Make temptation resistible
Familiarity with our role and environment can lead us to give in to temptation and start to cut corners. I can’t stress enough the importance of following rules and procedures to keep yourself and others safe, says Freightliner’s Bessie Matthews.
Whether it’s snacking on that last piece of chocolate, pushing the snooze button yet again, or leaving that odd job for your future self, we’re all guilty of giving in to temptation. On the railway, though, some temptations can cost you your job, your health or your life.
While lined with authorised walking routes and designated positions of safety, busy yards and depots can be teaming with tempting shortcuts. It’s easy to think that bad things won’t ever happen to you, especially as you become more comfortable in a role or environment. But it’s just as easy for things to go terribly wrong as soon as any complacency starts to set in.
Over the last few of years working in different depot settings, I’ve noticed that cutting corners can sometimes be contagious, and ‘the way things used to be’ is held in high regard. Change can be scary. Learning new things in an old job can be daunting, and old habits die hard. But the importance of following rules and procedures is not to be taken lightly. One of the worst things about most incidents, and especially those that happen within yards, is that they could have been completely avoided if not for one or two small decisions.
So, here are four things you can do to avoid being tempted to stray from the yellow path:
Understand why we do things the way we do. It’s all well and good repeating back rules that are being explained to you, but having a true understanding of why we do things the way we do can help with respecting your surroundings—keeping you, and those around you, safe.
Make time for your work. Rushing to get from one place to another can cause that corner-cutting urge to rise. Work out how long it might take you to get to where you need to be and add on a few extra minutes, just in case.
Respect the roles of our colleagues. Trains, cranes, forklifts and locos aren’t driven by themselves, and those behind the controls have feelings. Respect your surroundings. If you notice something that could cause you or others to behave dangerously, remove that temptation all together if at all possible. Reporting things proactively can save a lot of the time and trouble found when working reactively.
Respect your surroundings. If you notice something that could cause you or others to behave dangerously, remove that temptation all together if at all possible. Reporting things proactively can save a lot of the time and trouble found when working reactively.
Set an example. Take pride in your role, starting tasks as you mean to go on, knowing that fresh eyes could be watching and learning.
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