Japan bullet train staff made to sit by tracks as part of safety training

Representation pic

A Japanese rail company has defended a safety exercise that requires employees to sit beside tracks in tunnels as bullet trains speed by at 300 kilometres an hour. JR West said it has no plans to alter the exercise despite complaints from employees. About 190 staff working on safety maintenance for Japan's famed shinkansen bullet train have undergone the training, a company spokesman said. "The training aims to teach our maintenance staff the importance of every part of their jobs," he said.

"We pay close attention to safety while doing the training," he added, while acknowledging complaints from some staff members. "We will continue this training while ensuring it serves a purpose and is done safely." JR West introduced the training in 2016 after an accident in August 2015 in which part of the bullet train's exterior fell off, the spokesman said. The purpose of the drill was reportedly to impress on the staff how fast the train moved and therefore how seriously they needed to take their jobs.

190
No. of staff who've received training

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