Horizon explores: Railways Standards
Achieving operational best practice
For operational best practice, look no further than the Rule Book and Standards Catalogue.
Jasmin CollierEditorial Content Manager
Operational safety is paramount on any rail network. For most of GB, underpinning that effort is the Rule Book and RSSB’s Standards Catalogue. While the two work in tandem to guide the railway’s operational staff on best practice, they do have different applications.
The Standards Catalogue houses all the standards that RSSB develops with industry professionals. It’s also home to the Rule Book, forms, signs, stakeholder documents, and further operational guidance.
This repository makes every piece of industry best practice easy to find. Each standards page is comprehensive, containing a synopsis of the standard and a summary of any changes from one version to the next. Each page also contains information about how the standard adds value to industry. The pages are formatted to encourage further reading, providing links to other relevant pages or resources.
The Standards Catalogue also contains all the rules, modules, and handbooks contained within the Rule Book. And while standards aren’t legally binding, they provide industry with a robust set of requirements, guidance, and rationale to work from in the pursuit of safety excellence.
Want to learn more?To explore the thousands of resources in our Standards Catalogue, head to our website.
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The Rule Book, on the other hand, contains a set of mandatory rules that people working on the GB mainline must follow. Its contents stem from the nine fundamental principles for operating the railway safely. It's a vital safety document that we manage on behalf of the GB rail industry.
Containing around 60 thorough modules and handbooks, the Rule Book provides instructions for mainline railway staff to ensure the safe and timely transport of people and freight. It also helps us protect the safety of our workers on or about the running line. Adopted and implemented by our many members, our Rule Book connects operators, infrastructure managers, and other railway undertakings to ensure operational cohesion.
By structuring the Rule Book in this modular way, RSSB makes it easy for rail leaders to issue their staff with only the parts most pertinent to their roles. Complementary to this is the Rule Book matrix that sets out exactly which elements each person needs to be familiar with. This means that the Rule Book’s 100,000+ users can navigate quickly and directly to the rules they most need.
The Rule Book is available as an app and is viewable on the RSSB website. (You’ll only be able to see the website version if your organisation has signed up.) You can also order hard copies of the modules and handbooks.
Designed and maintained to keep the sector ‘on track’, both the Rule Book and the Standards Catalogue are vital for operational compliance.
To access our comprehensive Rule Book, developed in coordination with key industry representatives, head to our website.
