The Rules
Medical
Before joining First Great Western all our new starters must have a medical examination, including drug and alcohol screening. Because our work is so safety critical, we operate a strict alcohol and drugs policy that applies to all grades. This conforms to the Railway Group Standard GE/RT 8070 Drugs and Alcohol.
Through this policy we aim to:
- Prevent any safety risks to employees and customers from the abuses of drugs, solvents and / or alcohol by employees and contractors.
- To protect the health and welfare of First Great Western employees and to avoid the damaging effects of drugs and alcohol on good business performance.
- To ensure all our employees, or other persons who undertake work on behalf of the Company, neither report for duty when unfit through alcohol or drugs nor consume whilst on duty, alcohol or drugs.
The First Great Western policy is to only employ people who can show they do not use illegal drugs. Any candidates who refuse to be screened will not be employed. Any candidate who tests positive will not be employed.
Medicals for our new joiners fall into two categories – safety critical and non-safety critical.
Safety critical medicals
These medicals apply to roles such as Train Manager/Conductor, Dispatch, Driver, Shunter, some roles within the Control Centre, some Engineering roles at our depots, and anyone required to drive a station vehicle. Departmental Managers may also undergo a safety critical medical even if their particular role is non-safety critical.
The safety critical medical consists of an eyesight, distance and colour vision test, with spectacles and not contact lenses. The Occupational Health centre will test your body mass, blood pressure and hearing – and ask you questions on your general health.
Non-safety critical medicals
These medicals apply to roles such as Customer Hosts, Gateline Assistants, Station Assistant, sales office roles and clerical and support colleagues. The non-safety critical medical is based on a questionnaire on the individual’s general health with prescribed questions applicable to their role. Every new entrant must pass a medical appropriate to their role prior to joining the company.
Age
In order that we adhere to Railway Group Standards, some roles have a minimum age requirement. All applicants for Trainee Train Driver roles must be at least 21 years old. You must also be at least 18 to perform Safety Critical roles such as dispatch and Train Manager/Conductor. Some control centre and engineering roles are safety critical too. Our Customer Hosts also need to be 18, so they can sell alcohol. Some of our roles work on a shift system (including early, late and night shifts), and you must be at least 18 years to perform these.
Right to work
If selected for an interview at First Great Western, you are required to bring all necessary documentation regarding your right to work in the UK. This is required under Section 15 – 25 of the Immigration, Asylum & Nationality Act 2006.
Do not send any original documentation with your application, as you will only be required to produce these documents if you are invited to interview.