Get your clock at CompleteMyspace.com
Minutes of the meeting regarding
SPAD held on 12.06.2012
Government of India
Ministry of Railways (Railway Board)
No.2004/M/(L)/466/7101 New Delhi
dated 14.06.2012
General Managers,
All Indian Railways.
Sub: Minutes of the meeting
regarding SPAD held on 12.06.2012.
Kindly find enclosed a copy of the Minutes of
the meeting regarding SPAD held in Railway Board on 12.06.2012. All Zonal
Railways should make efforts to implement the above to ensure safety and to
bring down cases of SPAD on IR. Each Zonal Railways should also upload its
presentation on the SMDMS site so that it can be accessed by all concerned.
(S.M. Sharma)
Dir.Mech.Engg.
(Traction)
Railway
Board.
Minutes of the meeting on SPAD held
in Railway Board on 12.06.2012. The meeting was attended by CME/Dy.CME
(Operations) of all Zonal Railways along with one Inspector from predominantly
diesel divisions of IR. CRB, MM and AMME addressed the participants and
sensitized them on the issue of safety in train operations. During the
interactive session, the following good suggestions were given by the Zonal
Railways:
A. Suggestions
pertaining to Locomotive:
1. There is a need
to have a uniform cab design one for diesel locos and another for electric
locos. It is essential that the location of A9 and SA9 is the same. It will be
useful if standard colour coding can be done for A9 and SA9 on all locos. The
low control stand design is useful because both the LP and ALP can see each other
and communicate freely.
2. There is a need
to improve the condition of driving cabs by making them sound proof and
ergonomic and to relocate the horn so that the sound level is within limits.
Cab should also be made air-conditioned.
3. The VCD operational cases
should be analysed and crew counselled.
4. An USB port
should be provided in the speed recorders so that the events can be analysed at
the lobby itself and this will ensure that the crew is vigilant.
5. A device has
been provided by GOC shed of SR by which a switch can be activated during
shunting operations and this ensures that the speed does not exceed 15 kmph.
6. Provision of
voice recorders in the cab for recording the shortcomings and calling out of
signals.
7. Loco Pilot
seat’s quality should be improved with back rest provision.
B. Suggestions
pertaining to rest facilities:
1. Proper
resting facility should be provided in the lobby so that the crew is fresh
inspite of PDD.
2. Breathalyser should be
made part of the CMS and the sign on menu should only come up once the
breathalyser testing has been found to be fit.
3. Provision of
subsidized meal should be made mandatory so that the crew does not waste time
and can avail proper rest.
4. Calendar day
rest should be provided to running staff instead of 22/30 hrs. rest so that
they may fulfil their family and social obligations.
C.
Suggestions pertaining to operations:
1. Retro-reflective Board
indicating the type of signal with arrow towards the relevant line should be
provided in each signal post. In case, there are more than 2 lines, the signal
post of additional line should be of different colour. The name of the station
should be written on the signal posts of the station signal.
2. The numbering
is signals should be in reducing orders from distant to the home so that there
is uniformity in numbering and the driver is sure that the same signal
number is for a particular signal on each station.
3. Presently the
validity of LR is six months which is too long. If a train crew has not gone on
a section for more than one month, then one day and one night LR should be
provided.
4. The length of
trains have increased, new clear standing room (CSR) of 692 meters should be
maintained instead of 686 meters so that starter signal is clear visible from
the cab.
5. Long hours of
crew should be minimized by providing relief. Railway should make arrangements
for hiring road vehicles to ensure the above.
6. Links should be
made in such a way so that there are not more than2/3 continuous night duties.
Also efforts should be made that the running staff is not made to perform
more than 6 hours duty during 2200-0600 hours.
7. The state of
mind of the LP should be seen by the CCC/LI especially if there has been a
mishap or he is joining duties after a long period of absence. In case of any
doubt, he should not be booked on superfast trains.
8. The crew should
be counselled not to work under pressure since he has to operate the train at
Maximum Permissible Speed now that the concept of booked speed is no longer
there. Safety has to be given priority over punctuality.
9. Proper
time-tabling has to be ensured so that margin for acceleration/deceleration is
available depending on the load and gradients and there should be a concept of
loco recovery in the WTT.
10. Monitoring and
foot plating with shutters will also ensure that no shortcuts are undertaken in
the yards. LPS should also be provided walkie-talkie to assist in shunting
operations.
11. Circulars on
safety, etc. should also be issued in regional languages so that crew can
easily understand them.
12. The crew
should be given a feedback by SMS on the unusual occurrences reported by
him while signing off.
13. Driver should
only work on one traction i.e. diesel or electrical.
14. A unified
G&SR should be published for all Indian Railways.
15. S&T
department should issue a signal booklet and if any change in the location of
signal correction slip should be issued and circulated to all lobbies.
16. The rest at HQ
and outstation should be liberalized. A crew on 6 hr. outstation rest should be
served call book after completing rest i.e. 6 hours + 2 hours =8 hours.
17. Efforts should
be make to reduce the anxiety of the running staff. A train should not be put
back 2-3 times. The Power controls should be equipped with control charting
terminals so that they can monitor the actual train running and call the crew
accordingly.
18. Those sections
should be identified where normally running duties are exceeding more than 10 hours
and preventive action should be taken to minimize these running duties.
19. Other ZR’s LI
should foot plate on other zones so that wrong practices of that zone may be
highlighted and corrective actions should be taken.
20. Whenever a
train has been stopped at a station for a long time for crossing or path,
before departure the LP should talk to the ASM and Guard to reconfirm that the
signal for his train has been lowered. The ASM should also inform the LP and
Guard regarding above.
21. PME of the
running staff should be streamlined and criteria should also be modified and
the mental fitness should also be part of the same.
22. The caution order issued
by the station should also include permanent speed restrictions. The ER Board
should also indicate the speed of the upcoming caution so as to pre warn the
driver.
23. Shunting order
(T-806) should be given for shunting operations so that no shortcuts or unsafe
practices are undertaken.
D.
Suggestions pertaining to training:
1. Whenever new
technology is fitted on locomotives, seminar should be organized in the
training centre and the instructor should also be trained so that they can
impart the correct knowledge to crew.
2. Low cost
simulators should be provided at all lobbies so that the crew can utilize their
free time when they are waiting for the train.
3. New technology
like CCB has been introduced on locomotives. Provision for simulation based on
CCB should also be there in the new simulator.
4. Norms for
sanction of LIs for monitoring of ALP should also be prescribed.
5. Normally crews pass the
training with 60% marks which implies that they may not be conversant with 40%
of the syllabus. In the training institutes the answers of the questions should
be discussed after the examination has been conducted so that the crew is aware
of all the aspects.
6. The yardstick
of LIs should be reviewed to have a sanction for monitoring etc.
Preferably 25% LIs should be selected by promoting mail pilots.
7. At present,
different railways are following different systems for monitoring of A/B &
C category drivers. Since A category driers are being monitored once in 3
months on many railways, this is an incentive to the LIs to give A category to
maximum drivers so that their workload is reduced. It is essential that
sufficient ambush check should be carried out on A category Loco Pilots.
8. Once a month,
each LP should be available during the day time in HQ so that proper
counselling and monitoring can be undertaken.
E. Misc.
suggestions:
1. The signal
sighting committees at supervisor level are not effective. Even the officer
level committees conduct the inspection on mail/express and only sighting of
signals on the main line is addressed whereas those on the platform, loop lines
go unattended.
2. Since in most
of the SPAD cases drivers above 55 years are involved, the retirement age of
LPs should be reduced to 55 years or they should be made CC/PRC/LI if they want
to continue beyond 55 years. Another suggestion included making them Super LP.
3. The maximum duty hours of
mail/express drivers should be reduced to 6 hours as they encounter one signal
every minute on an average during their run.
4. NCR has started
the system of making the pass/PTO/Leave etc. available at the lobby itself by
providing a suitable drop box in which the running staff can drop their
request. This saves a lot of time he can avail his rest at home station.
5. Instructions exist on NER
that mobile phone should not be used by a foot plating official as this
distracts the LP and there was a case of SPAD due to this very reason.
6. 100% housing
should be provided to drives as they are residing upto 50-60 kms. Away from
their station of posting and are taking a lot of time in commuting. They are
unable to get more than 10-12 hours of rest even at the home station when they
are provided 16 hr. rest.
7. The fitness of
running staff should be reviewed before any promotion and also after they have attained
an age of 50 years. A psychological test should also be conducted to assess
their fitness level and reaction time.
8. Families of
running staff to be counselled by LIs on ill effect of inadequate rest,
alcoholism etc.
9. The WLI
should take note of the issues raised by the running staff and should
follow them up. He should also maintain a record of such issues noted and
resolved. A feedback to the running staff via SMS will also be good.
10. Crew which
reports after leave/sickness/training should be booked after 6 hrs instead of
odd hours. Changes should also be made in CMS.
11. Timely crew
review should be done to creation of posts. DRM should be empowered to sanction
the post.
12. CC/PRC cadre
should be permanent instead of drafted CC/PRC for better controlling and
monitoring of crew and train.
13. Since, most of
the SPAD cases have occurred after the crew has availed HQ rest, the monitoring
of LI should also be done on the first trip of a crew after having availed rest.
14. The
materialization factor of crew is about 40% i.e. the number of crew indented to
the number of crew who are finally available on foot plate. The indenting
should therefore be 2.5 times of the vacancy.
15. Joint signal
sighting over all ZRs should be done especially confusing signals and remedial
action should be taken.
16. The drivers
should be provided protection from being arrested in case of accidents or run
over of animals as this cases anxiety and increases the stress level of
drivers.
