Safety is not optional

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A message for the members of the SRUT from Øystein Aslakse, chair of the ITF's railway section

Dear colleagues,

When reading the summary of the verdict that stated that the labour court looked upon the dead man’s handle (also known as a dead man’s switch) as a “supplementary device” I was stunned. Never in my 35 years career as a locomotive driver and safety instructor have I heard anything like it. In my country, Norway, checking the dead man’s handle is a very important point in the checklist a locomotive driver has to sign before a locomotive leaves the depot. It is absolutely forbidden to leave the depot with a faulty safety device, and a driver doing this would be sacked.

Why is it like this? Because no matter how vigilant you are, or how determined to drive the train in a safe way, sooner or later you are likely to make a mistake. Human beings do. That is why modern safety thinking always demands at least one fail safe device in addition to the human vigilance of the driver. The dead man’s handle is such a device and it is not supplementary, it is fundamental. In many other countries in addition to this, you also have a third basic barrier, an Automatic Train Protection system. This system prevents the train from passing a signal set at red or travelling too fast if for some reason the driver fails to comply with the restrictions. A modern radio-based communication system between the control posts and the locomotive drivers is in many countries a fourth technical barrier.

In my opinion, the statement that the safety device is only supplementary is a way for management and the state to excuse themselves for not having invested in the available safety technology or for not maintaining already existing devices. Instead it appears that they are prepared to let drivers and other safety-related staff take the blame when accidents happen.

As railway workers we know that this is not only about the safety of railway staff, but also about the safety of passengers. The management should also understand that the success and future of rail is highly dependent upon the quality of the service provided, in particular that it is a safe service.

I very much approve of - and admire - your taking on the responsibility of maintaining safety standards, even as management appears to be shirking that responsibility. In this you have the support of all the unions within the ITF’s ranks!

In solidarity and respect

Øystein Aslaksen,
Chair ITF railway section

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