I think it was the 2nd week in our loco trainee school back in '77 we were instructed in the correct way to safely mount or dismount while the loco was moving so I still continue to mount or dismount on my own tram, I have no problem with it. Once the guard's vans were taken off and the fireman doing that work as a train operator capacity which required the 2nd person on the loco to shunt trains at wayside stations and get on and off moving wagons as well. Your US also has some rule about not stepping on the railhead, again that is weird to me.
I heard that the WC owned Tranzrail changed the rules and made the crewman piloting the loco to stand up on the running board directly in front of the enginedriver and use a radio to instruct the movements (ha,ha, block the field of vision of the driver, that makes sense!!) In the old days we loco staff used to check, turn and fuel the locos, a fireman and driver, on busy nights the driver would use the #1 road and the fireman used the #11 road to get around quicker, the TT and fuel/sand shed being at the north end of the depot. Once the Electrics arrived, there was twice the work in changing out locos so an extra crew was put on, again one crew worked their separate sides to avoid getting tangled up. After the WC took over there was a collision on #11 road where some new guy ran around and into the path of the opposing move, since these new operators were required to ride the running board neither loco could stop in time to avoid the other, resulting in one crewman being thrown from the running board.
If he'd been on the cowcatcher, he would have been able to get off way quicker, thus avoiding injury.
When I was traveling around the US I noticed that it was commonplace for drivers to fail to indicate a turn or lane change, roll Stop signs (as if these were Yield signs), not wear seat belts, use their mobile phones while driving, tow trailers in excess of 55mph on the highway,and be completely bamboozled at roundabouts.
Do you ignore any of those safety rules, RDA?