Rail standards are so much more than the Rule Book, says Laura Fernandez, our Principal Rail Operations Specialist.
All the work we do at RSSB is on behalf of the industry. We make incredible amounts of resources available, mostly free. However, when we’re out and about, we sometimes get the feeling that not everyone knows what we do. I cannot tell you all about it in a few words, but we can start with what the Rail Operations Standards team does.
We certainly publish the Rule Book. But did you know that apart from hard copies and the Rule Book app, all modules, handbooks, information handbooks and complete manuals are available to download from our Standards Catalogue? Find out more.
Apart from the Rule Book, we also look after all the standards that deal with traffic operation and management. All the standards that end ‘-TOM’ are published by our team. RIS-3703-TOM, which covers passenger train dispatch and platform safety measures is a good example, but they can all be accessed via our Standards Catalogue.
Our catalogue publication dates are March, June, September, and December, with the Rule Book being mainly September, unless urgent changes are needed. You can find out more about updates to standards and the Rule Book.
When we release a new publication, we hold a webinar that anyone can sign up for, to hear from the technical authors about the latest changes. The full range of webinars – including recordings of earlier ones – can be found on our website.
Standards committees approve all the documents that we publish. The committees include representatives from the relevant industry category. But did you know that anyone can take part in the consultation process? This means you can influence changes. You can sign up to be informed directly or log in at the standards consultation section of the RSSB website and check what’s up for consultation. Anyone can have a say and will get a reply. Find out more.
Finally, did you know that anyone can contact RSSB for help with issues with an existing rule or standard? If you cannot comply, have issues with an existing one, or feel industry would benefit from a new standard, you can submit a ‘deviation’ or ‘request for help’.
In addition, you can send us enquiries about anything rail-related you are struggling to find an answer for, from clarifications on any Rule Book topics, to help with what standards to apply in a particular situation.
We're here to help.
Contact us