Health and Safety Hazard

TRACKMAN (INDIAN
RAILWAY)
By MEGHA PATEL
M3156100
RUPALI BARANGE
M3156066

INDIAN RAILWAY

Indian Railways the lifeline of transport system in

our country.
Indian Railways is the largest railways network to be
operated by a single government .
It is the worlds third largest network with a total
length of 127,760 kms.
The Indian Railways is the worlds eighth largest
employer with a total of1.4 million employees.
Nationalised in 1951,Indian railways is today the
largest rail network in Asia .
It runs 12,617 trains to carry over 23 million
passengers daily equivalent to moving the entire
population of Australia connecting more than 7,172
stations.

 The 2014-19 five year plan of the railways for the

first time recognized the importance of
occupational health of its employees and included
measures for health protection, safety standards
and health promotion.
The department was assigned the responsibility
not only to monitor the delivery of health and
wellbeing strategies but also to supervise the
implementation of guidelines for prevention of ill
health.
Sources of Hazards
The health and safety status of railway workers are
determined by the nature of assignments, duration
of their exposure to hazardous environments

A) Mechanical Injuries and

Accidents

Workers in the vicinity of rail lines are

exposed to fast moving trains, and
incidences of accidents are high.
Mainly the gang man and repair man
involved in track repair and maintenance
are the victims.
Recommended management strategies
may include training the workers in
personal track safety procedures, blocking
train traffic on lines where maintenance is
occurring (i.e. green zone working), use
of automatic warning system; ensuring

b) Noise and Vibration

The crew members and the workers in close

vicinity are exposed to high level of noise and
vibration.
Locomotives, rolling stocks, machinery, as well
as mechanical shocks are the major sources of
pollution and vibrations (Railways).
. the health effects of exposure to noise and
vibration are well documented; and those are:
quick fatigue, body ache and pain, headache,
insomnia, hearing losses, and hormonal
imbalances.
The recommended management strategies
may include: use of air conditioning systems;
reduction of internal venting of air brakes;
installation of active noise cancellation

C) Electric and Magnetic Fields

The employees working in electric railway
systems may have a higher exposure to electric
and magnetic fields (EMF) than the general
public as they work in proximity to electric
power lines.
Electrified railways use either overhead wires or
a conductor rail to transmit electrical power to
the train locomotive or multiple units.
Overhead power lines may also be present near
non-electrified rail lines.

Others Hazards
Locomotive and railcar maintenance activities
enhance the proneness of workers to physical,
chemical, and biological dangers.
Physical hazards may be associated with work
requirements, such as, proximity to moving
equipment, machine safety and electrical safety
issues.
Chemical hazards may include exposure to a
variety of hazardous materials (e.g. asbestos, toxic
paint, heavy metals, use of solvent-based paints
and cleaning solvents, etc).
Biological hazards include potential exposure to
pathogens present in sewage storage
compartments. Pneumoconiosis and occupational
poisonings, musculoskeletal disorders
(MSDs),psychological stress at work, occupational

About 400 gangmen are killed every year in train

accidents while on duty.
Trackmen, or track Persons, have a job of maintaining
railroad tracks and other items of the railroad right-ofway.
Their tasks
1)Laying, repairing, maintaining tracks,cleaning,
relaying, and checking on the track
2)Installation, upkeep and maintenance of safety
equipment (signals, signs, and so on)
3)Inspections of the right-of-way, checking to ensure
that the tracks are clear of rocks, trees, cars, etc.
(anything that can block and/or derail a train)
4)Assisting in investigations of crimes and/or
misdeeds and/or accidents that may occur on the
tracks.
5)Installing temporary tracks to enable service to
continue during repairs, upkeep, or after major

The following decisions have been taken

with respect to the issues related to
Safety of Track-men
Protective Helmets with miners lights
should be included as a part of T&P items for
night patrolman as a part of safety measure;
Quality of uniforms being supplied to
Track-men should be strictly as per the
prescribed
specifications
and
lighter
inspection mechanism for warmness of the
clothing should be ensured; Quality of
Jerseys should be such as to ensure
adequate warmth to match weather
conditions;
Retro-reflective
clothing
should
be
supplied timely to each individual; and
Two pairs of shoes will now form a part of

 Rakshak, a walkie talkie-like equipment, will

be used by gangmen to receive warnings from
approaching trains which will alert them in time
to move away from tracks.
Training programs should be organised After
recruitment of trackmen.
Prohibition of any cell phones, radio, tape
:-recorder and media player at working track

site .
Prohibition of any drugs use and alcohol
consumption during working hours.
Maintenance of complete silence during
Working hours.

THANK YOU

Protection to Gangs against accidents

Warning System/Hooter may be
developed and made part of each P.
Way Gang working on open line and
similar other conditions. (iii) Night
Patrolling During night patrolling,
efforts may be made to ensure that
team of 2 persons patrols in
Extremist/Terrorist and Naxalite areas.
This is also prescribed for wildlife areas,
dacoits affected areas and Ghat
Sections vide Para 1004(a) of IRP Way
Manual.
Accommodation (a) In many places
there is no provision for family
accommodation for Trackmen. It is
suggested that efforts may be made to
provide family accommodation, where
possible, at suitable stations so as to
enable the staff to take care of
education and health of children and
family. (b) In locations where Trackmen
are accommodated in barracks/Duty