Any foreign object can be Foreign Object Debris if it has the potential to cause Foreign Object Damage. Rags, pens, tools, coins, wire scraps, parts, clipboards, gloves, caps, nuts, bolts, cups, eyeglasses, tape, staples, paperclips, cameras, hairpins, keys, glasses cases, paper, phones, badges, bottles – if it can move from one place to another, it can be FOD.
Liquids, such as goop, grease, paint, solvents, cleaners, and beverages qualify as FOD if spilled accidentally, applied temporarily but not cleaned off afterward, or produces droplets that take on a life of their own. Likewise fine particles, such as dust, sand, and dirt.
Plants, animals, insects, birds and even humans, not to mention what they might leave behind, become FOD if they are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Common sources of FOD in Manufacturing Environments
By-products from fabrication such as metal shavings or slag from welding:
Small parts and hardware used during assembly:
Tools and bits used during the production process:
