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.

                                                                                                 

Source: www.indianrailways.gov.in

[http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/mec_engg/downloads/Traction/2012/SPAD_meeting.pdf]