Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors
IMPROPER REFUELING OF AIRCRAFT IN LGAAt the gate in LGA; we got an indication that the nose door had been opened. I directed the First Officer (FO) to go out and see what was going on. FO discovered that the fueler had grounded the fuel truck to the grounding port in the nose gear bay. The FO told the fueler to stop fueling operations and to bond the fuel truck to the aircraft at the appropriate bonding port under the wing. The fueler stated that bonding and grounding were the same thing on his truck and that he didn't have the appropriate bonding adapter anyways. The FO instructed him again to cease fueling operations. The FO and I then discussed the situation to determine our next course of action. I went out to speak to the fueler to find that he had ignored our instructions and had already finished fueling the plane.This is an extremely dangerous situation. The FAA is very clear that 'Grounding during aircraft fueling is not allowed'. (SNFPA 407 Standards for Aircraft Fuel Servicing/Fuel Safety Training).By not equalizing the electric potential between the fuel truck and aircraft fuel components; a risk of static discharge is greatly increased. Equalization of potential cannot be accomplished by attaching a wire at the aircraft grounding port; as it is not connected to the aircraft's fuel components.Properly train and certify personnel conducting aircraft refueling operations.
Regional Jet Captain reported their fueler did not follow proper grounding procedures.