London commuters who frequent the Tube will be familiar with the ‘code’ announcement often heard on their journeys; However, few know what they really mean.
Playing over the station’s speakers, passengers may hear alerts from a ‘Code One’ to a ‘Code Eight’ or even an ‘Inspector Sands’, but not many will know their meaning.
Transport for London uses a numbered code system to alert cleaners and staff to areas that need attention to spare passengers any unpleasant details.
The different code numbers correspond to what needs to be cleaned up on station platforms and public roads, from vomit, urine, blood and feces to broken glass, trash, overflowing containers and spills.
They help staff quickly communicate with each other and locate areas of concern in the maze that makes up many central London tube stations.
Code announcements are not something travelers should worry about; however, they may want to remove their headphones and listen to more details if they hear a call from ‘Inspector Sands’.
Station controllers will play an automated message of “Could Inspector Sands report to the operations room?” when a fire alarm is activated.
Staff have two minutes to reach the control room and check whether the alert is legitimate. If the alarm is not deactivated within that time, a full evacuation will be activated.
Passengers may hear alerts from a ‘Code One’ to a ‘Code Eight’ or even an ‘Inspector Sands’ ringing over speakers at many London Underground stations, but not many will know what they mean (file photo)
Respond to a freedom of information request from MetroTfL said: “Inspector Sands’ voicemail is an automated message that is activated when the station’s fire alarm sounds.”
‘The message gives us the opportunity to investigate why the fire alarm is working. This is a safety mechanism agreed with the London Fire Brigade (LFB) and is the same system used at major railway stations and domestic airports in the UK.’
However, if you listen to Inspector Sands, there is no need to worry as most alarms are not events.
“When the fire alarm is being tested, or when a fire alarm is activated (up to 90 percent of these are false alarms), the automated voice message calls Inspector Sands to wherever the affected alarm is,” he explained. TfL, adding that it is a “specific period of time” before a full evacuation is ordered.
The code name was first used in theaters in the 1910s to prevent mass public panic. Refers to the use of sand buckets to extinguish fires.
For disorders on station platforms, controllers will use a numbered system, the Independent information.
“Code One” refers to blood, while “Code Two” indicates urine or feces and “Code Three” means there is vomit that needs to be cleaned up.
“Code Four” indicates that there is a drink or some type of spill, “Code Five” means broken glass, and “Code Six” suggests that someone left trash on the ground.
Transport for London uses a numbered code system to alert cleaners and staff to areas that need attention to spare passengers any unpleasant details (file photo)
‘Code Seven’ is for staff to ‘report to the operating room’ and finally a ‘Code Eight’ means there is an overflowing container that needs to be emptied.
TfL adds that while there is some consistency between the multiple stations, they are not “set in stone” across the entire tube network.
The codes have been updated in recent years. Previously, codes one to six referred to blood, urine and feces, vomit, spills, broken glass and trash respectively, while code seven was an alert for anything not covered in the established categories.