The smaller the gadget, the bigger the RIFT
How do we stop commuters putting their life on the line for earbuds or other high-value electronics? asks RSSB’s Tony Ellis.
Over the last 20 years or so, passengers have tended to carry more high-value items with them—both in terms of financial worth and the perceived nature of them being an essential item.
A smartphone, for example, is usually linked to an expensive contract. So not only is it something you wouldn’t wish to lose, it’s your train ticket, bank card, family photo album, and more.
Headphones have evolved from being something that would balance on your scalp attached to a pesky wire that just dangled and tangled into modern day earbuds. But these are far more likely to prise themselves loose and land on an errant foot, which then volleys it to the track.
RSSB is seeing a rise in the retrieval of items from the track (RIFT). As an industry, we need to do more to understand the perception of risk from customers, raise awareness of track safety, and empower staff to make positive interventions.
Customers often assume that any railway employee with a high-viz has the training, competence, and equipment needed to get their item off the track. This means they have an expectation as to when they will be reunited with their property. In reality, a limited number of staff are trained to do this, which can leave them in a compromising position if a customer threatens to take matters into their own hands.
Most items can be retrieved from the platform using grabbers or other dedicated equipment. Most passengers don’t understand that they may be asked to wait until after the hours of operation for a MOM to be deployed to collect.
While they may accept full responsibility for their possession ending up on the track in the first place, they will be concerned that leaving it for a long time might lead to someone else deciding to retrieve it for themselves. At an unstaffed station, these fears are heightened, particularly when the very thing they need to raise the alarm and seek assistance is lying in the track.
Thankfully, most customers would not risk leaving the platform, but there is a significant minority who may not be familiar with the risks. They may also over-estimate their physical ability or put the dropped item too far above their own safety.
Personal items have become more essential, smaller, and ultimately more prone to being dropped. Are we able to make the right positive interventions?
