Automatic data sharing could revolutionise safety reporting
Automating the transfer of operators’ safety information to SMIS is improving cost, speed, and quality.
The Safety Management Intelligence System (SMIS) is the industry’s central repository of safety information, and the data therein underpins the safe running of the GB mainline rail network.
Over the past six years, nearly half a million events have been entered into SMIS. But of those, almost one-quarter have been ‘double-entered’ or entered into a company-specific safety management system (SMS) as well as SMIS. This degree of duplication is significant, with implications for efficiency and data quality.
RSSB, working alongside a number of train operating companies (TOCs) and freight operating companies (FOCs), has developed a way to automate the sharing of safety data from organisations’ individual systems directly into SMIS.
Early on, forecasting suggested that automating the transfer of safety information could save one FOC around one month of data entry effort per year. Benefits will vary between operators, but it’s clear there are meaningful savings to be made across the industry.
Another advantage is improved data quality. If safety managers know that they don’t need to enter their data into two different systems, they can capture and share more information without needing to devote extra time and effort. This will give the industry a richer view of safety incidents.
For larger operating companies, there is also a benefit in backlog eradication. Once automated data sharing is in place, any past events that haven’t yet been entered can immediately be pulled across without the need for any additional work.
A cohort of 11 operators, comprising both TOCs and FOCs, agreed to participate in this work. Through a six-step process involving data mapping, system updates, and monitoring of data quality, those operators tested the functionality and feasibility of the ‘automatic data connection’ for sharing their information. This has allowed them to achieve automation for their safety data and start pushing information from their company’s SMS directly to the central SMIS.
RSSB is engaging regularly with the delivery leads at the 11 participating companies to support them through the process, agree on solutions, and fix any issues that might hamper their efforts. RSSB will also be carrying out extensive data quality reviews to ensure a full picture of industry safety events.
This system is now ready for rollout. Once automation is in place, safety managers will no longer need to spend several hours—or days—uploading records to multiple systems. Instead, they will be able to reinvest that time into producing timelier, more robust reports. The benefits for safety this can bring to the industry are as far-reaching as they are crucial.
Want to know more?
To learn more about RSSB’s work in the automation of safety data sharing, contact our project manager Emma Bassey.
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