Right Track 47: Manual handling, back pain, and signals passed at danger
Whether they’re oil drums, suitcases, packing crates or impact wrenches, heavy objects are still heavy objects, and they can cause harm if carried incorrectly. The old mantra ‘bend with your knees, not with your back’ doesn’t capture the scope of potential harm, as it ignores the fact that it’s not just your back that’s at risk. It can be your shoulder, lower leg and wrists, too.
Therefore, we’re pleased that RSSB’s Dr Kirsten Huysamen and Senior Rail Operations Specialist Suzanne Anderson look at manual handling and how you can avoid injury in Right Track 47.
With thoughts turning to the warmer months of summer, Claire Repeti from Rail Partners shows how the railway prepares for seasonal changes in temperature. She considers both the track and the passenger saloon.
RSSB’s Joe Wilson, meanwhile, considers post-qualified drivers and points out how the industry could cut the numbers of SPADs by supporting those relatively new to the cab environment. Dominic Morrow from Govia Thameslink Railway looks back to the Cannon Street buffer stop collision of 1991 and what that means for today’s railway.
New to the main line, but by no means new to the cab, Bessie Matthews describes her new role with GB Railfreight as a fully-fledged freight driver. We also spend 10 minutes with RSSB’s Marianna White for this edition’s interview. From selling tickets, to dispatching trains on the Great Eastern, to the Department for Transport and now RSSB, Marianna describes her work with our engagement team. If you see her at your company’s next safety day, do say hello. And let her know if you’d like to contribute to Right Track.
