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What procedures are followed when a person is hit by a train?

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och aye

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The replies on this sensitive subject matter is very interesting for those of us who (hopefully) will never have to deal with this type of situation.

I hope this doesn't come across as a silly question, but I wonder if workers effected are given appropriate Counselling and on-going support after an incident?
 
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Stigy

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The replies on this sensitive subject matter is very interesting for those of us who (hopefully) will never have to deal with this type of situation.

I hope this doesn't come across as a silly question, but I wonder if workers effected are given appropriate Counselling and on-going support after an incident?
Yes, there is ongoing counselling and immediate chain of care support for staff involved in an incident (of any kind). Although admittedly some TOCs/FOCs are better at it than others.
 

Dr_Paul

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A friend who works as a driver said that it was drilled into him and his colleagues while training that they would kill someone and that it was something they needed to come to terms with, which seemed a pretty horrific way of approaching the subject.
I do hope that these weren't the actual words the instructor used. Something like, 'There is always the possibility that you might be involved in an incident in which a person gets hit by your locomotive or train, and you'll need to know how to deal with the situation', would be more suitable.
 

Falcon1200

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As a Controller I was involved, from the safety of an office of course, in innumerable fatalities; And in the days of the NRN Radio system the Emergency call from the Driver came to Control, rather than the Signaller. The advent of GSMR was a huge advance, allowing the Driver to simultaneously advise not only the Signaller but other Drivers in the area, and Control what had occurred. We could often start alerting people before the Driver had even finished speaking to the Signaller. Every incident was upsetting, but it was/is part of the job, and the effect on us was of course nothing like as serious as that on the Driver and the staff attending on site. One particularly sad incident was just after starting the late shift, at a station on my local line which I had passed through earlier en route to work; It was a suicide and the person was a teenage girl. Every time I pass through the station I think of that poor kid.
 

ungreat

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Had 4 fatalities myself. Not something you can prepare for or attempt to deal with. I have bad dreams even now.
I'm a driver and took a suicide prevention course too. I've stopped one so I think it was worth it.
Not sure how I'd cope with another. Guess I'll find out if it happens..I hope not but it's out there
 

plugwash

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What happens if a train runs over someone but doesn't hit them (afaict this can happen if someone lays down between the tracks an the train doesn't have too many dangly bits). Would it just be treated like any other tresspass incident or would there be special considerations.
 

Stigy

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What happens if a train runs over someone but doesn't hit them (afaict this can happen if someone lays down between the tracks an the train doesn't have too many dangly bits). Would it just be treated like any other tresspass incident or would there be special considerations.
It does happen. I remember one a few years ago who came out with cuts and bruises after a failed suicide attempt. A lot of electric trains don’t have too many “dangly bits”.

It would initially be treated like any other person having jumped in front of a train and assumed that they had been hit. If they’re subsequently found not to have been hit, or no evidence of having been hit, the lines will reopen more quickly that if there was obviously an investigation and clean up operation.

There will be the same chain of care as if it were a fatality and the driver/guard will be taken off etc.
 

Lloyds siding

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I was recently talking to a person at the Samaritans who works on this project. They consider physical barriers, things that look like barriers, signs and where to put them (usually worded to encourage people to contact The Samaritans), closing off remote access/exit points, etc.
I don't work on the railway, but for many years was with the local council. We had to deal with the deaths when there was no one else to do so. Therefore tramps, homeless, people living alone (usually elderly), suicides, aftermaths of road accidents. In those days we had a list of 'dirty job contractors' who would do the clear ups. These contractors would also do the clean ups of hoarder's houses full of all sorts of rubbish, aftermaths of flooding and serious drainage problems, a memorable one was a butcher's freezer full of pate where the electricity bill hadn't been paid for six months!
The only fatality I've ever witnessed was at a motor cycle grand prix where a rider fell and was struck by another rider. He was clearly dead, they dragged him to the side of the track and took him away in an ambulance. Meanwhile the race continued; it was a long time ago, these days the race would be stopped. Witnessed by about 200-300 people near that bit of track. I can still see it 40 years later.
Respect to the railway staff, BTP and others who have to deal with these incidents.
 

Tezza1978

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My TOC has briefed and discussed suicides and fatalities on numerous occasions. They have even gone as far as showing the CCTV of a rather gruesome incident.

It is a very delicate subject but the reality can be quite shocking. 'Forewarned is forearmed' so to speak but essentially training people to deal with the potential outcomes and having full and frank discussions can be helpful in the long term.
This thread, dealing with a very difficult and sensitive subject, has been really well handled by everyone. For myself as someone who doesn't work on the railway this has been insightful and will make me aware of anyone who is behaving a bit "erratically" near a platform or a bridge to try and talk to them, Even a "hello, how are you tonight mate , weathers been alright today!" could start a conversation and save someone's life.

In terms of the post above, I remember at school seeing a particularly gruesome education video showing the consequences of playing near railway lines, and I think shock tactics to prepare people for what could happen in an incident are useful - as posters have stated people dont always die, they are left with horrific injuries and end up in long term pain.
 

6Gman

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As a Controller I was involved, from the safety of an office of course, in innumerable fatalities; And in the days of the NRN Radio system the Emergency call from the Driver came to Control, rather than the Signaller. The advent of GSMR was a huge advance, allowing the Driver to simultaneously advise not only the Signaller but other Drivers in the area, and Control what had occurred. We could often start alerting people before the Driver had even finished speaking to the Signaller. Every incident was upsetting, but it was/is part of the job, and the effect on us was of course nothing like as serious as that on the Driver and the staff attending on site. One particularly sad incident was just after starting the late shift, at a station on my local line which I had passed through earlier en route to work; It was a suicide and the person was a teenage girl. Every time I pass through the station I think of that poor kid.
Radios and the like must have made a huge difference. My father (in the 70s/80s) would occasionally mention incidents he'd been involved in and they could be pretty horrific. And in steam days you might not even know you'd hit someone until you got to the next station! And if you "thought" you might have hit someone it was head for the next station/ signalbox and the next guy the other way had the task of checking.

One thing that may have been relevant back then was that a fair proportion of active railway staff had served in WWII and may have had past experience of dealing with horrific injuries.
 

43066

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And in steam days you might not even know you'd hit someone until you got to the next station! And if you "thought" you might have hit someone it was head for the next station/ signalbox and the next guy the other way had the task of checking.

To be honest not knowing about it was probably a blessing for the footplate crew. Certainly preferable to the grandstand view modern drivers are sadly exposed to.
 

6Gman

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To be honest not knowing about it was probably a blessing for the footplate crew. Certainly preferable to the grandstand view modern drivers are sadly exposed to.
True. But the downside was the effect on passengers waiting on the platform when their train arrived with a corpse on the front. (Unusual, but did happen on occasion, even in diesel days.)
 

Dan17H

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I'd been to a few over the years when I was in the Fire Job. And also been unfortunate enough to witness a suicide on a barrow crossing down on Sussex about 18 months ago.

Certainly not a nice sight, in terms of response it's all very procedure based and surprisingly quick.
 
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