The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1926. SAFETY FIRST—FOR SHUNTERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 9 April 1926, Page 8

The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1926. SAFETY FIRST—FOR SHUNTERS.

In, view of the number of fatal accidents to railwaymen employed in shunting’ operations, tlie report of tho Foard which was set vp to inquire into various aspects of numerous shunting accidents in New Zealand should immediately engage the attention of the administrative heads of the Railway Department. The Board reports: That tho figures show that with experience and care tho work is not dangerous. It is a significant fact that in the war years, when the stuff was at a low ebb and thero was a shortage of experienced men, the average number of fatal accidents per year wa.s lower than for the years following 1908. In 1919 no fatal accidents occurred. In recent years the numerous promotions and resignations and tho increase in staff required to handle tho increased business lias in certain directions impaired the working efficiency in some of the shunting yards, and these frequent changes, together with the placing of some men in shunting yards who were insufficiently alert or temperamentally unfitted for tho work, constituting a danger to themselves and their workmates, has to a certain extent contributed to the number of accidents in recent years. Shunting work requires to bo performed with reasonable quickness, and even under the very host conditions a member employed at this work is liable to make a miscalculation or slip and be seriously injured dr killed. The hoard is of the opinion that only men who are physieally active and mentally alert should he placed in the shunting yards. The majority of the men at present carrying out the work possess these qualifications.

As far as can ho ascertained, however, shunting accidents aie not caused by the inefficiency of the men; on the contrary, as the report suggests, in quite a number of railway yards, the accommodation is inadequate, if not actually obsolete, •while very often the lighting’ arrangements leave something’ to he desired. The lighting of shunting yards, with few exceptions, the hoard found to be fairly good, and where the electric light, has been installed it has considerably improved the working conditions. When the additional lights-re-commended have been placed in position and the lighting programme lias been completed,, one of the most serious complaints in regard to the conditions under which shunters ase working will have been removed. In some cases it was noticed that tho lights were not placed to. tho l est advantage, and the hoard considers that in future when new lights are being- installed members conversant with the working l the yards should be consulted, Tho report states quite frankly that, gas lighting in yards is gear orally unsatisfactory, and important, recommendations arc submitted. Generally speaking, the dangers of the work are- very materially increased if tho lighting arrangements are rrnsatisfactorv, and it behoves the Department, in view of the near approach of winter, and the rapidly increasing traffic being handled at, night,-to closely examine the Board’s recommendations, and where practical, put them into effect. Tho biggest, problem facing the Railway Department, however, as the report points out, is the lack of sufficient siding accommodation at the centres, and the Want of long roads for receiving and despatching trains. “The traffic, has outgrown the capacity of the yards in some centres,’’ says ihe report, “and at other' places the, roads are too short to accommodate the long trains now handled. The congested areas at some of the yards and the want of suitably arranged accommodation for handling the wagons,” the report adds, “have increased the difficulties of the shunters and ilie risk of accident. The demand for the quicker handling of goods make it essential that the facilities should provide for the handling of tho traffic through the shunting yards with the least effort and the greatest speed. A number of accidents have, occurred through wag’ons running back or stopping foul after being kicked off into the different roads. When new yards are, being designed the grades should if possible, bo so fixed that the wagons will gravitate from either end of the yard toward the centre.” It is passing strange that the Departmental heads of the New Zealand Railways who periodically make an inspection of the railways in New Zealand, have not drawn attention to the inadequacy and inefficiency of the shunting accommodation in many centres. 'The report of" the Board goes right to the root, of oo problem in drawing attention to the grave risks associated with coupling and ro-coupling\ • The' Board reports that one of the greatest risks in shunting in New Zealand is the need for hand coupling and uncoupling. Of ; 869 accidents in 10 years, 214 of thorn, principally minor ucciden ts, were due to employees going between vehicles for the purpose of attending to the colliding. They recommend that die designing of a mechanical device which would minimise the recti lor men going- between vehicles should be investigated. Unquestionably the human element, must have first, consideration at. the hands of the Department. Unhappily many accidents have created a feeling of uneasiness in the minds of the community, but it is encouraging, to note that, the, Board of Inquiry has fearlessly faced the varied problems associated with the increasing number of accidents during shunting’operations which unquestionably so aroused public

opinion that nothing hut an independent inquiry would allay anxiety, by recommending improvements to protect the railwaymen engaged in perilous work from all unnecessary risks.