Medicals

[stevienash]

I guess it is because a hearing aid is more likely to malfunction in some way (eg batteries going dead) than a pair of glasses is.

I used to carry a spare battery in my wallet

 

[ultra4]

I used to carry a spare battery in my wallet

or even carrying spare hearing aid would be no problem, as it is the case with spare glasses

 

[stevienash]

My request has been forwarded to the recruitment department so not a no straight away so fingers crossed

 

[Bertie1983]

Hey, I have a medical tomorrow for trainee train driver, I'm pretty sure eyesight, hearing, blood pressure etc will be normal, am however a little worried as have a history of depression and have taken tablets many times in past but have had a lot of help from NHS, and I am feeling great now, I do have a lot of integrity and want to be honest with them but not sure if this may effect my chances of getting a proper offer? Even been offered course date etc and they said they want me but also understand its a safety critical role (which I'm currently in now) but hate to think past personal events that I have overcome would mean being penalised...

Any help, reassurance or advice be greatly appreciated... many thanks.

 

[stevienash]

Hey, I have a medical tomorrow for trainee train driver, I'm pretty sure eyesight, hearing, blood pressure etc will be normal, am however a little worried as have a history of depression and have taken tablets many times in past but have had a lot of help from NHS, and I am feeling great now, I do have a lot of integrity and want to be honest with them but not sure if this may effect my chances of getting a proper offer? Even been offered course date etc and they said they want me but also understand its a safety critical role (which I'm currently in now) but hate to think past personal events that I have overcome would mean being penalised...

Any help, reassurance or advice be greatly appreciated... many thanks.

I would be honest mate, as if they do find anything it wont look good if you try to hide it good luck

 

[Bertie1983]

I would be honest mate, as if they do find anything it wont look good if you try to hide it good luck

Thank you... I will be... I can't lie and know if later on they find out I'm out! Plus I am looking after and responsible for many people. I just trying to find out if any other employees have admitted in their medical bout depression and tablets in the past and been ok... I hope so as I feel like I can do the job, but TOC perspective may be different which is fair enough...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Thank you... I will be... I can't lie and know if later on they find out I'm out! Plus I am looking after and responsible for many people. I just trying to find out if any other employees have admitted in their medical bout depression and tablets in the past and been ok... I hope so as I feel like I can do the job, but TOC perspective may be different which is fair enough...

I filled questionnaire with integrity and passed the medical... Always be honest, that's the best way...!

 

[Gman]

I to suffered with depression and was still on meds when I took my medical. I was passed ok and I'm pretty sure you will be ok also. You just have to remember to declare anything you have taken in last 10 days. Good luck!

 

[Bertie1983]

I to suffered with depression and was still on meds when I took my medical. I was passed ok and I'm pretty sure you will be ok also. You just have to remember to declare anything you have taken in last 10 days. Good luck!

Lying never ever gets you anywhere and I would rather be told "sorry but we can't have you" than lie... But everything passed fine and I am officially on the course... thank you, glad it went well for you too... Think they know if your not right and having depression does not stop you living life and getting the career you want... Why should it! It's never effected my judgement and I have managed to over come it...

 

[James268]

First post!

I'm aspiring to be a driver with Northern (Manchester area), what is the extent of the colour blind test at the medical? Self testing has determined that I am not red-green colour blind, but I am (partially?) colour blind.

On this test: http://www.colour-blindness.com/colour-blindness-tests/ishihara-colour-test-plates/

I have no problems with upto and including plate 7. The rest I struggle with, getting around 50%. I seems I am colour blind but doesn't affect red/green vision.

With this impede me? I would hate to get as far as the medical and fail there.

Following upto this, I had an eye test the other day, near perfect vision but for the colour blind test I got around 1/2-3/4 of them correct, these were a mixture of the light and dark coloured patterns. I got nearly all of the purple/red pattern and some of the green/yellow. The optician said that i'm not red-green colourblind, it is a (I think) blue-green colourblindness, and not a severe one. I asked her about it being okay for a train driver role and she couldn't say, it was more of a might do, might not answer.

Does anyone know if colour blindness is okay if it is not red-green? I'm thinking of contacting an operator (it will most probably be northern as that's the main operator in my area) to find out, but I don't know who to contact, I doubt HR would know.

It would be a huge shame to get as far as the medical to find out I can't do it.

 

[455driver]

Google ishihara and do that test, most TOCs use that one.

Actually here you go-

http://colorvisiontesting.com/ishihara.htm

If you can do that one okay then you should be fine.

 

[James268]

Google ishihara and do that test, most TOCs use that one.

Actually here you go-

http://colorvisiontesting.com/ishihara.htm

If you can do that one okay then you should be fine.

Thanks

Got 4/10

 

[TDK]

I know someone who wears glasses can be accepted but a person who wears a hearing aid can't?

I know 5 qualified drivers who became hard of hearing and now wear hearing aids and are still in the job,
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Following upto this, I had an eye test the other day, near perfect vision but for the colour blind test I got around 1/2-3/4 of them correct, these were a mixture of the light and dark coloured patterns. I got nearly all of the purple/red pattern and some of the green/yellow. The optician said that i'm not red-green colourblind, it is a (I think) blue-green colourblindness, and not a severe one. I asked her about it being okay for a train driver role and she couldn't say, it was more of a might do, might not answer.

Does anyone know if colour blindness is okay if it is not red-green? I'm thinking of contacting an operator (it will most probably be northern as that's the main operator in my area) to find out, but I don't know who to contact, I doubt HR would know.

It would be a huge shame to get as far as the medical to find out I can't do it.

ASFAIK any colour blindness is a certain NO!

 

[33056]

ASFAIK any colour blindness is a certain NO!

I know of a driver who resigned some years after privatisation then, realising they had made a mistake, applied to re-join. Everything was OK until the medical where they failed the colour vision test (some problem with certain shades of blue), apparently there was some alternative test which could be used previously (which they had passed) but was no longer allowed.

Sadly, there are so many applicants for driving jobs these days that the companys can easily choose to consider only those who meet the exact criteria.

 

[455driver]

Thanks

Got 4/10

Oh dear, that isnt very good, I would recommend a visit to an opticians for a full eye test. Tell him why you are doing it and they will do the relevant tests.

 

[The Snap]

Hi all,

I work in the industry already on the infrastructure side, and have done for last 4 years. I did a medial as soon as I started at my employer and prior to my initial PTS exam. From what I remember it consisted of a urine sample for D&A, blood pressure, eye sight and a hearing test involving listening to tones varying in pitch and volume. Does the medial for drivers/operational staff differ/require anything extra?

Thanks.

 

[theageofthetra]

Could anyone clarify what alcohol level you are allowed when you have a medical? Are you expected to have none at at all in your breath ( I asume its a breathalyser? ) I get the impression that if you had a few beers on Sat then if you were tested on Tuesday although you would be under any limit but still trace amounts would show. Is it wise not to drink at all for a week before the test? Or is that being over cautious?

 

[455driver]

If you think it is acceptable to turn up for a medical for a safety critical role smelling of alcohol then maybe its not for you, common sense should give you the answer to that!

 

[theageofthetra]

I probably didn't word the question well, of course I wouldn't turn up for a test (or work) smelling of drink! I was mearly asking if it was a zero tolerance test in which case it would be wise not to touch a drink for a week before or is it the same limits as the random tests you get once in the job.

 

[TDK]

I probably didn't word the question well, of course I wouldn't turn up for a test (or work) smelling of drink! I was mearly asking if it was a zero tolerance test in which case it would be wise not to touch a drink for a week before or is it the same limits as the random tests you get once in the job.

You are allowed up to 13mg, the drink drive limit for a car is 35mg. If you blow anything above 0 I would presume you would not be passed. If you or anyone else feels the need to drink the night before work or a medical I would get a different job, something like a pub barman would be ideal

 

[theageofthetra]

Of course no one in their right mind is going to go out drinking the night before a medical. The point I am making is that if certain blood tests are done then you will potentially get a reading above zero if you have had a drink several days before. This sort of zero tollerance test is used in the US to test kids under 21 who have been caught drinking (where it is of course illegal) They are put on probation and are periodically tested (a bit like train drivers).

Do you know if the drivers medical is it a blood test or a breatherlyser like the police use. I personally won't touch a drop for a week before the test and will probably think seriously anout giving up although once I start. Its been too long a journey to risk it over a pint of beer!

 

[Red18]

Do you know if the drivers medical is it a blood test or a breatherlyser like the police use. I personally won't touch a drop for a week before the test and will probably think seriously anout giving up although once I start. Its been too long a journey to risk it over a pint of beer!

It's a breathalyser to test for alcohol and a urine test for everything else.

 

[33056]

Having recently had a periodic medical, the only things taken were breathaliser and urine samples - the latter of which is sent away and the results returned the following day. This is for safety critical staff but not driving / PTS holder or new starters so not sure if the requirements for those posts would be any different though have never heard of anybody having a blood test at a railway medical.

 

[Bluebri]

I think Theageofthetra's question is a fair and good one. It is not about stupidity and drinking the night before a medical. I think a potential scenario ( which has been on my mind for the last few weeks ) which would validate the question is this. You have applied for driving job in January and have attended all the assessments etc. and passed in early March. You are waiting for a start date, but no word or clue. It is your Birthday in April and your family and friends have organised a party on a Saturday. Monday morning, out of the blue, you are called for a medical on the Wednesday following your party, at which you had an 'extremely' good night. Surely that leads to a concern that even though you are not an alcoholic p*** head, one legitimate night of indulgence, could potentially end your career aspirations before it has begun. So the question stands, what tolerences do they have in the medical for this and would this situation be taken into account. Nice to know, not because any of us are alcy's, but because if we know know that there is a slim chance our personal occasional indulgences could affect this adversley, it empowers us to make different decisions to how we may approach certain situations. And yes, that is my scenario I am currently facing and am not looking forwards to having a 'dry' birthday party.

 

[TDK]

I think Theageofthetra's question is a fair and good one. It is not about stupidity and drinking the night before a medical. I think a potential scenario ( which has been on my mind for the last few weeks ) which would validate the question is this. You have applied for driving job in January and have attended all the assessments etc. and passed in early March. You are waiting for a start date, but no word or clue. It is your Birthday in April and your family and friends have organised a party on a Saturday. Monday morning, out of the blue, you are called for a medical on the Wednesday following your party, at which you had an 'extremely' good night. Surely that leads to a concern that even though you are not an alcoholic p*** head, one legitimate night of indulgence, could potentially end your career aspirations before it has begun. So the question stands, what tolerences do they have in the medical for this and would this situation be taken into account. Nice to know, not because any of us are alcy's, but because if we know know that there is a slim chance our personal occasional indulgences could affect this adversley, it empowers us to make different decisions to how we may approach certain situations. And yes, that is my scenario I am currently facing and am not looking forwards to having a 'dry' birthday party.

Alcohol is dispersed from the body very quickly and there is a guideline on how quickly a unit will be dispersed from the body. I think off the top of my head it is 1 unit per hour on average from the time you finish your last drink so as a guideline say you have 3 pints of normal strength ale at say 2 units per pint that will take approximately 6 hours to go from your system completely. If you have 10 pints then you are looking at about 20 hours before it is from your system. So if you still have alcohol in your system from drinking after 3 days you would no be bothered because you would most likely be dead from alcohol poisoning. The drugs and alcohol policy for all companies is straight forward and if anyone drinks the evening before an early shift they should not have the job as far as I am concerned.

 

[plastictaffy]

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
TDK - fairly certain when I did my rules course that the "one unit, one hour" thing was used. But isn't it longer for the fairer sex - hour and a half per unit I believe??

 

[wanabedriver]

Does anyone know what the eye test threshold is without glasses. I was only able to read to the third line down, with my glasses I was able to read the bottom line. I hope this is a pass.

 

[Red18]

Does anyone know what the eye test threshold is without glasses. I was only able to read to the third line down, with my glasses I was able to read the bottom line. I hope this is a pass.

You'll be ok with that, no worries. I was exactly the same without glasses and passed.

 

[wanabedriver]

You'll be ok with that, no worries. I was exactly the same without glasses and passed.

Thanks mate, appreciate the response

 

[TDK]

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
TDK - fairly certain when I did my rules course that the "one unit, one hour" thing was used. But isn't it longer for the fairer sex - hour and a half per unit I believe??

To be fair the 1 hour is a guideline they do say the fairer sex take longer to rid alcohol from their system but there are so many governing factors such as eating habits, your bodies immune system, the condition of your liver and your metabolism rate to consider. I hardly ever drink the day before work and the only time I may have one beer is if I am off an early shift to a late shift. I think if you are a train driver or any safety critical worker or are looking to be within one of the safety critical roles and you have to work out using the system of 1 hour a unit you will end up in trouble one day!

 

[BSparks]

Does anyone know what the eye test threshold is without glasses. I was only able to read to the third line down, with my glasses I was able to read the bottom line. I hope this is a pass.

Can I ask if the uncorrected vision part was in both eyes together or each eye separately? Been a while since I did my pts medical, not sure if it's the same for driving