FOD - Foreign Objects Damage!

Welcome and thank you for your commitment to the Prevention of Foreign Object Damage, not least for taking the time to read through this page.

All personnel at RAF Valley, from the Station Commander down, have a responsibility for the safety of ourselves and those around us within our work place. The safe operation of our aircraft is the pinnacle of our business whatever our day to day job, and a small effort towards FOD prevention can make all the difference.

During the financial year 02/03, Foreign Object Damage cost the MOD £35 M in costly repairs to aeroengines, plus the cost of a Sea Harrier aircraft, plus the immeasurable cost of 1 human life.

When an item that shouldn't have been there--a foreign object--causes aircraft or support equipment damage, it's classified as FOD. "Foreign objects" is a term that includes just about anything that "doesn't belong," like tools, test equipment, scraps of safety wire, extra washers, or personal items--like pocket change--that get left behind during the performance of a job. FOD can easily damage jet engines, jam critical control mechanisms or short circuit electrical components.

"Counting the cost of FOD"

Control of personal equipment--hats, pens, pencils, coins, line badges and the like--is especially important since these items aren't subject to the same organizational accountability standards as tools, tech data and other equipment. Landing gear safety pins ingested by a running jet engine; a socket wrench jammed in a flight control bell crank mechanism; a stray piece of safety wire that shorts out a circuit breaker panel: All of these scenarios represent Foreign Object Damage (FOD) that could wreak havoc on combat or training missions.

Get involved with FOD prevention and help keep Valley a FOD free and safe place to work.