After stopping the train, knowing that it will take several minutes for an approaching Z train to show up, a crew member pulls his cell phone out of his grip, turns it on and begins to make a call. Is this use of the cell phone prohibited?

• A. Yes, because he did not job brief to communicate his desire to use the phone
• B. No
• C. Yes, but only after supervisor consent
• D. No if the cell phone is on silent

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is that using a cell phone during a work task requires prior authorization through the job brief process. In UP safety procedures, a crew member must communicate the desire to use a device and obtain confirmation from supervision by doing a formal job brief. Without that briefing, the use is considered prohibited because it bypasses a safety step that ensures everyone on the crew is aware of the plan, potential hazards, and the need to stay focused on train operations and safety.

Even though the train is stopped and there’s a window before the approaching Z train, the correct protocol isn’t met because no job brief was conducted to authorize the phone use. The other options don’t fit because they either imply no permission is needed when there is a process to follow, or they rely on factors like being on silent, which do not override the requirement for formal authorization.