Rail Safety News Issue 8
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— Issue 8 – December 2012 RAIL SAFETY NEWS – Welcome to edition 8 of Rail Safety News. FROM THE As you would be aware, the biggest thing on the rail horizon at the moment is the implementation of a single DIRECTOR national regulator for Australia. Most accredited rail operators and exempt rail operators in Victoria will be required to comply with the new Rail Safety National Law (the National Law). The National Rail Safety Regulator Project Office has been formed to establish the National Rail Safety Regulator (NRSR) and lead operators through the transition process. Its website (www.nrsrproject.sa.gov.au) includes useful information on the reform including a set of principles to support the transition from the existing regime to the new legislation. Tram (light rail) and some tourist and heritage operators will not transition to the National Law. These operators will still be required to comply with new local rail safety legislation. TSV will continue to provide the regulatory functions and services for the rail industry in Victoria under both the National Law and the new local rail safety legislation. If operators have any questions about the transition to the NRSR, they should refer to the NRSR website or call the project office on (08) 8343 2893. Locally, nationally and internationally distraction continues to be a major concern for everyone involved in delivering safe public transport. All kinds of electronic devices, not just mobile phones, are common in our private lives and becoming more so in our working lives. These devices distract people at all levels from their task in a safety critical situation. CONTENT Passengers and pedestrians are also increasingly distracted by electronic devices whether it is listening to music, talking, From the director . 2 texting or online activities. This puts an additional burden on Management of risk at level crossings . 3 people employed within the rail system to take due care not Recent Dandenong level crossing accident . 4 only of their own safety but also to alert obviously distracted Driving while distracted is dangerous! . 4 members of the public to imminent danger. Rail Incidents Review . 5 Changing a track inspection regime . 17 Safety in a high risk environment is everyone’s responsibility. Competence and capacity . 18 For this reason we are continuing our focus on distraction Rail construction works beside live track. 19 in this edition with an in-depth look at it from the train Compliance Program for 2012-13 . 20 driver’s perspective. Rail Safety Worker program gains rapid momentum . 21 Finally, as we approach the end of the year, we remind rail Profile of Victoria’s accredited rail industry. 22 operators to consider what preparations are required to Human factors in transportation . 23 ensure the safe operation of their rail networks throughout the summer period. I hope you enjoy this Rail Safety News. We are increasingly moving towards electronic delivery of the newsletter either via our website, where you can read or download it, or via email. If you would prefer to receive your copy by email please provide your details to [email protected]. In closing, I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of TSV, to wish you a safe and happy festive break with your loved ones. I look forward to working with you in the New Year. Best regards, Andrew Doery 2 RAIL SAFETY NEWS – MANAGEMENT OF RISK AT LEVEL CROSSINGS Level crossings are a major interface where level crossings operate. If the level crossing fails to operate in the manner expected by the motorist, there is a between the railway and the public and risk that the appropriate model will not be triggered leading present a high level of risk to safety. to undesirable behaviours occurring. This is demonstrated by the fatalities, For example, a motorist would reasonably expect at a level crossing fitted with boom barriers, that the boom barrier will injuries and significant damage to be horizontal when a train goes through. According to the infrastructure involved with recent motorist’s mental model, the lowered boom barrier means the presence of a train. Therefore, if the boom barrier is not level crossing accidents. Effective lowered, the motorist is unlikely to seek further information management of these interfaces is about the presence of a train and may believe that the critical in ensuring the risks to safety lights flashing are an indication that the booms are soon to descend, but there is still time available to cross. are controlled ‘so far as is reasonably Another consequence of failures to safe states occurs when practicable’ (SFAIRP). a motorist has experienced a level crossing repeatedly failing An important consideration in a risk management process is to a safe state and has ceased to trust the warning systems. the consequences of failures of the technical system. Level For example, when warnings continue to operate when crossings are designed to fail to a safe state. In other words, no train is approaching and no train is present. This could in the event of failure, the default position is to make the trigger mistrust of the warnings and encourage work around crossing safe for all by ‘closing’ it and warning people not to behaviours such as driving around boom barriers. cross the tracks or enter the rail corridor and to behave as The management of risks to safety at level crossings though a train were coming. This state is referred to as ‘safe’ is complex and cannot be accomplished by the rail as it results in a continuous warning to the motorist who is infrastructure managers alone. They need to work with legally required to not enter the crossing. the relevant road managers who, in turn, are required to For a level crossing fitted with boom barriers, this ‘safe’ understand their safety duties under the Rail Safety Act state is both boom barriers horizontal across the road and 2006 (Vic). The necessary collaboration is achieved through the flashing lights and bells operating. In a small number a safety interface agreement (SIA) which rail infrastructure of situations, in the order of one to three per cent of level managers are required to seek to enter into for public crossing failures, the level crossing fails to provide the and relevant road interfaces. The SIA provisions of the normal warning to the motorist and results in an unsafe legislation require the rail infrastructure manager, preferably state. An unsafe state can be a level crossing failing to in collaboration with the road authority, to conduct a risk operate, providing only a very short warning time, one of assessment to identify, assess and manage the risks to the boom barriers failing to descend or significant damage safety SFAIRP. The risk assessment then provides a basis to the barrier. for managing the risks to safety and informing the content of the SIA. For all failures, safe or unsafe, the effect on the motorists should be considered when analysing the risks associated Further details on SIA requirements can be located within with level crossings. Human Factors research has found that the rail safety section of TSV’s website. (http://www. people use models inside their heads to guide their behaviour. transportsafety.vic.gov.au/rail-safety/accreditation/how- The models can influence what information is perceived from to-become-accredited/safety-interface-agreements) the environment, how it is interpreted and what actions are taken. Motorists can develop models about how, when and RAIL SAFETY NEWS 3 — — RECENT DRIVING WHILE DANDENONG DISTRACTED LEVEL CROSSING IS DANGEROUS ACCIDENT At approximately 11.40am on Saturday Driving while distracted in the rail 3 November 2012, a Metro train environment is dangerous because struck the side of a semi-trailer at a person’s attention is diverted from a railway crossing on Abbotts Road, the central activity to other competing Dandenong South. activities. This can lead a driver to A passenger on board the train died. There were 30 miss a critical piece of information other passengers in the train at the time of the accident, such as a signal or warning, an of which 12 were sent to the hospital. The train driver sustained injuries. approaching train or vehicle, The leading, second and third carriages of the six carriage or a passenger or pedestrian. Comeng train were extensively damaged while only the Distraction theories and effects are well known in relation driver’s cab section of the fourth carriage was damaged. to driving a motor vehicle. Examples of distractors, sourced Five of the six carriages derailed. from a review by Young, Regan & Hammer (2003), were The incident resulted in significant damage to the adjacent provided on p6 of issue 7 of Rail Safety News. rail infrastructure, including track, signals, cabling, Transport Safety Victoria (TSV) is particularly concerned stanchions, overhead cables, track circuits and the control that the dangers of being distracted while engaged in safety box for the level crossing. critical tasks are not understood or, worse, being ignored, Two Transport Safety Victoria rail safety officers attended by some rail safety workers. the site on the day to gather information regarding The rail industry in general shares TSV’s concern with the incident. driver distraction. Earlier this year the Federal Railroad Three separate investigations are underway by Administration in the US awarded a $250,000 grant to Victoria Police, the Office of the Chief Investigator and commuter rail operator Veolia Transportation to fund a study Transport Safety Victoria. into the causes of train driver distraction. The two-part study is intended to ‘find ways the industry can, in all modes of transportation, reduce accidents and violations related to distracted drivers’. In the first phase, a team of drivers will undergo assessment on a simulator at the Volpe Institute’s Cab Technology Integration Laboratory.