Commercial Fixed Wing
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
While maintenance was servicing the #2 engine; they had a red placard in the cockpit panel telling anyone in the cockpit the plane was being repaired and do not operate. The out bound crew removed the placard and proceeded to do their check list. When they turned on the fuel pumps the #2 engine started to pour fuel all over the ramp causing a large fuel spill. If a mechanic had been under the engine; he would have been covered in fuel.
A ramp service employee reported the flight crew disregarded a maintenance-in-progress placard and began to operate systems as called for in the preflight checklist.