Train Drivers Must Be Healthy-2

8/3/2019 Train Drivers Must Be Healthy-2

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TIMEBOMB DRIVER Waterfall rail accident

The Waterfall railaccident was a train

accident that occurredon 31 January 2003near Waterfall, NewSouth Wales, Australia.The train derailed killingseven people on board,including the traindriver. .

7/17/2011 PRABAGARAN MUNIANDY 1


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TIMEBOMB DRIVER Incident: On the day of the disaster, a Tangara intercity train service, set G7,

which had come from Central Station at 6:24 am, departedWaterfall railway station heading south towards Port KemblaStation via Wollongong. At approximately 7:15 am, the driversuddenly suffered a heart attack and lost control of the train.Consequently, the train was travelling at 117 km/h (73 mph) as itapproached a curve in the tracks through a small gorge. This curveis rated for speeds up to 60 km/h (37 mph). The train derailed,overturned and collided with the rocky walls of the gorge in aremote area south of the station. It was reported that rescuers had

to carry heavy lifting equipment for more than one and a halfkilometres to reach the site. Two of the carriages landed on theirside and another two were severely damaged in the accident. Inaddition to the seven fatalities, many more passengers wereinjured.



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TIMEBOMB DRIVER The subsequent official inquiry

discovered the deadman's brakehad not been applied. It was putforth by the train guard's solicitorthat the guard was in a

microsleep for up to 30 secondsjust prior to the accident. Theexperienced human-factorsaccident investigator determinedthe organizational culture putthe driver firmly in charge,making it psychologically moredifficult for the guard to act. Theguard in question had a history ofnot responding well to stress andrefused to be interviewed by theinvestigator.



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TIMEBOMB DRIVER The train was later found to

be travelling in excess of117 km/h (73 mph) as itapproached the 60 km/h

(37 mph) curve where theaccident occurred. Neitherthe deadman's brake northe guard had intervenedin this situation and thisexcessive speed was found

to be the direct cause ofthe accident. Training oftrain staff was also foundto be a contributing factorin the accident.



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TIMEBOMB DRIVER What is Microsleep A microsleep is an episode ofsleep which may

last for a fraction of a second or up to thirty

seconds. It often occurs as a result ofsleepdeprivation, or mental fatigue, sleep apnea,hypoxia, narcolepsy, or hypersomnia.

Microsleeps can occur at any time, typicallywithout significant warning. In the middle of even

lively conversations, the onset of a microsleepepisode can cause sufferers to 'suddenly' lose thethread of a conversation.



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Microsleeps (or microsleep episodes) become extremelydangerous when occurring during situations which demandcontinual alertness, such as driving a motor vehicle orworking with heavy machinery. People who experience

microsleeps usually remain unaware of them, insteadbelieving themselves to have been awake the whole time,or feeling a sensation of 'spacing out'.

One example is called "gap driving": from the perspectiveof the driver, he or she drives a car, and then suddenlyrealizes that several seconds have passed by unnoticed. It is

not obvious to the driver that he was asleep during thosemissing seconds, although this is in fact what happened.The sleeping driver is at very high risk for having anaccident during a microsleep episode.

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Many accidents and catastrophies have resulted frommicrosleep episodes in these circumstances. For example, amicrosleep episode is claimed to have been one factorcontributing to the Waterfall train disaster in 2003; the

driver had a heart attack and the guard who should havereacted to the train's increasing speed is said by his defenderto have microslept.

There is little agreement on how best to identify microsleepepisodes. Some experts define microsleep according tobehavioral criteria (head nods, drooping eyelids, etc.), while

others rely on EEG markers. One study at the University ofIowa defined EEG-monitored microsleeps in driving simulationas "a 3-14 second episode during which 4-7 Hz (theta) activityreplaced the waking 8-13 Hz (alpha) background rhythm.

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TIMEBOMB DRIVERRECOMENDATION

All CityRail trains now have an additional safety feature, fitted

since the accident. As well as the deadman handle and footpedal, the driver is now required to acknowledge a vigilance

button. If the train's driver does not use the controls and does

not acknowledge the vigilance alarm, the vigilance system is

activated and makes a penalty brake application. All trains

have also been fitted with data loggers that record thedriver's and guard's actions as they work the train, as well as

the train's speed.



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Rescue workers who attended the scene wereimpeded from accessing the trappedpassengers on the train as they did not have

the keys required to open the emergency exitdoors. Emergency exit mechanisms have allbeen modified to allow them to be used withoutrequiring a key. Railcorp has installed internalemergency door release mechanisms on allthe new trains.



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Automatic Train Protection could have preventedthis accident. Railcorp has tested ATP systems onthe Blue Mountains line west of Penrith, and plans

for ATP implementation across the CityRailnetwork are being formulated.CityRail/RailCorp has Incorporated emergencydoor releases (EDR) on the insides of the newWaratah Trains as a result of the inquiries to this

disaster, enabling passengers open the doorsthemselves in case of an emergency

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Train Drivers Must Be Healthy-2