Track man is the unsung hero of Indian Railways. Track man or gangman as he is called in IR is the personal who checks the track for rail cracks and other defects in the track. He has a designated length of track which he checks walking up and down both the tracks. In this picture, the track man was checking and fixing the pandrol clips in the track through which the train in the picture passed through. It is a risky job too. Sometimes wrong judgement leads to fatal accidents and track man has lost his life. There are high risk areas like places where there is wildlife , bridges with no walk way etc. Track man has to do day and night patrolling in shifts. Still these unsung heroes risk their for the safe journey of trains
As I understand the cases of injuries are often, when the track man falls under the train. For a person who works on rails, I think a light-reflecting waistcoat is essential for safety. If he walks at night, it seems reasonable to me that train pilots can notice him in advance. Workers are not protected in places where there is wildlife?
@white.dead They are provided with light reflecting waist coats but still accidents happen. Cases of loss due to wildlife attack is less as they are careful but risky
@jmadhavadas In Russia there are accidents with the track people too. But this is mainly because they are careless about safety. For example, according to the Russian safety rules, if the railway has 2 ways, track-people should leave the track if the second track has a train. There were cases when the brigade violated the rules. The freight train was goes on the first track, the brigade continued to work on his track and didn't hear that the express train was going on them, where they were working. Or the cases when the track people were drunk at work and they got under the train.
Workers are not protected in places where there is wildlife?
In Russia there are accidents with the track people too. But this is mainly because they are careless about safety. For example, according to the Russian safety rules, if the railway has 2 ways, track-people should leave the track if the second track has a train. There were cases when the brigade violated the rules. The freight train was goes on the first track, the brigade continued to work on his track and didn't hear that the express train was going on them, where they were working. Or the cases when the track people were drunk at work and they got under the train.