Ten90 Solutions LLC

 First, a word:  I hope I've made it perfectly clear that I have serious disagreements with FRA concerning certain programs and practices. I hope I've also made it perfectly clear that I am  convinced that FRA has played, currently plays, and will continue to play an essential, vital role in the remarkable, and measurable, improvements in railroad safety. 

I consider the recent statements by some characterizing FRA as lawless, or rogue, or as unwilling to respond to safety issues as ignorant and irresponsible.

This is the season for......seasonally affective light disorder, estivation, hibernation, increased incidents and severity of incidents of depression; of gifts, shopping, shoplifting, and presents which of course are manifestations of and triggers for increased, and severe depression, so..........I thought I'd cheer us all up by providing a contest and maybe a prize.  About that prize thing...

What prize could I possibly supply that doesn't involve shopping or presents or gifts and therefore and thereby trigger the only rational response of sane mammals to this time of the year-- namely estivation, or hibernation?   

Well, pondering that conundrum makes me sleepy, so let's move on to the actual contest. 

Contest Name:  "Just Culture"

Contest Requirements:  Indentify the author of the citation by name, agency, official position, report number, date, and incident. 

Entry forms: Entrants are encouraged to obtain an official entry form, which is an open-date round trip ticket to Nice, France in the name of David Schanoes and spouse. 

Purchase:  No purchase is necessary.  Contestants can contribute frequent flyer miles, credit card points, bearer bonds, unexpired lottery tickets, wings, prayers, family heirlooms, etc.  

Expiration:  Contest ends whenever I am restored to my normal cheery upbeat self, usually May 1; may end earlier if above-mentioned trip to Nice, France, pans out.

Contest

Just Culture

"Although the engineer had a history of violating rules and restrictions, division-level management repeatedly restored the engineer to duty and allowed him to stay on a job in which his performance could impact seriously on other persons.  The decision to restore an employee to a position of trust and responsibility after he has been discharged for serious rules infractions should be entrusted only to management above the dividiosn level.  This seems particularly vital in the case of employees who are given the responsibility for operating trains and who are normally subject to only minimal supervision. (... ...... .....) believes that is is an unacceptable risk to other employees and the public to permit an employee with serious deficiencies...to operate trains carrying hazardous materials or passengers. 

...This accident again demonstrated that there is very little likelihood that crewmembers can or will exercise their responsibility to prevent an impaired fellow crewman from going to work..." 

There it is.  The prize?  The only prize appropriate would be my solemn oath to, upon request, remove the winner(s) from my mailing list, thus sparing him, her, them any further interruption of his, her, their need to hibernate. 

December 8, 2014