Women freight drivers

[Carl98k]

There’s a big push to get more women drivers, and I’ve seen quite a few are on the passenger side. But are many on freight?

 

[Dieseldriver]

There’s a big push to get more women drivers, and I’ve seen quite a few are on the passenger side. But are many on freight?

I’ve encountered a few, conditions are bad enough for a male though, must be incredibly difficult day to day as a female

 

[ILoveLamp]

When you say conditions are bad, can you elaborate? Do you mean condition of locomotives, noise etc?

 

[martin2345uk]

There were 3 women on our trainee (freight driver) course

 

[Dieseldriver]

When you say conditions are bad, can you elaborate? Do you mean condition of locomotives, noise etc?

Toilet and ‘hygiene’ conditions.

 

[FlyingVixen]

I’m hoping to get on with DB Cargo and the more I know before my interview, the better!

 

[saracen]

Toilet and ‘hygiene’ conditions.

Spot on about this. It's also far more laborious too with breaking/re-attaching brake hoses, manual coupling up etc compared to a lot of the passenger work.

Before anyone pipes up, I'm not saying women can't do that. I'm just pointing out the pitfalls of freight work

 

[martin2345uk]

Spot on about this. It's also far more laborious too with breaking/re-attaching brake hoses, manual coupling up etc compared to a lot of the passenger work.

Before anyone pipes up, I'm not saying women can't do that. I'm just pointing out the pitfalls of freight work

True, unless you come over to the Intermodal side

 

[Nuttygooner]

Toilet and ‘hygiene’ conditions.

That's the same issue for guards, especially on units with no toilets on board.

Get a Shewee, plan your breaks, know your environment, and for the love of all things sacred, don't drink as much coffee as I do!

 

[Dieseldriver]

That's the same issue for guards, especially on units with no toilets on board.

Get a Shewee, plan your breaks, know your environment, and for the love of all things sacred, don't drink as much coffee as I do!

As a Guard you will generally have way more access to a toilet than a freight Driver. Even if it means delaying the train by thirty seconds.

 

[Nuttygooner]

As a Guard you will generally have way more access to a toilet than a freight Driver. Even if it means delaying the train by thirty seconds.

Not on my network, we don't. Given how often we are stranded on units with no facilities, or at unstaffed stations with... No facilities.

We have also had guards Clause 9'd over an emergency PNB to use the toilet.

Trust me when I say that a Costa coffee cup and a Shewee has been my best friend, when in a bind.

 

[Dieseldriver]

Not on my network, we don't. Given how often we are stranded on units with no facilities, or at unstaffed stations with... No facilities.

We have also had guards Clause 9'd over an emergency PNB to use the toilet.

Trust me when I say that a Costa coffee cup and a Shewee has been my best friend, when in a bind.

Could you let me know which TOC that is so I can avoid it please?

 

[Nuttygooner]

Could you let me know which TOC that is so I can avoid it please?

They operate within the M25 and below.

North of the M25, I believe, you'd be pretty safe in that front.

 

[FlyingVixen]

I think I’ll invest I’m ‘pee bags’ that you can get off Amazon that turn the urine into jelly. Pretty cool actually!

 

[Nuttygooner]

I think I’ll invest I’m ‘pee bags’ that you can get off Amazon that turn the urine into jelly. Pretty cool actually!

Isn't that basically the inside of nappies?

 

[Canonite]

What do Signallers do in a busy box?

 

[FlyingVixen]

Isn't that basically the inside of nappies?

Tena pants it is!! Haha!

 

[GB]

What do Signallers do in a busy box?

Go as and when they need to.

 

[357]

What do Signallers do in a busy box?

Generally there is cover available from my understanding

 

[Nuttygooner]

Generally there is cover available from my understanding

I have never been in a signal box with only one signaller in it, but maybe that's just my Network.

 

[357]

I have never been in a signal box with only one signaller in it, but maybe that's just my Network.

The only one I've been to with only one signaller was Ingatestone. The signaller said that the only time there had been delays due to toilet breaks was when someone was in said toilet and the lock broke, trapping them inside !

 

[Eddie77]

I think I’ll invest I’m ‘pee bags’ that you can get off Amazon that turn the urine into jelly. Pretty cool actually!

FFS

Not what I was expecting to read whilst eating my breakfast lol

What I will say is my wife is a driver for a TOC and said that she would love to drive freight but couldn’t imagine how difficult it would be to factor in comfort breaks as she struggles as it is with toilets in her trains. Although she does blame new(ish) mummy bladder

 

[FlyingVixen]

FFS

Not what I was expecting to read whilst eating my breakfast lol

What I will say is my wife is a driver for a TOC and said that she would love to drive freight but couldn’t imagine how difficult it would be to factor in comfort breaks as she struggles as it is with toilets in her trains. Although she does blame new(ish) mummy bladder

Haha! A girls got to do what a girls got to do!

Yeah it will be more of struggle. I have a bladder issue anyway which I will need to work around, hence why the urine bags etc. Haha I'm a Midwife at the moment so I totally understand!

 

[Eddie77]

Haha! A girls got to do what a girls got to do!

Yeah it will be more of struggle. I have a bladder issue anyway which I will need to work around, hence why the urine bags etc. Haha I'm a Midwife at the moment so I totally understand!

Haha! A girls got to do what a girls got to do!

Yeah it will be more of struggle. I have a bladder issue anyway which I will need to work around, hence why the urine bags etc. Haha I'm a Midwife at the moment so I totally understand!

I did tell her about your wee jelly and she loves that idea

 

[busken]

Haha! A girls got to do what a girls got to do!

Yeah it will be more of struggle. I have a bladder issue anyway which I will need to work around, hence why the urine bags etc. Haha I'm a Midwife at the moment so I totally understand!

I have a similar problem, after prostate cancer treatment, but I can assure you that Tena's are very successful!!

 

[Annetts key]

In the dying days of BR, there were a significant number of female freight train drivers…

What do Signallers do in a busy box?

If there is more than one workstation/panel position, and hence multiple signallers, the adjacent signaller will ‘caretake’ while the ‘owning’ signaller visits the toilet. Or if there is a spare or relief signaller, they take over.

If the signal box is only operated by a signaller on his/her own, they try to go during any quiet periods. If they do need to urgently go, well, everything else has to wait… Although if there is a train in section, they do try to set the route beforehand.

If anyone has any concerns about toilet facilities, check the ORR web site. Search using

site:https://www.orr.gov.uk/ welfare facilities toilets

Specifically:

Our role in making this happen
As the independent economic and health and safety regulator, we play a key role in ensuring that industry focuses on delivering better health management for its employees. We will do this in conjunction with other bodies such as HSE, RSSB, ATOC and the trade unions who all play a part in delivering and encouraging better practice across industry. We will continue to promote the importance of managing health with the same rigour and attention as safety, recognising that there can be an overlap in some areas, for example for manual handling and fatigue risks.

ORR’s legal functions include two roles: First is to assist and encourage other people in their activities that control health risks faced by people at work*, be they employer organisations, employee trade unions, trade associations or RSSB. Second is to ensure companies comply with the law on health and safety. The law principally requires employers to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees. We have considered the extent to which welfare and wider notions of well-being are related. This is important in order to demarcate the scope of our enforcement responsibility (which includes welfare at work) from the wider scope of well- being activities in the workforce (which tend to focus on the promotion of healthier behaviours among workers such as campaigns to stop smoking, tackle obesity etc,). However some welfare issues are within the scope of our powers such as the provision of facilities for drinking water and toilets. Thus we seek to make a distinction between what is a legal requirement to control risks from work activities, and matters which an employer may choose to do (e.g. because they see business benefits and/or they wish to support employees to improve their general health).

*The Railway Act, 2005 Schedule 3 para 2 (1) (b)

From https://www.orr.gov.uk/media/10737/download

And

ORR Enforcement

Company and notice number: Govia Thameslink Railway Limited. I/17052022LO.
Issue date: 17 May 2022
They have failed to provide adequate welfare facilities and arrangements for Driver’s and Conductor’s operating Class 313 trains, between Brighton Station and West Worthing Station. This includes toilets and the adequate time to access them. Therefore, as an employer they have failed to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable, the welfare of their employees whilst they are at work.

From https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...notices/2022&usg=AOvVaw27H_raiOJJTxcqmjxVlur8

Then speak to your line manager and union representative.

 

[jp4712]

If you're on Twitter, look for @heather_waugh and @bessbbe - both women, both freight drivers. If you DM them I'm sure they'll give you every advice you need, they're both pretty inspirational people and great ambassadors for getting more women on the footplate.

 

[Annetts key]

link to Welfare at work - Guidance for employers on welfare provisions

Introduction
If you employ anyone (however short the period) you must ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’, provide adequate and appropriate welfare facilities for them while they are at work. This means you must provide such facilities unless it is clearly unreasonable in terms of time, trouble, cost and physical difficulty.
‘Welfare facilities’ are those that are necessary for the well-being of your employees, such as washing, toilet, rest and changing facilities, and somewhere clean to eat and drink during breaks.
This leaflet gives you simple, practical advice on how you can meet these requirements. The information may also be of interest to employees
and the self-employed.
It summarises the requirements of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. See ‘Find out more’ for other useful information.
You may also find it useful to discuss your needs with manufacturers and suppliers of welfare facilities, services and consumables.

What toilet and washing facilities do I need to provide?
You have to provide adequate toilet and washing facilities for your employees. ‘Adequate’ means you have to provide:

• enough toilets and washbasins for those expected to use them _ people should not have to queue for long periods to go to the toilet;
• where possible, separate facilities for men and women _ failing that, rooms with lockable doors;
• clean facilities _ to help achieve this walls and floors should preferably be tiled (or covered in suitable waterproof material) to make them easier to clean;
• a supply of toilet paper and, for female employees, a means of disposing of sanitary dressings;
• facilities that are well lit and ventilated;
• facilities with hot and cold running water;
• enough soap or other washing agents;
• a basin large enough to wash hands and forearms if necessary; I a means for drying hands, eg paper towels or a hot air dryer;
• showers where necessary, eg for particularly dirty work.

You must always consider the needs of those with disabilities.

What if staff work in remote workplaces without suitable plumbing and a water supply?
You may need to provide chemical toilets and washing facilities, such as water containers.
What if my employees are working at temporary worksites?
‘So far as is reasonably practicable’ you need to provide flushing toilets and running water. Portable cabins converted into toilet facilities are available from hire companies. If this is not possible, consider alternatives such as chemical toilets and water containers.

Use of public toilets and washing facilities should be a last resort and not used just because they are the cheaper option. This would not be acceptable where the provision of better facilities would be reasonably practicable.

I’ve only quoted the part about toilet facilities. There is more welfare information in the linked to file.

 

[FlyingVixen]

I did tell her about your wee jelly and she loves that idea

Haha I’m glad that she liked it!

I have a similar problem, after prostate cancer treatment, but I can assure you that Tena's are very successful!!

Hey, I’d be very happy to use them if it allows me to ‘release’ when I need to! Not health to hold in your urine for too long!

If you're on Twitter, look for @heather_waugh and @bessbbe - both women, both freight drivers. If you DM them I'm sure they'll give you every advice you need, they're both pretty inspirational people and great ambassadors for getting more women on the footplate.

I’m going to check them out for sure!!

 

[Nuttygooner]

I will say is my wife is a driver for a TOC and said that she would love to drive freight but couldn’t imagine how difficult it would be to factor in comfort breaks as she struggles as it is with toilets in her trains...

Toilets on trains? Luxury! The closest we have to toilets is a Costa coffee cup, and good aim, and air conditioning is when the hopper window refuses to close, and we were grateful for that