Article: Long rail shifts too risky, says union

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Long rail shifts too risky, says union

Long rail shifts too risky, says union
April 27, 2012

LIVES will be put at risk if train drivers are forced to work shifts of more than 12 hours, the railway workers union says.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union has called on the National Transport Commission to dump a recommendation that fatigue standards for train drivers in New South Wales be relaxed - currently there is a 12-hour cap on work - to improve flexibility and reduce regulation. The current NSW cap is unique, but Rail, Tram and Bus union national secretary Bob Nanva said it should be extended nationwide as part of the move to have a single national rail regulator.

''Our concern is that uniform legislation across Australia should raise standards across Australia rather than reducing them to the lowest common denominator,'' he told the ABC.

In December 2009, federal and state governments agreed to implement a national rail regulator, which included fatigue risk management.

Ministers will discuss recommendations from the commission on May 18.

The union has cited a Monash and Sydney university analysis that found removing shift limits was ''potentially dangerous''.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/long-rail-shifts-too-risky-says-union-20120426-1xo0y.html

[HappyTrainGuy]

I guess it also depends on how their shifts are worked out too ie breaks between operating services.

[colinw]

ATO systems don't care how long the shift is, nor do they join unions. 

[SurfRail]

ATO systems don't care how long the shift is, nor do they join unions. 

Not until the technological singularity happens and the robots rise up and liberate themselves from enslavement. 

[colinw]

ATO systems don't care how long the shift is, nor do they join unions. 

Not until the technological singularity happens and the robots rise up and liberate themselves from enslavement. 

For about 3 milliseconds until the independent watchdog hits the reset line