Depot staff on tour…virtually
Find out how one rail company is using street view to ensure people visiting its depot for the first time are safe, says Greg Morse.
In the old days, a new starter at a depot or shed would’ve been given a can of cleaning oil and a handful of cotton waste before being pointed at the nearest steam engine. Safety briefings would probably involve being bawled out or laughed at when you tripped on a fire iron, walked into the water crane, or fell into the inspection pit.
Nowadays, it’s all totally different. Safety briefings have improved beyond all recognition. They exist, for a start. But what happens when you’re visiting a new depot for the first time and you must pass safely through the depot to access the main building to sign-on? Walking routes may be marked, but do you know which one to take to access the building?
There may be hazards that are new to you. How do you about these hazards before you get there? Furthermore, each depot has its own working practices and culture. How do you know what is expected of you upon arrival?
One solution is to do a virtual safety tour in advance. Stadler Rail Service UK has recently introduced a new system that highlights safe behaviours, where to go, and what hazards to be aware of. It also makes you aware of how much time to allow to get to where you need to be.
Chris Ebsworth, Safety, Assurance & Sustainability Director at Stadler Rail Service UK, says: ‘The new virtual depot induction utilises street view technology to immerse inductees in the depot environment, allowing them to feel as though they are physically walking around the facility. This street view experience, combined with essential depot information, infographics, and commentary, ensures that visitors are fully informed about the hazards associated with an operational railway depot.’
There’s safety quiz at the end makes sure you have taken on board the information explained in the tour. After all, forewarned is forearmed, and it’s better to anticipate in the virtual world than arrive flat on your face in reality.
Developed and hosted by Vanguard Rail Solutions (VRS), the system enables the assignment of mandatory routes and essential information tailored to the location. VRS is collaborating with our visitor management system to ensure that a visitor badge can’t be printed unless the user has completed their induction. This enhancement reinforces our commitment to safety, efficiency, and integrity—placing a single, reliable source of truth at the core of our operations.
