Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Total 2480; Flight Crew Type 780
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Procedure; Human Factors; Aircraft
I've been making these reports for the loaders more often than usual lately. This was a typical day trip with a full load of passengers. When I received the cargo load report it said 53 Normal bags and 4 heavy. The Captain asked if it was all below the line and the person stated 'Yes' it was below the line. I have a personal limit of 45 bags; from personal experience; that I will go ensure it's all below the fire line (2' of clearance).I went down to the ramp and opened the closed forward cargo bin. When I opened the bin I could immediately see that the cargo was touching the top of the bin (therefore not 2'!). I asked the ramp person that provided me the cargo load report to come over and he did; I then asked if he verified that the cargo was in fact below the fire suppression line before telling us (the flight crew) that it was all below. He stated 'No' he did not check. I pointed out the first bag that was clearly touching the top of the bin and he went for the loader without hesitation. I took several pictures; some after we had already moved bags. We would move a group of bags and I would see that one's behind it also touched the top/protruded into the fire line. I had them correct the issue by putting the bags in the center of the compartment that was nearly empty. Usually this is the place the baggage handler sits; but should really be used for what it's for; cargo! We corrected the issue and pushed on time.This has got to stop! This new year I have already seen multiple issues. I've started to tell rampers that if there are more than 45 bags the rest need to go in the back so that I can stop going down for inspections when it's time to push. This has already worked 2 times. I feel like we need to create a procedure to where over 45 bags they have to put the remainder in the back. If they end up having some incredibly high baggage count they can fill both bins fully but they better be below the line! I'll keep doing these reports until the problem is solved. I know enough about cargo from my other job that if you get a fire; you don't want to eliminate the chance of putting it out because of some baggage handler that was lazy.
EMB-175 First Officer reported that he routinely finds that baggage has been loaded above the fire line in the forward baggage compartment and must be redistributed to be in compliance. The baggage handlers always state that the baggage is below the line when asked but do not actually check.