Health and wellbeing
Sickness absence in the rail industry is nearly twice the national rate and results in over a million lost workdays every year. There is no safety without health, and our employees need the right support and help to take care of their physical and mental wellbeing.
We now know that musculoskeletal disorders account for the highest proportion of sickness absences (see Figure 11). This category includes back problems, injuries or fractures and other MSD. The average cost of sickness absence per employee each year was £1,736 in 2024.
There is also a link between safety and health. In 2024/25, 7% of investigated SPADs had mental health as a causal factor, while 6% identified fatigue. Improving the health and wellbeing of the industry’s workforce will also improve safety. It is therefore critical that health and wellbeing is managed well and that employees are supported as they return to work.
To help address this, this year there has been a focus on managing health and wellbeing issues and allowing people to work safely. New research has introduced a more thorough colour vision testing process for train drivers, which allows almost half the people who failed the previous test to be assessed as safe for safety-critical railway roles. This change promotes inclusivity and equality, enabling more individuals with minor colour vision deficiencies to pursue careers in train driving as well as ensuring current drivers are not removed from duties.
Lone works fulfil vital roles for the railway, and we also recognise their health and wellbeing challenges. To help raise awareness of the issues, and the mitigations, RED 70 took a close look at the whole area, from signallers to station staff to those working trackside. Guidance for organisations, managers of lone workers, and lone workers themselves is also available.
As noted on page 15 there has been an increase in the number of railway suicides this year. Many railway staff will unfortunately witness these events, as well as other potentially traumatic events such as WRV. Exposure to these increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues. The new version of the Railway Mental Health Charter provides clear actions to help promote, manage, and support workforce mental wellbeing. The framework links rail organisations with key resources and examples of good practice.
There has also been new guidance developed for managing medical impairments in safety-critical railway roles. This project aims to help duty holders and occupational health specialists meet medical fitness requirements, ensuring train drivers and other safety-critical workers are fit for duty, and thereby enhancing overall railway safety.
