Mr Chittock and three others jumped onto the line whilst other staff tried to alert signallers; they managed to save her before the other train arrived.
Now, as is the case with incidents of this nature, the rail operator (c2c) is conducting a formal investigation in order to identify exactly what happened and to try to see if there are any lessons that can be learned.
Sadly, this being an exercise by the "rule book", Mr Chittock has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
Whilst the Mail fulminates that this is an injustice, its ire and that of Bob Crowe (never shy of wading into something if it will aid his political and personal ambitions) should be temporarily placed in stasis.
When accidents happen, investigations need to be carried out in order to determine the facts; it would be irresponsible of c2c not to conduct a thorough investigation. As to whether they handled the suspension of Mr Chittock with sensitivity or not it is not clear.
That being said, if the facts are as stated by Mr Chittock then after the investigation is concluded he deserves to be fully reinstated and awarded a commendation for acting as a human being not a robot.
Rule books are there for guidance, sometimes human instinct should be allowed to override the rules.
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Whilst I may agree that a business has a "legal right" to take a course of action, it doesn't mean that they have to. Someone may have the legal right to herd sheep through the city of London, but it doesn't mean they have to or that it would be desirable.
ReplyDeleteI think that we see far too many examples of people, behaving like human beings, being punished by tick tock managers. When I was growing up, it was ALWAYS considered a noble thing to do to risk your own safety, in order to save the life of another now, it is considered wrong and somehow bad. I don't like what my country has become: Yes I know why everyone covers their arses all the time now adays, but it still seems alien to me and, if there ever comes a day when I join them and become a member of the tick tock sheeple, then that will be a very sad day indeed for our nation because I suspect, I would be one of the last that would give up traditional British values and attitudes etc and become a tick tock PC robot.
The two worst things this country has allowed to happen, other than being in the EUSSR, was allowing hi-viz clad nutters to hijack the Health and Safety at work act from the late 1970s, which was a good piece of legislation, which they turned into the industry it is now and the other mistake, which again started of as a good, well intentioned piece of legislation, was the act that allowed conditional fees for lawyers. This too has been hijacked by a group of people that use it in a way it was never intended to be used in.
I dispair when I see what my country has become and my only consolation is that I won't be around for much longer to see where it all ends up.
Hi ken, following the walkie talkie building facade I thought you may enjoy this image of people trying to fry eggs underneath its rays ;)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theguardian.com/world/picture/2013/sep/05/london?CMP=twt_ipd
Thanks Josie, love it:)
DeleteTonk said: "I think that we see far too many examples of people, behaving like human beings, being punished by tick tock managers. When I was growing up, it was ALWAYS considered a noble thing to do to risk your own safety, in order to save the life of another now, it is considered wrong and somehow bad. I don't like what my country has become: Yes I know why everyone covers their arses all the time now adays, but it still seems alien to me and, if there ever comes a day when I join them and become a member of the tick tock sheeple, then that will be a very sad day indeed for our nation because I suspect, I would be one of the last that would give up traditional British values and attitudes etc and become a tick tock PC robot.
ReplyDeleteThe two worst things this country has allowed to happen, other than being in the EUSSR, was allowing hi-viz clad nutters to hijack the Health and Safety at work act from the late 1970s, which was a good piece of legislation, which they turned into the industry it is now and the other mistake, which again started of as a good, well intentioned piece of legislation, was the act that allowed conditional fees for lawyers. This too has been hijacked by a group of people that use it in a way it was never intended to be used in."
You are so right, Tonk. Whilst I don't disagree with the principle of investigating this incident, I see no necessity for Mr Chittock to have been suspended. The man's a hero, and should be rewarded not subject to the Spanish Inquisition and punished! We need more people like him and less of the hi-viz jobsworths that infest society! Would his employers really have preferred him to have done nothing and for everyone to have stood around carrying out 'risk assessments' whilst the next train crushed the unfortunate woman to death? If so, then this society is even sicker than I thought, as rules appear to be more important than someone's life! Instead of being subject to a witch hunt, Mr Chittock deserves a medal and promotion!
The rail company undoubtedly take the view that, since there are live rails involved, they don't want to risk having several dead bodies on the track. Elf & Safety would rather just leave the unfortunate victim to take her chances whilst they try and turn off the power...
ReplyDeleteIf they commended Mr Chittock for his actions it could encourage others TO TAKE RISKS, and we can't have that, can we?
Point of information: Southend Central is not part of the Southern 3rd rail electrification system or the 3rd and 4th rail (the latter being the negative return) found on the London Underground. The current is received from overhead cables carrying 25kv A.C, so the issue of live rails is irrelevant in this case.
ReplyDelete@LoA - Apologies, I stand corrected.
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