What it means
FOD stands for foreign object debris. In aviation it means anything loose where it doesn't belong: a bolt, a bit of strap, a bottle cap, a glove, a piece of pavement. Jet engines can swallow it. Tires can pick it up. Wind can throw it.
The same word is used in manufacturing and maintenance shops. A dropped fastener in an assembly, a rag left in a housing or a washer in a gearbox is FOD too. The risk is the same. Something small ends up where it can do large damage.
FOD control is mostly habit. Pick it up. Count your tools. Walk the area. Report what you can't remove.
Why it matters
A small object can damage an engine or jam a machine, and the repair costs far more than the walk that would have found it. A crew that picks up what it sees is the cheapest defense on the ramp.
What it looks like on a site
- Crews do a scheduled FOD walk of the ramp or work area, often at shift start, and write down what they find.
- Tool control: tools are counted out and counted back in on the job.
- FOD bins are placed where debris is likely, and they get emptied.
- Anyone who sees debris picks it up or reports it, no matter whose job it is.
- Debris that came off an aircraft or a machine is reported, not just thrown away.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current rule and your own procedures. Back to the glossary