Aircraft: FOD Control is a Must

Photo by Master Sgt. Mark Olsen
 

Foreign object debris (FOD) is the culprit behind foreign object damage (FOD) to aircraft. In the rest of this article, FOD will be used to refer only to foreign object debris. 

FOD can come from the most unsuspecting places, like a pebble stuck in the sole of your boots, hardware that’s been left behind after maintenance or just general debris not cleaned up. Other examples of FOD include cotter pins, clippings, hardware, pieces of safety wire and tools. Soldiers are the first line of defense against foreign object damage.

Preventing unwanted damage begins with reading Army Regulation 385-10, The Army Safety Program (Feb 17). Another great resource is the Jun 20 issue of Flightfax 90. Check out the article titled, What is FOD? (a PDF version is attached underneath the Share and Print icons below). It’ll help you:

• conduct regular foreign object debris walks.
• prevent costly damage to aircraft.
• perform foreign object debris sweeps with ground equipment.
• maintain clean and orderly work areas to ensure a safe and FOD-free environment.
• be aware of what’s on the ground around you at all times when the aircraft rotors or propellers are turning.
• emphasize your foreign object damage program with training, involvement and teamwork.

Get the facts on foreign object debris and damage and other safety issues from the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center website: