What’s new in risk reduction?
The headlines from RSSB’s specialist cross-industry risk groups from June to August
National Freight Safety Group
The National Freight Safety Group (NFSG) is eager to see the sector come together to address the risk of divided trains following a rise in incidents. At the cross-industry group’s latest meeting on 11 July, Peter Williams, Operations and Safety Manager at Network Rail, gave a presentation on the issue. This presentation was also given to the Rail Freight Operators Group, whose members—like those of the NFSG—are keen to work with RSSB to implement a risk-reduction programme. It’s recognised, though, that engineering input from the Freight Technical Committee is needed to understand why trains are dividing.
Infrastructure Safety Leadership Group
Slips, trips, falls, and contact with objects produce the highest Fatalities and Weighted Injuries scores. Meanwhile, slips, trips, and falls on the running line are the biggest contributors to the Infrastructure Safety Leadership Group’s (ISLG’s) safety risk. This data will be developed further for a joint ISLG and Network Rail conference being planned for October 2023. ISLG will be investigating the ongoing work with regards to ‘points runs through’.
Stations Working Group
The quality and consistency of planned general inspections (PGIs) need to be improved. Operators tend to have their own interpretation of what constitutes a sufficient inspection, but this often results in a fragmented approach. There is an opportunity to improve the application of PGIs by developing a standardised template that aligns with safety and risk management objectives. RSSB is collaborating with stakeholders and working towards creating a definition for PGI that may be supported by industry guidance.
Asset Integrity Group
Work is under way to shape the Asset Integrity Group’s (AIG’s) forward work programme. It’s underpinned by the outcome of a series of workshops that included, among other things, AIG members and other stakeholders identifying emerging opportunities. Several potential roadmap items have come to light as the candidate work areas, and these will be developed into specific prioritised candidate projects as part of the relaunch of Leading Health and Safety on Britain’s Railway.