Transit officer training recommendations to improve safety in a high stress environment

Abstract

This paper draws on the experience of one of the authors, an ethnographic researcher who, in the course of her investigation into the everyday work and communication cultures of Australian public transport officers, spent 12 weeks undergoing training as a rail transit officer before spending four months on the job where she was rostered on duty alongside the regular transit officers. In addition to immersing herself in the world of the transit officers the ethnographer conducted extensive interviews with trainees, experienced officers and supervisors. The object of the research was to determine strategies to reduce risk and injury to the rail transit officers. Two specific recommendations are made. Firstly, that CCTV footage is used to provide training and professional development support across the organisation, and secondly, that field officers be recruited from within the workforce to support on-the-job induction. The four year project was funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage grant.