Re: Independent Review of Rail Safety Arrangements in Australia

[Bill <billguest@the.net.nz>]

And not just the FRA! The NTSB gives the FRA a solid wake-up call from time to
time too!

Bill

Exnarc wrote:

> DOO is a safeworking issue as rules must provide for Driver Only Operation
> as the minimum basic criteria, however minimum and maximum shifts for
> drivers is more an Occ Health and Safety issue.
>
> What we need in this country (IMO) is a US type FRA to regulate the carriers
> to prevent things like 32 hour shifts, one of our US owned roads was
> documented on one occasion of being guilty of this in Australia, (there is
> no dead hog 12 hour law here).
>
> I've worked long shifts many times in the past, being rostered 11 hour
> shifts is one thing, but do half a dozen back to back and you start to know
> what a Zombie feels like.
>
> Fatigue is the the most dangerous problem on Australia's railways at the
> moment, this coupled by corporate policies that see profit before safety and
> you have a lethal combination.
>
> Bob.