Placement Area
Placement areas are where commonly used tools and ground equipment are kept. These are large item such as ladders and nitrogen carts. These items are not checked out to an individual, they are communal.
Because of their size, it would be unrealistic for them to be moved to and from a tool shop, therefore they are placed in a placement area when not in use. A placement area is centrally located for ease of use.
Once a placement area tool is no longer needed it needs to be returned to the placement area.
The FOD Manager along with the floor supervisor will find the best location for a designated placement area. The area must be marked so that it is easily seen by employees. This is generally done with a solid yellow line outlining the area.
Because of the communal nature of placement area tools, there needs to be a designated person(s) identified to ensure the tools are in good working order. This can be done several ways. A sign-off sheet can be located on each tool, and before the tool is used, it needs to be signed by the individual who used it. This signature verifies that the individual checked the tool for issues and deemed it to be serviceable. A sign-off sheet allows management to know who has been using the tool if an issue arises.
Another way is to ensure tool serviceability is to assign individual(s) to check placement area tools prior to the start of a shift. This assignment should be given to those who are around the tools and have a clear understanding of what is considered serviceable and what is not. Again, a sign-off sheet needs to be used to ensure these inspections are being completed.
Communal tools need accountability for a FOD Program’s success. Nuts and bolts can wear and fall off these tools becoming a FOD hazard. It is imperative that communal tools are being inspected regularly to ensure that they do not produce FOD.
