'Safety bloke' welcomes Labor rail pledge

Matthew Dickson calls himself the "safety bloke" around his workplace.

The truck driver lost a finger 14 years ago in an accident involving a freight container and a side loader.

So it's with good reason the Campbelltown resident now acts as the safety officer at the Australian Freight Container Service.

Mr Dickson wants to get trucks off the road because he's worried about road safety.

When Labor leader Bill Shorten visited his Port Botany worksite on Wednesday, Mr Dickson was all ears about a promise to duplicate a freight line shifting more containers onto rail.

It's Labor's bid to woo voters in the Kingsford-Smith electorate to stave off a potentially strong Liberal challenge from Michael Feneley, who needs a 2.7 per cent swing to win the southern Sydney seat.

Mr Shorten toured the site accompanied by local Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite and frontbencher Anthony Albanese.

As they posed for photos on a mega container handler, Mr Albanese had the last word.

"One skilled operator - and three politicians," the Grayndler MP joked as the trio held their balance in the tight spot.