A Tragic Lesson: Taiwan high-speed train derailed. Driver confessed shutting down automatic train protection system.

I got tragic news of Taiwan high-speed train derailed. The news read that the driver admitted he shut down automatic train protection system in an attempt to compensate for the previous delay. The accident costed 18 lives of passengers, many injured. Accordingly, today I would like to stress a concern on human error.

Taking about humans, we are undoubtedly the topmost of all the food chain, the most intelligent creature this planet has ever seen. Yet mankind is still under some, if not many, limitations. For instance, if we were asked on the afternoon that what we had for breakfast, many of us would begin to take a slight of time, though a matter of seconds, to think and answer. The further we were asked to recall about our past, the less likely that we could remember them well.

For those tech-savvy, like myself, to reduce the possibility of any errors, we might add more dots. For example, I might add more numbers of powerful computers to prevent server’s collapse. Also all changes or adjustments must be recorded.

An error or mistake could happen at all the time whether you’re human or robot. However, I would like to take Japan as a role model. They prove much efficiency and professionalism in reducing any errors. This is how they do, driving a train for instance. In recalling, the driver would point his hands, say timetable, while speak firmly, say “Arriving at Tokyo Station on 09:04 a.m.”, at the same time.

I was astonished every time I went to Japan and had an observation on how the train’s conductor operates the vehicle. This method significantly reduces potential mistakes, resulting in one of the world’s lowest numbers of the rail accident.

Looking back to my country I feel like its standard is not strict and has rooms for improvement. I experienced this personally during the last four years that I frequently commuted by BTS Skytrain and MRT subway in Bangkok. Many of the new staff seemed to lack efficient training. When I asked them where I could accessibly get to the platform, many of them couldn’t give me a precise answer. Worse, many of them replied “Sorry sir but I have no idea at all. This is my very first day and I have yet any pieces of training.”

A seemingly tiny mistake could cause or lead to a much bigger, and severe, problems in the future if we don’t now take it seriously. This tragic news arises a fear of mine considering that Thailand would soon have a high-speed train as well.

Nevertheless, I hope that we can do it. These tragic things are avoidable if we manage them well. We can develop and raise our code of practice to the international standard. We only have to take it very very seriously. #ApowertochangeThailand

/Saba
23 October 2018

 

อ้างอิงจากแหล่งข่าว: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/23/world/asia/taiwan-train-crash-conductor-investigated.html