FOD Hotspot Map Worksheet
Map where debris is generated, how it travels, and where it accumulates — free form included in the Complete FOD Prevention Program Guide. Get the Free WorksheetQuick answer: FOD does not distribute randomly across a facility — it concentrates in predictable locations based on where debris is generated (sources), where it travels (paths), and where it accumulates (sinks). A hotspot map records these repeat-location patterns and assigns controls to each one. It is Form 04 in the Complete FOD Prevention Program Guide toolkit, referenced in Section 18.
Sources: Where Debris Enters
Tool staging and use areas, maintenance and assembly workstations, packaging and unpacking zones, personnel entry points, vehicle entry points, and facility deterioration points.
Paths: How Debris Travels
Foot traffic routes, vehicle routes (tire transport, aerodynamic redistribution), air currents and HVAC-driven movement, water flow toward drains, and gravity from elevated work.
Sinks: Where Debris Ends Up
Against walls, curbs, and barriers; in corners and alcoves; under equipment and furniture; in drains and floor joints; and in low-traffic zones next to high-traffic routes.
Universal Hotspot List
Each hotspot is both an inspection priority and a container placement candidate.
| Hotspot | Why Debris Concentrates | Inspection Technique |
|---|---|---|
| Tool staging and shadow board areas | Tools handled repeatedly; dropped items; packaging from replacement tools | Inspect the floor in a 6-foot radius around every tool board; look under the board |
| Aircraft and equipment parking spots | Debris falls during maintenance; migrates under tires and into wheel chock areas | Inspect the full parking footprint plus a 10-foot perimeter, especially under engines and landing gear |
| Work benches and assembly stations | Small items fall or are set aside and forgotten; consumables accumulate | Inspect the bench, the floor under and around it, and adjacent horizontal surfaces |
| Doors, thresholds, and transitions | Debris travels with traffic; transition strips trap items | Inspect both sides of every door; check the threshold strip for lodged items |
| Pavement joints and cracks | Debris falls into joints and becomes trapped below the visual surface | Look along joints, not across them; shine a flashlight at an angle |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a hotspot and a general finding?
A hotspot is a location that produces repeat findings over time, identified through pattern analysis of the findings log. A general finding is a single instance of debris that may or may not turn into a recognized pattern.
How is a hotspot map used during a walk?
Walk leaders pause for deliberate, closer inspection at each mapped hotspot during Step 8 of the walkdown execution procedure — edges, drains, joints, under equipment, tool staging, and overhead structures.
What should be recorded on the worksheet?
Each hotspot’s location, why debris concentrates there (source, path, or sink mechanism), the assigned control, and inspection frequency.
Related Forms in the FOD Prevention Toolkit
Daily FOD Walk Checklist
The line-abreast and zone methods used to inspect mapped hotspots.
FOD Collection and Findings Log
The data source for identifying which locations are true hotspots.
FOD Prevention Program Guide
The complete 216-page guide, all 17 forms, and the Excel tracker.
Get the Complete Guide and Toolkit
The Hotspot Map Worksheet is one of 17 free forms included with the 216-page Complete FOD Prevention Program Guide.