Smoking Train Driver

[Toby!]

I recently witnessed the following and I was wondering if this is safe or allowed at all. [no identifying details as I'm not looking to get anyone in trouble]

I was waiting for an 'intercity' type train and as the train drew near to the platform (about 30-40m) it stopped. Not behind a signal but just beyond the platform. This was not necessarily unusual as the train was a couple of minutes early. Once the train was a minute or so late it then proceeded towards the station. It was as the train pulled in that I noticed that the driver was clearly smoking. I was sure of what I had seen as it was the end of a roll-up which they took a drag on then exhaled the smoke as the train passed.
(I probably wouldn't have thought much more of it were it not for the ironically timed announcement that, as we left the station, informed passengers that smoking was not permitted in ANY part of the train)

Anyway, it didn't seem like it was dangerous or anything at the time, but is it allowed and is it safe?

edit: Not looking to open up the debate on what counts as an 'intercity' train. It had lots of carriages and was travelling between multiple cities!

 

[underbank]

No, it's not allowed. Smoking "in the workplace" is banned by law. A train cab is just the same as a lorry cab and specifically banned.

 

[Moonshot]

No its not allowed......not an issue that affects me as I dont smoke anyway.

 

[physics34]

not allowed but i have sympathy for them to a point. If you have a habit that is very hard to break and it gets you through your daily shift/helps you concentrate...and then all of a sudden you can no longer do that, it must be hard to give up.

Its not 'unsafe'.

I wouldnt like anyone to be grassed on for this. The guy has a bad habit yes, but probably has a family to feed. Please don't report anyone for this. He is not directly affecting anyone. He could get sacked.

 

[LBSCR Times]

It is one of those difficult situations to manage. I've seen it ( and smelt it in the back cab), but have left it lie. If it was my staff then I'd have a quiet word with them, pointing out to be careful, as someone else could 'grass' them up, but if they have an issue, then try and offer help. Not easy, I know from experience, having been involved in managing alcohol related issues in the early days of when it was clamped down on.

 

[Crossover]

How do the railways view e cigarettes for staff?

 

[455driver]

I have refused to take a train from Waterloo because the cab (which would have been at the back on the way in) stank of smoke and was covered in ash, it was very quickly cleaned and the train left 5 minutes late.
Shortly afterwards letters were sent out reminding staff about the law regarding smoking, especially aimed at a certain south London depot beginning with the letter W!

 

[Minilad]

All our cabs have notices in reminding staff that smoking is against the law. But you do get the odd occasion when it's clear someone has been

 

[Dstock7080]

How do the railways view e cigarettes for staff?

As regards LU Staff, e-cigarettes are treated as tobacco poducts and are banned in workplace and other areas.
This ban was extended to passengers on LU property as from 27 May 2014 to clearly align with tobacco products.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

My immediate thought to reading the OP, is that the driver is possibly vaping on an e-cig that glows at the end. It may be different for them, but somebody would have to confirm that.

 

[Moonshot]

What became of the driver who was allegedly photographed reading a newspaper whilst driving a HST in ( I think ) Cornwall ?

 

[Class377]

Please don't report anyone for this. He is not directly affecting anyone. He could get sacked.

To be fair, if it's a sackable offence, why are you saying he should get away with it? If his employers have judged it to be so bad that you can be sacked, surely he knew the risk when he took a puff?

I have refused to take a train from Waterloo because the cab (which would have been at the back on the way in) stank of smoke and was covered in ash, it was very quickly cleaned and the train left 5 minutes late.
Shortly afterwards letters were sent out reminding staff about the law regarding smoking, especially aimed at a certain south London depot beginning with the letter W!

That was the point I was going to make - if I were a driver, I wouldn't appreciate a colleague stinking out the cab!

 

[455driver]

What became of the driver who was allegedly photographed reading a newspaper whilst driving a HST in ( I think ) Cornwall ?

It was near Dawlish, and the answer is that he had a few weeks in the messroom while it was investigated and then went back to work.

 

[PHILIPE]

I recall a case where an electrician was charged for smoking in the workplace when caught smoking in his van. He got away with it when he pointed out that his place of work was whatever premises he was working in. The van was his means of conveyance and not his workplace.

 

[Toby!]

My immediate thought to reading the OP, is that the driver is possibly vaping on an e-cig that glows at the end. It may be different for them, but somebody would have to confirm that.

I pointed out it was a rollup, as otherwise I wouldn't have been sure myself.

 

[Moonshot]

It was near Dawlish, and the answer is that he had a few weeks in the messroom while it was investigated and then went back to work.

So no case to answer then..?? I also seem to remember it was printed in that lover of rail paper The Dail Mail !!

 

[455driver]

So no case to answer then..?? I also seem to remember it was printed in that lover of rail paper The Dail Mail !!

Exactly, FGW are changing the (rather useless) flip blinds for proper blinds on the HSTs so no need to use a newspaper over the top anymore.

It's pity SWT don't do the same with the 455s as they have the same useless blinds.

 

[reb0118]

On class 170s it is very noticeable in the first class areas behind the driving cabs if the driver is smoking - complaints are often made and rightly so.

What was worse was when two drivers decided to have a ferting ()competition in the cab and there was no first class area to contain the smell - I had to evacuate the whole coach. The driver that took over later on was not amused, as was I when I had to change ends later. My eyes were smarting and the back of my throat was raw ~ any passenger with a pipe or cigar would have been given temporary permission to spark up to mask the ming.

 

[Moonshot]

On class 170s it is very noticeable in the first class areas behind the driving cabs if the driver is smoking - complaints are often made and rightly so.

What was worse was when two drivers decided to have a ferting ()competition in the cab and there was no first class area to contain the smell - I had to evacuate the whole coach. The driver that took over later on was not amused, as was I when I had to change ends later. My eyes were smarting and the back of my throat was raw ~ any passenger with a pipe or cigar would have been given temporary permission to spark up to mask the ming.

Im suprised that the Trump Passed With Sound alarm didnt go off !!

 

[David57]

I work in the bus industry, a driver was reported for smoking during a layover at a terminus by a member of the public, CCTV was viewed, and the driver was looking for another job.
Silly really, if he had is fag whilst standing on the pavement...

 

[daveswest]

I wish people driving road vehicles wouldn't use mobile phones whilst moving either , that's a criminal offence as well
I wish people wouldn't " substitute anything illegal and clearly done still, here......"
Blah blah blah

 

[muz379]

I have refused to take a train from Waterloo because the cab (which would have been at the back on the way in) stank of smoke and was covered in ash, it was very quickly cleaned and the train left 5 minutes late.
Shortly afterwards letters were sent out reminding staff about the law regarding smoking, especially aimed at a certain south London depot beginning with the letter W!

This is the problem with smoking , it might be a habbit thats hard to break but that doesn't mean the person that cant break the habbit should be allowed to break the law to the detriment of everyone else . I dont mind people smoking outside at designated smoking areas etc because if I dont want to be exposed to the smell or second hand smoke I dont have to be , but to do it in a work environment that someone else is then going to have to work in is pretty selfish

one of my big bones of contention in my last job was that people who smoked essentially got an extra 20/30 minutes of extra breaks a day with all of the little cigarette breaks they went out for

 

[CC 72100]

one of my big bones of contention in my last job was that people who smoked essentially got an extra 20/30 minutes of extra breaks a day with all of the little cigarette breaks they went out for

It's true - people can walk out on a 5/10 minute fag break as they please with no questions ask, but others who were literally going just for a break like that would most likely get weird looks.

 

[Fincra5]

I know they aren't supposed to but some drivers do. It makes no difference to me, as they do it with the Window open.

 

[ECML180]

Please don't report anyone for this. He is not directly affecting anyone. He could get sacked.

Thing is, people don't have to like the rules, just follow them. Yes it's reasonable to question why a rule exists and discuss if it should be kept, but it doesn't give someone the right to choose which rules they follow.

I have refused to take a train from Waterloo because the cab (which would have been at the back on the way in) stank of smoke and was covered in ash, it was very quickly cleaned and the train left 5 minutes late.

Quite right, I work in our family company and we own a number of vehicles and when a driver has been smoking in the vehicle it's clear due to the smell and sometimes ash or fag butts. As well as being unpleasant and unhealthy, it's quite distracting for the next person who takes the vehicle out.

 

[richw]

A Penzance taxi driver got heavily fined for smoking in his car.
According to the local paper he tried arguing that as the taxi was also his private car and at the time he was caught he was not working and on private use.
He was fined as it was deemed it was still his work place even though it was in his own time and not at a time it was his work place.

 

[455driver]

It's true - people can walk out on a 5/10 minute fag break as they please with no questions ask, but others who were literally going just for a break like that would most likely get weird looks.

Many years ago when I working in a factory (over 20 years ago, hell hock I used to take a 5 minute break like the smokers did, when I was pulled in the office 'for a chat' I asked why I as a non smoker (and the few others) were being victimised and prevented from taking a break like the other workers, we had a bit of a chat about it and the outcome was that everyone was allowed the same breaks without question as long as we didnt take the wee wee.

I used the break to get a drink because the factory was stupidly hot, we had a 40 foot long oven (working at 225 degrees C) which was used to bake the powder coating on, I took in a thermometer and first thing in the morning with everything off the temperature was over 35 degrees centigrade, after a couple of hours it was nearly 50 degrees. It wouldnt be allowed now of course.

 

[ivanhoe]

I find it rather sad that people grass on a train driver having a crafty fag. What kind of world do we live in ? People happy for somebody to lose their job?

 

[CC 72100]

I find it rather sad that people grass on a train driver having a crafty fag. What kind of world do we live in ? People happy for somebody to lose their job?

I think you'll find that the OP said that he wasn't going to identify the service/train to AVOID the driver getting into trouble...

To be honest, it just sounded like the OP was genuinely curious - I don't think I've seen an 'anti-staff agenda' (which sometimes threads like this can turn into) yet.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Many years ago when I working in a factory (over 20 years ago, hell hock I used to take a 5 minute break like the smokers did, when I was pulled in the office 'for a chat' I asked why I as a non smoker (and the few others) were being victimised and prevented from taking a break like the other workers, we had a bit of a chat about it and the outcome was that everyone was allowed the same breaks without question as long as we didnt take the wee wee.

I used the break to get a drink because the factory was stupidly hot, we had a 40 foot long oven (working at 225 degrees C) which was used to bake the powder coating on, I took in a thermometer and first thing in the morning with everything off the temperature was over 35 degrees centigrade, after a couple of hours it was nearly 50 degrees. It wouldnt be allowed now of course.

Sounds seriously hot that, can't blame you for wanting a break!

At my work our manager has in fact explicitly said that we can have breaks which would be equivalent to a smoking break, conscious of the fact that you can't have one party having a break/ one not.

As going for a (very!) short walk would look a little weird, I just turn my phone off (work in a call centre at the moment) and use it as an opportunity to eat my apple. Problem solved

 

[ivanhoe]

I think you'll find that the OP said that he wasn't going to identify the service/train to AVOID the driver getting into trouble...

To be honest, it just sounded like the OP was genuinely curious - I don't think I've seen an 'anti-staff agenda' (which sometimes threads like this can turn into) yet.

Appreciate the clarification . It should be a non issue though and I'm not Staff, for the benefit of other posters. I do smoke though