I find this thread quite an eye opener. I am surprised that in an industry with a quite powerful union this serious health and safety issue has not been looked into. It is hardly an acceptable situation to have employees urinating into drinks bottles in a cab with high voltage electrics and sensitive modern electronics about. Urine is also highly corrosive and as all men know we are not allways the most accurate aimers! As other posters have mentioned urine retention does pose a health risk and what about the poor maintenance staff who have to clean up accidents! What is the position with female drivers who are pregnant? Anyone who has had a pregnant partner will know that when they have to go.. they have to go. Do female drivers have to stop driving when pregnant? The only solution I can see is for the use of 'stadiun buddy' type devices. Although seen as a bit of a joke due to their use by drunk concert goers they were developed by the military for use by pilots flying solo for long distances
To be fair, this is an issue created by drivers trying to cut a bit of a corner, although I can see the reasons why.
No TOC in the country would bat an eyelid if you delayed a train whilst you went to the toilet. There have been drivers with weak bladders, IBS, colostomy bags, pregnant etc who are put on their own roster where they only do certain jobs which they feel they can manage around the turnarounds and breaks. Any one else is perfectly entitled to nip to the loo at the next station etc if needed. Ok, if you delay every train you work they may ask questions and ask you to see a OH doctor so that the problem can be investigated and dealt with either with treatment or by being put on an individual roster as described above, but if they don't provide you with adequate time or facilities then there is no issue causing a delay. If you have health issues in the future the company won't take any responsibility as they allow you to delay the train if needed and if you have an incident as you were so desperate you lost concentration they won't take any responsibility either.
Most turnaround points have a toilet and I tend to find most can be used within the turnaround time. Most trains also have onboard toilets for turnarounds. I mainly find issues when driving 313s which terminate at Stevenage, moorgate or Gordon hill where the toilets are a fair walk away plus you have to battle through ques of passengers to get there, however if I need to go as I have another 2+ hours driving before reaching a suitable location then I will and if they ask me why I left 3 mins late I tell them I went to the loo. I have never had a problem in return or faced any further questions.
I agree that drivers shouldn't really be straining themselves or urinating in bottles in the cab (would anyone else have a wee in their office next to their desk?!) but I think it's down to drivers to take the brave step and delay the train if needed (and I say brave as it can be quite embarrassing and difficult to delay a train full of passengers whilst you go to the loo with people watching you, tutting, heckling, muttering things under their breath etc)
hock:
