SHUNTING ACCIDENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 109, 8 April 1926, Page 2

SHUNTING ACCIDENTS

RECENT INQUIRY. REPORT BY THE BOARD. LENGTH OF SHIFTS RECOMMENDED. The report of tlio board set up to inquire into tho great number of shunting accidents a while back has been prepared. Tho board of four commenced its sittings on July 16, 1925, and conducted a full inquiry into all matters coming within tho order of reference, inspecting shunting yards and facilities at stations throughout New Zealand, besides taking evidence at all important stations. Tho board presents - a summary of tho accidents for ten years ended June, 1925, which shows that of HO!) accidents, 40 wero fatal and 30 serious. Of tho fatal accidents, in 14 cases members of tlio staff wero knocked down by moving vehicles or engines and eight wero caused through slipping or jumping off wagons or cowcatchers of engines, the others being duo to various onuses. Only one fatal and two minor aceidents were duo to slip shunting ol wagons and ono serious and ten minor accidents duo to tail roping for Inn years prior to tho fatal i.eciclent which occurred to Shunter Carniiclniel at I’almerston North on August. 3, 1925.

EXPERIENCE AND CARE N EE DEI).

This shows I hut with experienee and cure, I lie work m not dangerous. Tho frequent fatal accidents oi lute are not due lo changed conditions or work, lull, in I lie majority of eases to errors of judgment. It had been stated in evidence that a contributing cause of the accidents was the employment of inexperienced men ill tlio shunting yards. This, says the hoard, may he true in some respects, hut it is a significant iact that during the war years, when the stall’ was at a. low ebb and there was a shortage ol experienced men, the average number of fatal accidents per veer was lowor than for the years following 1918. In 1919 no fatal accident occurred. In recent years, tho numerous promotions and resignations and tlio iricreaso in staff required to handle tho increased business has ill certain directions impaired the working efficiency in some of tho shunting yards, and these frequent changes, together with tlio placing of some men in shunting yards who wero insufficiently alert or temperamentally unfitted tor tho work, constituting a danger to themselves and their workmates, had to a certain extent contributed to a number of accidents in recent years. Shunting requires to bo performed with reasonable quickness and even under tho very best conditions a member employed at this work is liable to make a miscalculation or slip and ho seriously injured or killed. 'The board is of opinion that only men who aro physically active and mentally alert should ho placed in tho shunting yards. The majority of tho men at present carrying out the work possess these qualifications. THE UNSUITABLE MEN. To this portion of the report, tlio Railway Board, which has examined the document, says that investigations aro now being made to determine which men are unsuitable and to have these men transferred to duties compatible with their qualifications. The Inquiry Board goes at length into tho question of the' length of shifts. It says that during the busy season long hours wero worked at somo of tho stations and considers that this should bo avoided where possible. It considers the six-hour day too costly and the seven-hour day impracticable. Seven and a-lialf hour shifts should apply at Auckland, Frankton, Marton, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Wellington, Lyttelton, Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, Invercargill and Greymouth. where tho shunting work is of an arduous nature.

Tlio number of men in the shunting gangs is generally satisfactory, with few exceptions, providing no men aro withdrawn for other duties, a practico which prevails at a number of places, and this should be avoided wliero possible. NO SPEEDING UP. Very few complaints were received from shunters in regard to the timo allowed for tho making up of trains, and there appeared to be no justification for tho statements made in newspapers that the speeding up of the express trains had speeded up the shunting work. Tho supervision of tho work has generally been found to bo sufficient. Tlio control of tlio shunting work, with the exception of Palmerston North, has generally been found to bo satisfactory. LIGHTING OF YARDS.

Tho lighting of shunting yards, with few exceptions, the board found to bo fairly good, and where the electo bo fairly good, and where tile tlcetric light has been installed it lias considerably improved working conditions. "When the additional lights recommended havo been placed in position and tho lighting programme completed one of tho most serious complaints in regard to the conditions will havo been removed. Gas lighting in yards is generally unsatisfactory. In somo cases it was noticed that the lights wero not placed to the best advantage, and the board considers that in future, when new lights are being installed, members conversant with tho working of tho yards should bo consulted.

On the subject of the layout and the proposed layout of shunting yards, the board says: “Although tlio layout of a number of tlio shunting yards is good, tho majority of them aro not effective for quick handling of traffic. This has been brought about in some cases by patching tho yards instead of necoiiistructing them, which results in waggons having to be handled several times, with a consequent delay to tho work and traffic and increased operating costs. The main difficulty experienced at the various centres is tho lack of sufficient siding accommodation and the want of long roads for receiving and despatching trains. Tho traffic has outgrown the capacity of the yards at somo centres and at other places the roads aro too short to accommodato tho Jong trains ivow handled. Tho congested areas at some of tlio yards and the want of suitably arranged accommodation for handling tho waggons has increased tho difficulty of tho shunters and tho risk of accident.” FACILITIES NEEDED.

“Tlio demand for tho quicker handling of goods makes it eaential that the. facilities should provide for the handling of the traffic through tho shunting yards with the least effort and the greatest speed. A number of accidents has occurred through wagons running back or stopping foul after being kicked off into tho different

roads. "When new yards arc being designed tlio grades should, if possible, bo so fixed that the Vagons will gravitate from either end of tho yard toward tho centre. In the larger yards the shunting• layout should bo such that all operations can bo carried out without fouling tho crossing loop or main lino. Tho clearance from the shunting ladder or leg to the adjoining siding, in which space shunters work, should be at least 15 feet, and car sidings should be spaced at l2 feet centres. Before additions or alterations to tho layout of a yard aro made, tho yard staff should bo consulted.” FOOT RESTS ON ENGINES. Tho board observed that a number of tlio foot rests on which shunters stand on tho engines aro worn smooth with tho result that the men are liable to slip. These foot rests should bo kept jagged. , ~ , Tho Railway Board remarks that action is being taken to improve tho foot rests. The Inquiry Board reports that ono of tho greatest risks in shunting in New Zealand is the need for hand coupling and uncoupling. Of BG9 accidents in ten years, 214 of them, principally minor accidents, were duo to employees going between vehicles for the purposo of attending to tho couplings. They recommend that tho designing of a mechanical device, which would minimise tho need for men going between vehicles should be investigated. . Tho board favours first aid tuition for raihvaymen, and considers that men should bo paid at the maximum rate for timo spent in charge,of a regular shunting engine and shunting engine gang. •