C35/​1997R Two work­ers in­jured in shunt­ing work in Jyväskylä, on Oc­to­ber 15, 1997

15.10.1997

On Wednesday, October 15, 1997, a shunting work super- visor and a train crew member were injured in shunting work on Jyväskylä marshalling yard. The train rear end to be moved by humping collided with its uncoupled front end with such a violence that the shunting work supervisor fell from the car hurting his head and back of the neck, and the train crew member fell on the floor of the car hitting his head and shoulders. As a result of his injuries, the train crew member was on a several month sick leave; the sick leave of the shunting work supervisor was only five days. The rolling stock concerned suffered no damage in the accident. The relevant financial loss was over FIM 80.000.

The accident was caused by an uncoupled car. In the making of the train the previous evening, one of the cars in the group of cars had failed to be coupled, and the shunting work supervisor had not been advised thereof. An advice on the uncoupled car failing, the trainset was supposed to be complete.

In order to avoid corresponding accidents, the Accident Investigation Board of Finland recommends that before humping the train, its completeness of the train be checked by having the locomotive pull it, e.g. over a distance equalling the length of a car.

Recommendation S92