Lessons Learned from the Collision at the Daikonbara Level Crossing on the Iiyama Line and Preventive Measures East Japan Railway Workers Union, Niigata Branch, Chief of Negotiation Section Tatsuharu Takahashi

February 1st, 2011, at 12:12 pm A train crashed into a car at a level crossing. The crossbar was raised when the alarm was ringing, then a car was guided. Ｐｓ crash Nobody was injured on the train but the driver of the car was dead.

Damages of the car

Iiyama line is in the deepest snow area in Japan 事故発生場所の状況 The line is located in the deepest snow area in Japan. There are 2 meter high snow walls every year.

It was the first winter for the workers on the site. Situations of the Iiyama line 1.Quiet line, only 8 round trips in a day. 2. Lots of delays and suspensions due to heavy snow. 3. Change of branch due to change of boundary Characteristics It was the first winter for the workers on the site.

Road Traffic Act in Japan A car must stop at the stopping line in front of the level crossing and confirm the safety before entering the crossing site. Article 33 A worker arrives and stops train, then a car can pass. In case of crossbar is out of service

Results of Investigation by the Accident Investigation Commission

Issues How the driver says How to deal with when a crossbar is out of order How the driver says The driver says, if the visibility is poor, I enter the crossing site while blowing whistle and running slowly. Issues If the report about the trouble of the crossbar had been made to the driver, he would have noticed it. Answer Rules have to be made about a crossing trouble and when to lift emergency mode. Everyone involving the matter needs to have the same views about rules.

Education on Emergency No specific rules, but education is conducted several times in a year. Issues Education is done, but it does not focus on a trouble of a crossbar and there was not enough time for education due to change of branch. Answer Education reflecting the special conditions of the line should be done. Practical drills coordinating with control centre should be done.

In-company Instruction Rules of in-company instruction In-company instruction has a prescription of how to pass a car in case of a crossbar trouble. Issues In-company instruction deals with procedures in case of construction, not for a crossbar trouble. Answer A review is necessary to check the in-company instructions reflecting the reality.

Restarting and Maintenance Workers Security in case of trouble In principle, more than 2 crossbar watchmen have to be placed(incoming and outgoing), either of them must check the train movements. Issues Insufficient number of workers with unclear roles as well as insufficient number of workers who can rush to the troubled spot. Answer Specifying roles and tasks. To establish a support system in case of trouble.

Investment in Facility Facility conditions and standards of changing equipment The cable is under ground and the changing period is 30 years but the actual change depends on a degree of deteriorations. Issues The cable is exposed in naked and easy to be affected by outer conditions. Thus, it is easy to be deteriorated and damaged. Answer Change the old equipment and enhancing facility on the request of maintenance.

Complaints from Neighbours Complaints in case of trouble In case of trouble, workers on site receive complaints, yelling and even act of violence due to long time no passage. Issues They are concerned with complaints and yelling, so they tend to think to let a car go. Answer To resume quickly, to shorten the arrival time on site and establishing cooperation with police and requesting for understanding of walkers.

Measures after Trouble Measures by the JR East How to pass walkers and cars in case of continuous ringing of crossbar alarm. Classify lines into quiet lines and others, In principle, detour If let it go, To establish an appropriate system

But, workers on site say… What workers on site feel Detour is not easy to do in a countryside. Yelling of walkers and cars is concerned. In case of stopping a train, it is regarded as trouble. These kinds of voices were heard a lot

It should be considered to cover weakness of human beings by machine A similar accident occurred!! Isawa-onsen station Walkers yelled so hard, I was frightened, so I had to let them go. Voices of workers Measures and manuals do not match the reality. Recognising the danger, but under an extreme situation,humans cannot decide calmly. What we can see from this incident It should be considered to cover weakness of human beings by machine

Summary 1.If detour is impossible, to establish a system which all departments need to have the same recognition. 2.When crossing is out of order, a train must move slowly or stop temporarily in front of the level crossing. 3.To decrease complaints,shortening arrival time of maintenance workers as well as restarting system as soon as possible. 4.To establish system to deal with complaints in cooperation with other institutions and the locals in order to facilitate smooth detour so that workers can focus on fixing work.

As a Trade Union In order not to occur an accident again, to comply with rules completely. Do not become a subject of discipline, if a worker stops a train for a safety reason. No compromise on safety issues. Union and company discuss the safety issues seriously by creating examination movements from every worksite!!