SECURITY & PASSENGER SAFETY
Safety may have improved, but maintaining it in the face of whole-industry change is a challenge. RSSB’s director of policy, research and risk, Anson Jack, talks to RTM.
sured increase in safety standards and sta- tistics on Britain’s railways, according to RSSB director of policy, research and risk Anson Jack – it is the result of a number of things in concert.
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This includes investment in new rolling stock, the Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) to reduce SPAD (signals passed at danger) risk, as well as train op- erator initiatives to reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls through better design of sta- tion bridges and walkways.
Jack warned: “We’re not saying that risk has gone away. It’s still the case that people get injured, especially at stations. There are a number of initiatives looking at if there’s anything further that can be done there.”
The RSSB is currently engaged in an analy- sis of these types of incidents at stations, looking at which groups of people tend to get injured and whether there are any shared circumstances or characteristics to identify and thus help them.
He explained: “We’re taking a forensic approach. The better we understand the nature of the events that lead to injuries, the better we can identify further interven- tions.”
Performing above expectations
In terms of SPAD risk, the baseline from which performance is measured was re- cently updated to 2006, instead of the previous 2001, to reflect the installation of TPWS by 2003, and the elimination of Mk 1 rolling stock by the middle of the decade. Using 2006 as the new benchmarks offers a “more current” indication of risk trends, the RSSB says.
The number of category A signals passed at 68 | rail technology magazine Feb/Mar 12
“Suicide is a very difficult and sensitive subject to try to manage at all”, Jack said, as he discussed the various strategies in place. These include cooperation with the media to ensure reporting of such incidents is as responsible as possible, as high levels of publicity of such suicides has been as- sociated with an increase in their overall number.
In locations where there has been more than one incident, telephones are available
o single factor or improvement can be credited with the gradual but as-
danger for 2011 was 283, down from 306 in 2010.
The overall SPAD risk full further, from 86% of the 2006 baseline in 2010 to just 41% of the baseline in 2011.
Jack said: “[TPWS] is performing better than it was designed to; the level of risk was expected to come down by about 75% when the system was installed, but it’s actually come down by about 90%. I think that re- lates to training and competency manage- ment undertaken by each of the operators. They keep an eye on it, and so do we.
“If there is an increase in risk, then we highlight that and that usually leads to re- briefing and the consideration of whether further mechanical supports could be made available.”
Although TPWS, introduced from 2001, is a key factor in this huge reduction in risk, it will have to maintain its performance for longer than first expected, due to the delays in the implementation of ERTMS
(European Rail Traffic Management Sys- tem) and associated in-cab signalling and communications.
Despite some positive moves, such as the pilot on the Cambrian line in Wales, it could now be “30 or 40 years” until it is introduced nationwide, Jack suggested, adding: “As a result the TPWS system will be in use for longer.”
As the equipment gets older, it becomes less reliable, so the RSSB has been looking to see if there are any upgrades or modifications to take account of that. Along with a significant replacement of existing rolling stock, and equipment that is more reliable and easier to monitor, this work is expected to lead to a further small reduction in SPAD risk.
Fatalities
The number of fatalities for 2011 is “very similar” to what it has been in recent years, Jack said, and added that there was no statistically significant variation in the amount of deaths caused by trespass or suicide.
Initiatives are nevertheless underway to mi- nimise this safety risk. A large programme is being launched between Network Rail and the Samaritans, aimed at cutting the num- ber of railway suicides by 20%.
© A&T, no trespassing
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