Passenger Trains > NTSB: Metro Operator Derailed Train After 9 Yr Medical

http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/dc/2011/04/ntsb-metro-operator-derailed-train-after-9-year-medical-leave#

It seems to me that after 9 years away, this person should have undergone a complete training course, not a refresher. Do they send out new recruits with passengers after 15 days of training? I will bet they don't.

You have to wonder what a nine year ankle injury looks like. Isn't the operator in a seat? Not to put anyone worker down, but how phyically challenging, e.g. heavy lifting, etc. is operating a subway car? It certainly does take some smarts to gauge distances, speed, signals, stopping, but being phyically exausted at the end of the shift, probably not.

NINE YEARS! Jeez!

my .02



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/11 10:16 by YankeeDog.

YankeeDog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You have to wonder what a nine year ankle injury looks like.... NINE YEARS! Jeez!

From the outside, it looks like she might have won the "on the job injury" lottery!

DC has some very "employee friendly" local laws; for example under the federal FMLA (Familiy Medical Leave Act) employees are entitled to 12 weeks unpaid leave in 12 months; under local DC laws the same employees are entitled to 16 weeks in 24 months.

YankeeDog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You have to wonder what a nine year ankle injury
> looks like. Isn't the operator in a seat? Not to
> put anyone worker down, but how phyically
> challenging, e.g. heavy lifting, etc. is operating
> a subway car? It certainly does take some smarts
> to gauge distances, speed, signals, stopping, but
> being phyically exausted at the end of the shift,
> probably not.
>
> NINE YEARS! Jeez!
>
> my .02

First, check your attitude at the door. This post is about the return to work and derailment. Keep to that topic.

Second, who are you to judge what requirements are needed for a paticular job? An operator of a moving vehicle, whether train or car or truck or bus or airplane, needs to have certain physical capabilities, including the ability to move freely about.

jst3751 Wrote:
>
> First, check your attitude at the door. This post
> is about the return to work and derailment. Keep
> to that topic.
>
> Second, who are you to judge what requirements are
> needed for a paticular job? An operator of a
> moving vehicle, whether train or car or truck or
> bus or airplane, needs to have certain physical
> capabilities, including the ability to move freely
> about.

Since you raised that issue, here is a PARTIAL extract of some specific requirements for a METRO bus operator taken from their website (there are currently no METRO train operators listed). The nearest thing to "certain physical capabilities" are listed under the section titled "MEDICAL GROUP":

MEDICAL GROUP:

Satisfactorily complete the medical examination for this position is required. The incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of this particular position either with or without reasonable accommodation(s).

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Ability to understand and follow verbal and written instructions and strictly comply with safety and traffic rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.

Ability to deliver stellar customer service and communicate effectively and courteously even under adverse circumstances.

Ability to work various shifts, hours, locations, and holidays with varying days off yet maintain regular good attendance and punctuality.

Ability to consistently report to work in a timely fashion in order to receive service runs instructions.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/11 11:58 by hazegray.

Sheesh, jst3751, seems like you are the one who needs an attitude check. I've read YankeeDog's post several times and cannot understand your reaction at all.

Warrior


jst3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> YankeeDog Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You have to wonder what a nine year ankle
> injury
> > looks like. Isn't the operator in a seat? Not
> to
> > put anyone worker down, but how phyically
> > challenging, e.g. heavy lifting, etc. is
> operating
> > a subway car? It certainly does take some
> smarts
> > to gauge distances, speed, signals, stopping,
> but
> > being phyically exausted at the end of the
> shift,
> > probably not.
> >
> > NINE YEARS! Jeez!
> >
> > my .02
>
> First, check your attitude at the door. This post
> is about the return to work and derailment. Keep
> to that topic.
>
> Second, who are you to judge what requirements are
> needed for a paticular job? An operator of a
> moving vehicle, whether train or car or truck or
> bus or airplane, needs to have certain physical
> capabilities, including the ability to move freely
> about.

In my humble opinion, this person suffered from "malingerosis pedis".....i.e., a faked foot injury to avoid work and be rewarded with workman's compensation pay. When her payments ran out, she got better very quickly, only to re-injure her foot/ankle once again.

The transit officials probably feared an ADA-type lawsuit if they didn't give her a chance to get back to work, even though she was nine years off the job.

After reading her testimony, as given to the NTSB, it is clear that she was totally incompetent.

Remember, my humble opinion only.

I used to investigate these "injured" persons. I would take pictures of them roofing a house. I kid you not! Another one had worked a full-time job for over a year. Candid camera and candid video uncovered gross fraud many times.

Easy now, just take a chill pill. Just stating his opinion here, no evidence of 'attitude' that I can see.

jst3751...Uh, who are you to get in anyone's face on this forum?

The person you criticized gave a reasonable, appropriate response to this absurd case, obviously involving an incompetent,'victim' woman who milked the system cross-eyed, looks like with union assistance.

The more I read about DC Metro's safety and morale horror stories, the less chance I'll ever ride.

BTW, In '05 during a visit to CT's Branford Trolley Museum, I guest-ran IRT Redbird 6688, takes no foot involvement, just sit and manipulate the 4-notch, hold-down controller and brake handle, maybe toot the horn, don't speed, crash. That's it. (In parallel, that thing MOVES!...proper braking is the biggest challenge).

This woman could've worked, had a super-scam going.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/11 22:06 by Abqfoamer.

The NY Daily News had a follow up article about the Long Island Railroad's "astounding" recovery from years of disability retirements.

Until 2008, about 95% of all LIRR operating employees were able to retire with a disability at their usual retirement age. This allowed a significant portion of their full pension to be paid tax free. After a lot of publicity and outrage, political blustering, and an FBI investigation of the administrators, changes were made.

Now, fewer than half of all LIRR operating craft new retirees receive a disability pension, and the rate continues to decline. Multiple doctors are used for exams instead of the few who handled all disability claims for decades. Better on the job safety practices, smoking cessation clinics, stress management, etc have also helped employees live long and productive retirement lives.

Given all the sloppy reports about Washington Metro's safety and management practices, this unfortunate incident doesn't strike me as entirely unexpected. I'm glad nobody was killed.

I agree that jst3751's posting is inappropriate. That said, I think if someone really did have a bum ankle the fact that they could hobble into the seat and physically run the train would not be sufficient as there might be emergency situations where they might need to direct a rescue or maybe even go down on the track and limited mobility would interfere with that. But like most everyone else here, I think this person was probably scamming and returned to work only when the gravy train was about to end.