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​Fatigue – Work-Life Balance​It’s important to consider the hours we work, a lack of work-life balance can take its toll in many ways; PhysicallyEmotionally, and financially. ​Not only could it cause a break down in family relationships, it could also impede your work performance.​The Office of Rail and Road recommends 8 hrs of sleep and an hour either side for preparing for sleep and waking up and preparing for the day. This does not consider quality time spent with the family and rest inducing activities. ​This time for rest is a very important aspect of managing your stress and fatigue levels. It is imperative that time is set aside, but far too often, our time at works impedes or wipes out fully the possibility of rest time. ​Don’t ignore the signs.TirednessIrritabilityfractious home relationshipsincreased illnessesstressincreasing list of jobs to do around the housereduced job satisfactionmissing your children's achievements are all signs of work/life balance not being quite right.​The benefits from getting the balance right include;Your health and wellbeing will improve from additional restYou will be more productive because you don’t do your best work when exhausted You’ll be more likely to enjoy your work You’ll have more ‘you time’ You’ll stop missing out on everything other than work You can start or have more time for that hobby you have always wanted to do Home relationships will be strengthened ​Why not take some time to discuss with your family what their needs are: Are they happy with you at work all the time, are there things they would love to do as a family, are there particular jobs that need doing around the house? ​Then ask yourself Do I need to do these additional hours or can I reprioritise aspects of my work?Have I gotten to the point where my commitments mean I cannot live without my overtime? Is this healthy for me?Is there a hobby I would like to take up but do not have the time to do?​​If you have any questions regarding the topics covered in our Fatigue series, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our HSEQ team on 0333 011 2048 who will offer you support and guidance.

Following the recent success in securing a new contract with Network Rail for the Kent and Sussex regions, Recruitment and Workforce Management Specialist Ganymede Solutions are pleased to announce the official opening of its new offices at Kent Building Space, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6LN.​Operations Director, Oliver Wright explains “It is an exciting time for Ganymede as we look to expand our offering to include the South East. With the acquisition of new premises in this prime location it will give Ganymede a new focus and enables staff, customers, and candidates a centrally located base, as we embark on this new chapter”.​The disciplines that are now provided out of the Kent office include: permanent way, supervisory and technical roles, possession planning and management, minor rail civils, trades and labour, fencing, vegetation management, security and site access.​The Kent office is the latest of Ganymede’s strategically located offices across the country, it also has rail offices in Derby, London, Doncaster, Portsmouth, and South Wales.​Paul Crompton, Managing Director of Ganymede, said: “We are focused on supporting the new Network Rail Framework with the expansion of our UK office base. This demonstrates our dedication to delivering excellence and first-class solutions to our rail clients. We look to further grow the geographic presence of the company as we continue to support infrastructure projects across the UK”.​To contact the South East team and discuss your requirements contact 01233 538911 or email: southeast@ganymedesolutions.co.uk.

​Fatigue – The Danger of Driving While Tired​Most people don’t see it as a big issue and do it without a second thought and yet driving while tired is a serious problem that results in thousands of motoring accidents every single year. ​According to the Department of Transport's THINK!campaign, nearly a fifth of accidents on major roads are sleep related. Crashes caused by drivers falling asleep typically involve vehicles running off the road or into the back of another vehicle. Crashes involving drivers falling asleep tend to be high-speed crashes, as drivers don't brake before crashing, resulting in a high risk of death or serious injury. ​But it's not just falling asleep at the wheel that's a risk. Drowsy driving can be as dangerous as drink driving as motorists share many of the same impairments, such as difficulty focusing and slowed reaction time.​Did you know? ​​The most common time to fall asleep behind the wheel is between 2:00am–6:00am The body clock also dips between 2:00pm–4:00pm making you feel tired A micro sleep of just six seconds could mean you travel 200 metres on the motorway; it’s enough time to veer across three lanes of traffic or into the central reservation Motorways and dual carriageways are the most common roads for sleep-related crashes, due to the monotonous road environment and lack of interruptions or driver stimulation. ​There isn't a specific law that states that it is an offence to drive when you are tired, but the chances of a driver committing a driving offence while tired are increased. If you are found to have been asleep when an accident occurred, depending on the severity of the collision and any injuries sustained, you could find yourself charged with dangerous driving, the penalties for which can be severe.​How Can you Beat Driving Tired? ​To make sure you beat driver fatigue: ​Make sure you have plenty of rest before you set off, especially if you're driving early in the morning You should plan your journey before you set off to allow enough time to take breaks (of at least 15 minutes) every two hours, or as soon as you start to feel tired or lose concentration Find a safe place to stop if you start to feel tired on your drive. Research found having a 15-minute nap is more effective at reducing driver fatigue than getting out and stretching your legs If possible, share the driving on a long journey. This gives each driver time to relax and recoup after their driving stint Remember the time of day can increase your risk of driving tired as your body clock reaches a natural dip If you begin new medication you should ask your doctor or pharmacist if it can make you feel drowsy. If your doctor informs you that you cannot drive when taking your medication, you must heed this warning. Please also declare any medication to your line manager as per normal Ganymede process Modern vehicles are usually quiet and comfortable for the driver, meaning a more relaxed drive. This can lull drivers, particularly in vehicles fitted with comfort-enhancing features such as cruise control, into sleep​If you have any questions regarding the topics covered in ou rFatigue series, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our HSEQ team on 0333 011 2048 who will offer you support and guidance.

​Ganymede are exhibiting at Railtex / Infrarail 2021!​Railtex is an International Exhibition of Railway Equipment, Systems and Services. Taking place between 7-9th September 2021, Railtex will this year host Infrarail at the NEC, Birmingham. Following the decision to postpone the 2020 event, this year is set to be one of the most important get togethers in the rail calendar. ​The event will provide an opportunity for companies serving all aspects of the infrastructure and rolling stock sectors to present their products and services, meet new and existing customers and be part of the leading rail exhibition of the year.​As one of the leading suppliers of contingent labour services, Ganymede are proud to be exhibiting at the event on Stand 71, Hall 12, discussing our offering to the rail industry as well as highlighting the details of our newly awarded 5 year contract with Network Rail, opening up a variety of roles and capabilities, both regionally and nationally.​Register to attend Railtex 2021 for free by clicking here. ​

​Further to the recent award of a national Frontline Labour contract by Network Rail to recruitment and workforce management specialist Ganymede Solutions reveal the appointment of new Head of Rail Operations (Scotland), Paul Cook.​Paul brings a tremendous range of commercial and strategic experience to the company. He has held an Operations Director role in the Scottish rail industry for the past 16 years. Paul initially joined the railway with Pirelli construction on OHL East Coast mainline and worked on various UK projects including the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Paul joined Scotweld (now SWGR) in 2005 progressing to Rail Director looking after all UK rail activities across five depots nationally. During this time, he secured national rail contracts for the supply of track, OHL and welding services. ​Confirming his new appointment, Paul states “I am looking forward to the new challenges ahead in Scotland. I have watched Ganymede over the last few years develop into a leading supplier in the UK rail market and have admired their professional approach. This made my decision to join the company easy and I am excited and keen to assist in making a success of the recently awarded framework contract with Network Rail and further strengthening Ganymede’s presence in Scotland."​Paul Crompton, Managing Director welcomes Paul to support the building of a new team in Scotland. “I am delighted Paul has decided to join Ganymede and look forward to working with him. Paul’s knowledge and experience will be instrumental in the development and growth of our rail division in Scotland, and I wish him every success”.

Network Rail, Works Delivery Off-Track, Doncaster​It was great to be invited to the Network Rail, Works Delivery Off-Track Safety Stand Down Day on 5th August. With the pandemic, over the last 18 months we have had to instigate alternative ways of delivering the safety messages, but as things have been improving, Network Rail put on a great event in Doncaster.​There were around 80 people in attendance, which was fantastic. Ganymede were invited to present some of our safety and sustainability initiatives to the workforce. We started with a reminder of our ‘Speak up’ campaign, which has been very well received by the industry, this is primarily based on the immediate causes of our accidents over a four-year period. Within this presentation we touched on a couple of recent incidents and shared the learning from the investigations, we shared the league table from our Lightfoot fleet system, which caused a lot of interest in the room! Our PPE provider, Safeaid, kindly attended and shared some information about the new PPE recycling scheme we are implementing with them.​Network Rail then delivered a session which focussed on equality and diversity in the workplace session which included video’s that shared experiences from some Network Rail employees, it was a very interactive session and got some good discussion in the room. ​Next came the East Coast Stand Down which revisited a few fatalities the industry has experienced and some of the recent life changing incidents that have happened and covered the learning that the industry needed to apply. Complacency was the word of the day and this was reiterated when we watched the ‘It won’t happen to me’ video which covered the loss of Scott Dobson at Saxilby on 4 December 2012, Scott’s mum and friend very bravely attended the afternoon session and shared with the group the devastation of what’s left behind after an event like this.It was great to see such a good turnout, and everyone seemed to take something from the day. We are looking forward to putting on some of our Safety Moment events later this year.​​