Operating Manual - Traffic - 73-79 PDF

INSPECTIONS (Back to Index) Objects of Inspections: The Railway network is spread over a vast area. It is estimated that for running a train over a section, co- operation and co-ordination of about (2000) thousand Railway staff is essential. A vast organisation, such as the Indian Railway...

INSPECTIONS (Back to Index) Objects of Inspections: The Railway network is spread over a vast area. It is estimated that for running a train over a section, co- operation and co-ordination of about (2000) thousand Railway staff is essential. A vast organisation, such as the Indian Railway system functions on the basis of a carefully arranged system of selective Autonomy, Accountability and Responsibility. Rules and instructions lay down the procedure of work and the staff are properly trained and the officials at various levels monitor, supervise and direct the staff from time to time by different means. Inspection is an important function of management, particularly in the field of Railway Operations to ensure efficient working at all levels. Following objects shall be borne in mind while conducting inspection: 1. Verify whether every Railway employee is fully conversant with rules, instructions and procedures relating to his duties. 2. Ascertain that the staff is performing their duties according to rules, instructions and the procedure in force. 3. Detect undesirable shortcuts, irregularities or unsafe practices being resorted to by the staff taking remedial action which may be:- (a) Educative, in case these are resorted to out of ignorance. (b) Corrective, if there is something wrong in the working conditions, or there are system deficiencies. (c) Punitive, if resorted to wilfully or negligently and persisting even after repeated guidance and counselling. 4. Observe the conditions actually prevailing at the work spots to understand the difficulties experienced by staff including their personal grievances and seeking on the spot redressal. 5. Ensure that full complement of staff and equipment is available and staff have knowledge of its operation. 6. Ascertain that registers, documents and other records are being maintained and preserved according to instructions. 7. monitor the behaviour of staff towards customers, particularly promptness of response and willingness to help. 8. Assess as far as possible that the interest of the public and the Railways are kept in view and safeguarded. 9. Inculcate discipline and build up the morale of the workers. 10. Check the compliance of previous inspection reports. 11. Analyse efficiency targets vis-à-vis performance. Inspections, thus provide the means to achieve efficiency and effectiveness through spot checks and personal contact with the staff on line. In order to accomplish these objectives, inspections have to be carried out at officer's and Supervisor's level. The inspecting official has to command the respect and obedience of staff, for his inspection to be effective and beneficial and as such his conduct should be exemplary. Types of Inspections: The following inspections have to be carried out by operating and safety officials:- Regular Inspection (six monthly) - Each station on the division must be inspected in details at least once in every six months i.e. January to June and July to December covering the various aspects of safety, operations and allied matters including staff matters. The inspection shall be carried out by the Sr.DOM/DOM/Sr.DSO/DSO/ AOM /ARM/SS/SM/DTI/TI etc. While minor stations are inspected by the TI concerned, the DRM will nominate important stations (including all such stations which do not fall within the jurisdiction of TI, that is those which have SS/SM in grade equivalent to or higher than those of TI of the section) to be inspected by the nominate officers. Each officers will be allotted at least two such a stations. The officials concern shall also spend the night at the station. Regular inspections have to be comprehensive in nature. Safety Inspections (monthly) –Safety inspections are basically meant to be preventive by detecting short cut methods and unsafe practices resorted to by train passing, running and maintenance staff. The irregularities noticed must be personally brought to the notice of the Station Master and remedial measures initiated promptly. In case of any serious irregularity, the inspecting officials must at once inform Sr.DSO/DSO or Sr.DOM/DOM concerned personally or telephonically beside making a written report. Surprise Inspection (Monthly) Such inspections must have an element of surprise. Officers and Inspectors may inspect a station either while passing through it or during the short time at their disposal or when they want to check some aspect at the station without prior notice. Apart from any special aspect, they intend to check; they must also observe and take note of the irregularities/ deficiencies or good work being done which may come to their notice. They may check as many items as possible as time permits. Minimum 6 such inspections in a month shall be conducted by the sectional TI. In the automatic signalling territory, besides surprise inspections, ambush checks should also be conducted to check whether the Loco pilots / Motormen are observing the rules regarding passing of automatic signal at ‘ON’ position etc. Similarly loco pilots’ whistling at whistle boards on apporoach of LC gates also needs to be checked Night Inspection (fortnightly) – Night inspection must be carried out by the Officers and Supervisors frequently to appreciate the working conditions as well as to detect the irregularities. Surprise night inspection may be carried out between 00 hrs. to 4 hrs. because during this period, the staff is likely to be lethargic and negligent in duties. Similarly, instances of staff sleeping on duty, dim signal lamps and indicators, unauthorised absence from duty and many other irregularities, unsafe and undesirable practices may come to notice between 00 hrs. to 4 hrs. Frequent night inspections are a must and SS/SM must conduct surprise night inspections fortnightly of their station between 00 to 4 hrs. and take remedial measures to rectify the irregularities and deficiencies noticed. Level Crossing Inspections – Level crossing gates should be inspected in detail with a view to ensure safety of rail and road traffic, availability of safety equipments, knowledge of Gatemen regarding rules pertaining to his duties and loco pilot’s whistling while passing the LC gates. Surprise Inspection by Road – These inspections have an element of surprise in them. To create a sense of alertness amongst the staff the road inspection should be carried out without informing anybody. Footplate Inspections – Footplate Inspections are carried out by travelling on the engine of running trains. These afford an opportunity to the inspecting official to observe and check certain aspect of working on the engine, along the track and at the stations which can not be checked otherwise. To achieve the purpose for which footplate inspections are carried out, it is essential that these are done by day and by night, in clear weather and when the visibility is poor due to thick, foggy or tempestuous weather. Joint Footplate Inspections – These are carried out jointly with officials of Mechanical, Electrical (Running), Permanent Way and Signalling branches e.g checking the visibility of the signals, their locations, operations, lighting up, speed restrictions and caution boards rail wheel interaction and loco pilots’ and assistant loco pilots’ operating behaviour. Surprise Speed checks – In order to ensure the maximum permissible speed are not exceeded, permanent and temporary speed restrictions are correctly observed and limits of speed over turnouts and facing points are observed, surprise speed checks should be conducted as per schedule. Running Rooms Inspections – During regular, safety, surprise and night inspections opportunity should also be taken to inspect running rooms to ensure that running staff are able to get proper food and resting facilities. Running rooms should also be jointly inspected by the team of officers as nominated and prescribed. Ambush checks – It is essential to ensure rigid observation of rules when automatic stop signals are passed in ‘ON’ position. The inspecting officials should carry out ambush checks with the help of signalling officials who will arrange to put an automatic stop signal to ‘ON’ position. Such checks should be arranged in consultation with Sr.DOM/DOM. Running Trains Inspections – Whenever an operating officer or an inspector is travelling by a train on duty, he must pay special attention in observing the performance of duties by Guards, Loco pilots, Station staff, Gatemen and others. Loco shed inspections – One loco shed shall be inspected once in 3 months individually as well as jointly. C & W Depots inspections – Each C & W depot shall be inspected once in 3 months individually as well as jointly. Accident Relief / Medical Equipment Scale I (ARME) – Each Medical Van shall be inspected once in 3 months (see Accident Manual). Accident Relief Train (ART) - Each Break down train shall be inspected once in 3 months (see Accident Manual). Inspection Quotas: The minimum number of regular, surprise, safety and night inspections will be carried out by officers and inspectors as per quota fixed from time to time. The tentative schedule of inspection is attached.  Schedule of Inspections by Operating/Safety Officers and Transportation Inspectors S. Type/ Sr.DOM/DOM Area Manager/ AOM(M) Sr.DSO/DSO AOM(G) TIs No. Nature of Area Officer inspections 1 Regular 2 important 2 important 2 important 2 important 2 important All stations in Inspection - stations as stations as stations as stations as stations as their jurisdiction Half yearly nominated by nominated by nominated by the nominated by the nominated by the once in three the DRM the DRM DRM DRM DRM months. 2 Safety -- -- 1 station every 4 stations every 6 stations every All stations in Inspections month month month their jurisdiction once in a month 3 Surprise No quota No quota Minimum 2 As often as As often as As often as Inspections stations per possible possible possible month (minimum 2 (minimum 3 (minimum 6 every month) every month) every month) 4 Night Inspections -- i. Level 1 per month 1 per month 1 per month 2 per month 2 per month 3 per month crossing 1 per month 1 per month 1 per month 2 per month 2 per month 3 per month ii. Station 1 per month 1 per month 1 per month 2 per month 2 per month 3 per month iii. Footplate on goods train 5 Level 1 per month 1 per month 1 per month 2 per month 2 per month 3 per month Crossings during day time 6 Surprise road 1 per month 1 per month --- 1 per month 1 per month 1 per month Inspections 7 Individual 1 section per 1 section per 1 section per 1 section per 1 section per 1 section per footplate month by both month by both month by both month by both month by both month by both inspections i. Mail/ i.Mail/ i. Mail/Express / i. Mail/Express/ i. Mail/ i. Mail/ Express/ Express/Pass. Express/ Pass. Pass Express/Pass Pass ii. Goods train Pass. ii. Goods train ii. 2 Goods train ii. 2 Goods train ii. 3 Goods train ii. Goods train 8 Joint Footplate --- --- --- One section One section once One section once Inspections every quarter a month covering a month covering covering the the entire division entire jurisdiction entire division once a year.- Up once in six once a year.- Up and Dn months including and Dn separately by Up/ Dn day/night separately by day and night. separately. day and night. 9. Surprise speed No quota No quota No quota 3 per month 3 per month 5 per month checks 10 Running 1 major 1 major All running rooms All running rooms All running rooms Each running Rooms running room running room under Sr./DSOs under Sr./ DSOs under Sr./ DSOs room under their Regular as identified by as identifi- ed charge of Mecha- charge of Mecha- charge once a jurisdiction once Inspections DRM-once a by DRM-once nical & Electrical nical & Electrical year (alongwith in a month. year (alongwith a year (along- dept. (alongwith dept. (alongwith with AEN and Sr.DEN and with Sr.DEN AEN AEE & AME Sr.DEN & AEE Sr.DEE and Sr.DEE Sr.DEE 11 Ambush -- One during One in a month One during day One during day One during day Checks in day and one and one during and one during and one during Automatic during night night in a month. night in a month. night in a month. signalling territories 12 Running Trains As often as As often as As often as As often as As often as As often as Inspections possible possible possible possible possible possible 13 Loco Shed -- -- -- 1 shed every 3 1 shed every 3 -- Inspections months months 14 Depots -- -- -- 1 Depots every 3 1 Depots every 2 -- Inspections months months 15 Accident Relief -- -- -- 1 Medical van 1 Medical van -- Medical Equip- every quarter. every quarter. ment Scale –I (ARMEs) 16 Accident Relief -- -- -- 1 ART every 1 ART every -- Trains-(ARTs) quarter quarter Note: For S.No.10, 11 and 13 – all loco sheds, C&W Depots and Medical Vans are to be covered in a year either by DSO or AOM(G). The quotas had shown indicates the minimum inspections. Inspections in respect of above items and other items should be carried out as frequently as possible. General Guidelines for Inspecting Official: 1. Before commencing the inspection all inspection books should be called for and the notes made by other inspecting official should be carefully persued to check whether the staff have complied with their instructions. If any of these instructions have not been carried out written explanation of the Station Master should be obtained. 2. It shall not be enough merely to point out the irregularity of the staff; matters must be put right personally while at the station to the extent possible. 3. All books and registers inspected must be initialled and dated. Technique of Inspections: It requires both expertise and experience to carry out intelligent inspections. To evolve a sound technique of inspections an inspecting official should: 1. Have a clear understanding of the station lay out its signalling, special features of working and the instructions in regard to reception, despatch, crossing, shunting and running through of trains. For this he should have a good knowledge of not only General & Subsidiary Rules but also of Station Working Rules. 2. Select the feature of working which he intends to check during his inspection and should have a clear conception about them in his mind. For instance he may like to emphasise on the correct reception and despatch of trains and observance of safety rules by the staff or on utilisation of stock, detention to passenger or goods train, knowledge of staff etc. 3. Inspect the aspect of working by thorough inspection of books, registers, forms and equipments used for operations and secondly by means of personal observation of actual operations. Be selective in choosing: (a) The time and operations of personal observation. (b) The documents, registers and forms for checks and cross checks. (c) The equipments for checking, its availability, adequacy, maintenance and its use. 5. Select specific periods for checking registers books and forms keeping in view the purpose of inspection and time of inspections and time of disposal, should be subjected to concentrated, minute and probing checks and cross checks. It may be worth while to select two or more separate periods. One of these being that immediately preceding the day of inspection. This will help him in not only detecting the irregularities being committed but also whether these have been continuing for the past some time. 6. Discuss the irregularities or lapses noticed during inspection with the staff actually doing the work as well as those supervising their work. Such a discussion will prove to be educative and produce useful results. 7. Discuss, as far as possible, the points common to two or more branches, like the Signalling Interlocking branch or Loco Train Examining, Civil Engineering and Commercial Branches jointly for objectivity and acceptable solutions. This will help in not only arriving at correct conclusions and forming sound views but also in avoiding unnecessary correspondence.