Re: guard/driver training (was: "Olympic Sprint Platform - Lidcombe")

[craigd@lios.apana.org.au (C. Dewick)]

In <37395873.534D@efs.mq.edu.au> Eddie Oliver <eoliver@efs.mq.edu.au> writes:

>> The same silly situation exists with the NSW DOT who are responsible for
>> administering the NSW Rail Safety Act,and acrediting organizations to operate
>> trains even though Im pretty sure that NSW DOT have no qualified
>> drivers,safeworking inspectors etc.

>Considering that DOT have personnel whose previous lives included
>positions with titles such as Chief Operations Inspector, Chief
>Inspector Safeworking etc., perhaps you might reconsider that statement
>unless you are speaking in the most narrow sense of whether they hold
>current certification issued by authorities to whom they are not
>responsible - which would surely be absurd. I would regard them as
>amongst the most highly qualified people in Australia in any ordinary
>sense of the word 'qualified'.

I have to second Eddie's remarks, since one of the people working high-up in
the rail safety division of DoT was my training instructor when I first
learnt safeworking prior to my appointment at Enfield as a trainee driver in
August 1990! He was a very experienced driver before being seconded to the
then Railway Training College (now ART) at Petersham.

DoT staff tend to be extremely knowledgable, and sure there are probably
some people there who are less operationally-aware than others (as is always
the case in any transport organisation), but so far I haven't come across
any of these people.

The less-worldly people always leave a more lasting impression that those
who are better at their jobs. Just look at all the drivers, guards, etc. who
have bad reputations as a testimony to the 'bad news travels further fast'
rule of thumb.

Regards,

Craig.

-- 
            Craig Ian Dewick            |       Stand clear - jaws closing
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