Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 82; Flight Crew Total 15965; Flight Crew Type 3028
Situational Awareness
Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown; No Specific Anomaly Occurred Unwanted Situation
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Airport; Procedure
Deice in PIT is unsafeDeice in PIT done by [the FBO] on the general aviation deice pad near taxiways N and N5. Deice for other[s]; that I could see; was done by another vendor on either deice pad E or C.The short story is that the deice pad we are expected to use is just big enough to park [our aircraft] only if the pad was clear and unobstructed. When we arrived; the pad was unplowed; with no markings available. Lighting is poor. There were two deice trucks; one facing east and one west; with what appeared to be perhaps 125% of our wingspan between them. It's difficult to judge distance at night in the snow on a poorly lit ramp with lights facing us - but it was WAY too close. There is no specified aircraft operation zone. Were the vehicles in that zone? Who knows? Add that braking values on the ATIS were 3/3/3; and the ramp appears to slope slightly downward to the north.We did get the east-facing truck to back up so we could get parked; to do this I had to make a 120 degree turn (roughly from N5 into the ramp; I was able to widen out a bit) on this snow-covered; unplowed (and therefore unmarked) ramp. There are NO WINGWALKERS provided here - it's all on your own with only the driver and sprayer in the truck on duty as far as we could see. With a corporate jet; the building; and then a fence all within less than a wingspan this is simply unacceptable.To leave this deice pad; I had to add power to get through the unplowed snow. Notice that there was a building less than 150 feet behind me; and possibly the corporate jet there too although I think we got turned enough to not endanger them.While the folks in the deice truck were very professional; we did have to prompt them for the fluid type; etc. On the initial call to let us know they were done they only told us that the deice and anti-ice steps started 'x' minutes ago.We got it done. I'm only moderately sure in hindsight that it was safe enough. I can't be sure that when we got deiced we were completely off the taxiways. I am certain that if this setup continues someone will hit something. Why we don't use the vendor that *others* use is beyond me.
Captain reported that the deicing location had several safety hazards; including no wing-walkers; poor lighting and unplowed snow on the surface.