OPT 627 – CELLULAR PHONES / ELECTRONIC DEVICES
OBJECTIVE
This test is designed to determine employee compliance with cellular phone and
electronic device restrictions.
APPLICABLE RULES
GCOR 1.10 MWOR 1.10 TDCOM 40.23 TDCOM 55.22
System Special Instructions
PREPARATION / PROCEDURE
Procedures
include visual observations to determine if prohibitive use is occurring and
supervisor inquiry to ascertain if restricted
devices are turned on or off.
Two primary testing procedures will be used for completion
of this test:
1.
A supervisor observes an employee using an electronic device when
restricted,
or
2.
A supervisor determines that an electronic device is turned off (when required)
per
referenced rules or instructions.
When determining whether a device is turned on or off, supervisors are to use the
following guidance:
•
When an employee’s cellular phone or electronic
device is in view, such as on a
desk, control stand or on a belt clip/holster, a supervisor will ask the employee if
the device is turned off (if device is required to be turned off).
•
When an employee’s cellular
phone or electronic device is in view, such as on a
desk, control stand or on a belt clip/holster, and device is noted
to be ringing,
indicator lights flashing, vibrating, etc., a supervisor will ask the employee to
demonstrate the
device’s power setting (if device is required to be turned off).
•
When no cellular phone or electronic
device is in view and use of such device
would be restricted, a supervisor may ask the employee if any such device is
in
the employee’s possession. If answer is yes, supervisor will ask if device is
turned off.
Several
testing scenarios follow. Cellular phone is being used in the scenarios outside
of an emergency situation or per GCOR
2.5 (Communications Redundancy):
-
Boarding a controlling locomotive to review results
of a banner test with a train
crew, a cellular phone is viewed to be in the possession of an employee in the
controlling
cab. Employee response to supervisor inquiry indicates the cellular
phone is turned off. This is considered a test with
a passing result.
-
During switching operations, a cellular phone is viewed in the belt clip/holster of a
crewmember while engaged in safety related tasks (e.g. going between
equipment to couple an air hose). Employee response
to supervisor inquiry
indicates the cellular phone is turned off. This is considered a test with a passing
result.
-
During switching operations, an RCO crewmember is observed using a cellular
phone while the remote control
locomotive is in motion. This is considered a test
exception.
-
Crew member on the ground providing train
inspection of another passing train is
observed using a cellular phone. This is considered a test exception.
-
Crew member observed in the controlling cab of a locomotive using or entering
information into a laptop computer
or Renegade device while the train is moving.
This is considered a test exception.
-
While a train is moving,
observation is made of crewmembers in the controlling
cab of the locomotive and no use of electronic earpiece is evident.
This
observation cannot be recorded. Should a crew member be observed wearing an
electronic earpiece while the
train is moving, the employee must be immediately
contacted and is considered a test exception.
-
Control
Operator / Train Dispatcher / Yardmaster is observed talking on a cell
phone while in their respective work area. This
is considered a test exception.
-
While a mechanical employee is verifying proper brake application during an
air
test, a crew member of that train is observed using a cellular phone in the cab of
the controlling locomotive.
This is considered a test exception.
-
While deadheading in a highway vehicle, an employee is observed sending
text
messages with an electronic device. This observation should not be recorded as
an operations test.
-
While train is stopped, crew member is observed using a cell phone and
supervisor does not interact with the employee
to determine if use is permitted.
This observation should not be recorded as an operations test.
While not all
inclusive, some of the key aspects to conducting this test are:
-
Cell phones must
be turned off when required by rule.
-
Wearing of stereo headphones, ear-buds and cellular phone earpieces when
restricted are considered test exceptions.
-
Cell phones may only be used for voice communications under
conditions
specified by rule.
-
Electronic devices such as DVD/CD players, MP3 players, IPods, etc. may
not
be used by a crewmember working/transporting on a freight train or working on a
passenger train.
-
Electronic devices such as Hammerhead and Renegade may only be used when
train is stopped.
-
Laptop computer
or similar device capable of storing electronic rule book files
may only be used to access electronic rule book files.
When accessing electronic
rule book files train must be stopped.
FAILURE DEFINED
Key
test failures include any of the following observations:
-
Crew member’s cellular
phones are not turned off or stereo headphones, earbuds,
or cellular earpieces are not removed while train is moving
(Except during
emergency or as provided by GCOR 2.5)
-
Employees such as dispatchers, yardmasters, control
operators, etc., are using a
personal cell phone or electronic device in an area restricted by rule
-
Any
electronic device is turned “on” while train is moving unless permitted by rule
-
Crew member’s
laptop computer or similar device capable of storing electronic
rule book files are used when train is moving
-
Engineer using a cell phone while a member of their crew is engaged in a safety
related duty
-
Employee
on the ground using a cell phone while a member of their crew is
engaged in a safety related task
-
Crew
member using a cell phone while conducting an inspection of a passing
train
-
Cell phone or other
personal electronic device turned “on” while engaged in any
safety related task including an air brake test
-
Using a cell phone or multifunction electronic device for any purpose other than
making a voice call when
restricted by rule
-
Using a Hammerhead or Renegade while train is moving
