FOD PREVENTION PROGRAM GUIDE · PART VIII: APPENDICES AND REFERENCES
FOD Acronyms and Abbreviations
These FOD acronyms and abbreviations appear throughout foreign object debris programs, from agency names to the category codes used in findings logs. Use this list as a quick reference for walk leaders, auditors and new hires.
Foreign object debris programs borrow vocabulary from aviation, spaceflight, quality management and safety. On top of that, the guide uses short category codes, such as TOOL and HARD, so that every finding in a log can be sorted the same way. The list below follows the acronym chapter of the complete FOD Prevention Program Guide. Definitions of longer terms are in our FOD glossary.
A to F
AOA: Air Operations Area (airport context); Angle of Attack (aerodynamics)
AOG: Aircraft on Ground
CAPA: Corrective and Preventive Action
CONS: Consumable (FOD category code)
D1-D6: Disposition codes
EASA: European Union Aviation Safety Agency
FAA: Federal Aviation Administration
FAC: Facility deterioration (FOD category code)
FOD: Foreign Object Debris / Foreign Object Damage
G to M
GSE: Ground Support Equipment
HARD: Hardware / fasteners (FOD category code)
HAZ: Hazardous material (FOD category code)
HVAC: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization
KSC: Kennedy Space Center
LOX: Liquid Oxygen
MRO: Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul
MSFC: Marshall Space Flight Center
N to Z
NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NAT: Natural debris (FOD category code)
NDT: Non-Destructive Testing
PACK: Packaging (FOD category code)
PART: Suspected part (FOD category code)
PERS: Personal item (FOD category code)
PPE: Personal Protective Equipment
RCA: Root Cause Analysis
ROI: Return on Investment
SMS: Safety Management System
SOP: Standard Operating Procedure
TOOL: Tool / tooling (FOD category code)
UNKN: Unknown (FOD category code)
USAF: United States Air Force
How the Category Codes Are Used
The codes marked as FOD category codes (CONS, FAC, HARD, HAZ, NAT, PACK, PART, PERS, TOOL and UNKN) are the labels used when logging findings, and the D1 to D6 codes record what was done with each finding. Consistent codes are what make trend analysis possible: without them you cannot tell which categories dominate or which zones repeat. The FOD collection and findings log in the free toolkit uses this category structure, and the FOD classification system and FOD finding response and disposition codes articles explain the codes in depth.
To make codes stick, put them where people work. FOD stickers can label bins and tool boards, and FOD signs can carry the classification message for each area. The complete guide includes the full reference chapters and every form in the toolkit. Download the free 216-page FOD guide to get them.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do the FOD category codes mean?
They are short labels used to sort findings in a log, including TOOL for tools, HARD for hardware and fasteners, PERS for personal items, PACK for packaging, NAT for natural debris, CONS for consumables, HAZ for hazardous material, FAC for facility deterioration, PART for a suspected part and UNKN for unknown.
What does FOD stand for?
FOD stands for Foreign Object Debris and also Foreign Object Damage.
What are the D1 to D6 codes?
They are disposition codes, used to record how a FOD finding was handled. The full definitions are in the complete guide.
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