During their annual conference this year at CFL in Luxembourg from 26 – 28 September, medical experts of UIC members developed new international guidelines regarding the fitness of drivers and other railway staff with mental disorders.

Doctors from all over the world accepted common standards for assessing the impact of alcohol and drugs (both prescriptions and misuse) on rail safety. Other topics of interest at the high-level conference were the special workplace-attitudes and expectations of young employees, occupational health issues like particulate matter dust in tunnels and various other advances in health promotion and medical/psychological fitness assessment.

The updated UIMC railway medical guidelines will be published and available to all UIC members by May 2019. Preliminary drafts for comments and revision can be obtained by email from UIMC vice chairman Dr Christian Gravert (christian.gravert at deutschebahn.com).

UIMC is the organisation of rail medical specialists and a special group of UIC. All railways are sincerely invited to send medical representatives to UIMC, either from own staff or preferred medical service providers.