THIS LED TO A RAMPER HAVING TO BRING A BELT LOADER UP TO THE SIDE OF THE ACFT WITH A GUARDRAIL UP IN ORDER TO CLOSE 1L. IN HINDSIGHT; I SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED THE MEALS TO BE BOARDED THIS WAY AS THIS IS NOT SAFE. I'M NOT SURE IF IT IS EVEN A LEGAL WAY OF ACCOMPLISHING THIS TASK AS WE HAD PAX ON THE PLANE AND THE JETWAY WAS NOT PULLED UP TO THE ACFT. IF I DID VIOLATE SOP OR FARS; IT WAS CERTAINLY UNINTENTIONAL. SO I'M WRITING THIS RPT SO WE CAN TELL CATERERS TO NEVER APPROACH THE ACFT LIKE THIS WORKER DID; IN ATTEMPT TO GET A FLT ATTENDANT TO OPEN A DOOR WHEN THE JETWAY IS NOT UP TO THE ACFT. I DOUBT IT'S LEGAL TO OPEN THE DOOR WHEN THE JETWAY IS NOT PULLED UP TO THE ACFT. THE FLT ATTENDANT COULD ACCIDENTALLY BLOW A SLIDE; AND THE FLT ATTENDANT COULD LITERALLY FALL TO HIS/HER DEATH IF THEY WERE TO SLIP OR FALL NEAR THE DOOR ENTRY. THE CATERERS SHOULD JUST REQUEST THAT THE JETWAY BE RETURNED TO THE ACFT OR FOREGO PUTTING THE MEALS ON ALTOGETHER. I SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED THEM TO OPEN THE DOOR AND WILL NOT IN THE FUTURE.