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Rail Safety Summit 2024

The Rail Safety Summit has brought rail safety professionals together for the last 12 years, providing a unique opportunity for them to network and...

More questions than answers

Colin Wheeler delivers the latest news in rail safety from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB). We are told that at some time during this...

Stuart Browing to lead c2c’s new Safety, Sustainability and Compliance department

Rail operator c2c has created a new Safety, Sustainability and Compliance department, with Stuart Browning appointed to lead the new function.  Formerly the firm’s head...

Health & Wellbeing Heroes

The wellbeing of employees should be a critical concern to all organisations, whatever the industry. Physical and mental health concerns can have the same...

Fatigue, fines, and a reopened investigation

Colin Wheeler A court case was heard in Aberdeen on 7 September concerning the triple fatality passenger train accident at Carmont, west of Stonehaven, back...

Non-compliance with structures examinations “Network Rail not good enough!”

Colin Wheeler I had optimistically hoped to write in this edition describing the process and timescale agreed between the Office of Rail & Road (ORR)...

Partners in safety

RailStaff speaks to Samantha Facey, Health, Safety and Security director at Govia Thameslink Railway, about itsrenewed partnership with the British Transport Police. The safety of...

An open letter to Network Rail

Colin Wheeler An open letter from John Larkinson, the chief executive of the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), to Andrew Haines, chief executive of...

ORR offers further recommendations

Following on from ORR’s letter to Andrew Haines, the chief executive of Network Rail, in the past two months the regulator has issued further...

Making Rail PPE Sustainable

Hi-visibility weatherproof safety clothing was first introduced to UK rail sector workers back in 1964. Since then, its essential contribution to PPE has enabled...

Our railways and trams need more focused organisation

Colin Wheeler Political turmoil, the UK economy, and Covid have all affected the way we live and work. Hopefully we are at last moving forward...

Expert commentary – RAIB Human Factors team

RailStaff regularly reports on the investigative findings of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), but what exactly is the organisation’s purpose and how does...

PROTECTING WORKERS FROM NOISE-INDUCED HEARING LOSS

TIM TURNEY, GLOBAL MARKETING MANAGER AT OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPANY CASELLA, SHARES HIS EXPERT ADVICE ON PREVENTING HEARING LOSS IN THE RAIL SECTOR Noise-induced...

Safety regulation for our developing tram and light rail systems

By definition, trams run on rails and may use rails on roads and streets, as well as some on rail dedicated routes. Metros use...

CrossCountry appoints Wendy Smith as HR and Safety Director

Britain’s largest long-distance operator, CrossCountry, has announced the appointment of Wendy Smith as HR and Safety Director. Wendy joins from HS2, where she was Head...

GTR appoints Samantha Facey in safety-focused director role

Rail operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has appointed previous interim Head of Safety and Health, Samantha Facey, as Health, Safety and Security Director, further...

A return to the Railway Family – Could it reduce avoidable accidents?

Like many others I spent most of my working life in the employ of British Railways. I recall the original application form for employment...

Railway scaffolding accidents

Scaffolding design, be it for structural repairs to existing infrastructure, access for inspection, or to support a failing structure, is a crucial element of...