TRAIN DRIVER ALERTNESS MONITORING DEVICES

Our ref: HSR

Head Office Circular: NP/181/24

22^nd July 2024

To: The Secretary

ALL BRANCHES

REGIONAL COUNCILS

 

Dear Colleague

TRAIN DRIVER ALERTNESS MONITORING DEVICES 

 

            I recently received correspondence from the RMT H&S advisory committee requesting that the issue of train driver attention and alertness monitoring devices is placed before the National Executive Committee, as they were concerned that such monitoring devices may be used for disciplinary purposes - and that relying on this monitoring equipment avoids dealing with the substantive issues causing driver fatigue.

 

            At its meeting on 18^th July 2024, your National Executive Committee noted and adopted the following report from its Health and Safety Sub-committee, from when they met to consider the matter as outlined above:

 

We instruct the General Secretary to write to RSSB relating to their research project T1193, “Understanding the functional requirements for train driver attention and alertness monitoring devices”. 

 

For the General Secretary to explain that we note the creeping introduction of digital monitoring and surveillance cameras relating to in cab technology, such as that currently being trialed on east coast route and as being used on Colas Rail. 

 

Policies regarding in cab cameras need to be clear and agreed with the RMT to ensure that the equipment is not used for disciplinary and/or surveillance purposes.

 

Ultimately it should be the intention of train companies to design shifts and time in cab to ensure that such equipment in cab monitoring devices are not necessary.

 

We instruct the General Secretary to advise branches and regional councils accordingly. 

            

I am acting in line with these instructions. Please bring this circular to the attention of all relevant members.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Michael Lynch, General Secretary