NTSB: Operator in O'Hare crash had fallen asleep at controls before

[brooklynite]

Source: Chicago Tribune

The operator of the CTA train that jumped the platform and climbed an escalator at O'Hare has admitted dozing off at the controls, and had been admonished last month when she also fell asleep and missed a stop, officials said today.

The new details of the investigation were disclosed this morning by Ted Turpin, the lead investigator of the crash for the National Transportation Safety Board, after officials interviewed the operator.

“She did admit that she dozed off prior to entering the station, and she did not awake again until the train hit close to the end of the bumper,” Turpin said.

...snip...

Monday was not the first time the operator fell asleep at the controls, he said. “She did tell us that, in February, she dozed off and passed a station without stopping. CTA became aware of that almost immediately, and a supervisor admonished her and had a discussion with her,” Turpin said.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-ntsb-cta-operator-admitted-falling-asleep-before-ohare-crash-20140326,0,2232372.story

[cosmicone]

1. Why wasn't she suspended after the first incident?

Dozing off on the job should be cause for termination or a reassignment to a desk job at least.

[Wilms]

2. Best graph of the article...

Turpin said the operator filled in for other workers. “She was a fill-in train operator. She only got her assignments on a day-to-day basis, so her shifts were changing continually,” he said.

Maybe, I dunno, perhaps, just possibly...THEY NEED TO RETHINK THAT POLICY!

[PoliticAverse]

3. Yeah, were they having her work daytime one day and nighttime shortly after? n/t

[frazzled]

4. Yes, that policy absolutely needs to be changed

There's of course a need for fill-in operators, but there should be regular shifts for such workers: either day or night, for set periods, so that consistency of sleep can be maintained.

I feel badly for this worker, in a way (not to mention for the people on the train--and the thousands and thousands who have been inconvenienced because the station continues to be closed).

[Blue_Tires]

6. +1

[Ash_F]

7. Just another example of why we need better labor laws

Especially when the job involves heavy machinery. Workers should be given consistent hours.

[Brickbat]

9. Scheduling in the transportation industry is broken, across the board.

Trains, planes, trucking...it's a fucking mess that doesn't allow people to do a good job.

[hedgehog]

12. Part of the problem is that wages are so low, people grab extra shifts if they can!

Think about this the next time you get aboard that commuter jet!

[Brickbat]

13. Well, that depends on the employer and whether there's a contract or not.

There's good money to be made on some railroads, for example. If you can stay awake.

[PADemD]

5. Maybe a sleep apnea test should have been required.

[Sunlei]

8. They need computer speed governors on trains where operators can NOT speed or miss any stops.

Let an alarm go off, on the train and in the home office before the next train wreck.

[progree]

10. This one puts the February incident in a kinder light:

http://news.yahoo.com/train-operator-dozed-off-crash-chicagos-ohare-ntsb-171228841--finance.html

The operator had been running Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) trains for about 60 days before the incident and was admonished in February for overrunning a station, Ted Turpin, an investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, said on Wednesday.

In the February incident, the operator told investigators she "closed her eyes for a moment," the CTA said. One train car had extended beyond a station platform, the report said.

[One_Life_To_Give]

11. Perhaps it's time for Automated operators.

Seems we have had a string of various track rail operators falling asleep on the job lately. At this point we could automate the operation and remove the potential for a sleeping operator.

[Earth_First]

14. Maybe a few more 'self checkout lines' privatize a few more highways with 'EZ-Pass' lanes...

Automate and layoff.

For 'convienence' and 'safety' sake, right?

Rather than regulate and create fair equitable workplace environments; you'd rather automate sectors which ultimately end up in layoffs and further impact public safety through privitized industry safety standards...

Some plan you've got there.

[One_Life_To_Give]

15. You want cops on the corners instead of street lights?

For 6000 years we have been replacing people by developing better ways to do things. Look at all those displaced by the Wheel. Turns out that since we don't all spend 90%+ of our waking hours trying to feed ourselves anymore. We have found all kinds of other usefull work to accomplish.

[Earth_First]

16. "6000" years eh? nt

[One_Life_To_Give]

17. Recorded history

Agrarian life, larger communities and specialization. One could argue another starting point. Point is it's not new or modern for people to be displaced by new tech. We have steadily reduced the total hours devoted to obtaining food. Which allowed artisans and craftspeople to develop. Automating one task free's people to perform other tasks for which machines are currently incapable.