up Korail train performance 1.5 1.2 0.9 0.6 500 0.3 0.0 KTX 0 2011 2004 2005 2006 2007


improvements in safety management. Last year, Korail set up Korea’s first human error research committee, consisting of 18 outside experts in the fields of human error, ergonomics, mental health, and sport science. Based on consultation with the committee, Korail established a company-wide strategic management with the aim of finding the fundamental causes of human error, previously considered as personal mistakes, and developed effective measures to resolve them. The committee developed 25


improvements based on its analysis of past accidents, site inspections, interviews, job analysis, and employee surveys. Other improvements were implemented as part of the company- wide safety management master plan, such as better shift planning, a design standard for the driver’s cab based on ergonomics, an improved signal indication method, the incorporation of GPS, development of a manual for dealing with emergencies, and training for the implementation of the measures. As a result, the incidence of human


error decreased by 41% in the first half of 2013 compared with the corresponding period of 2012, along with a 50% drop in trains overshooting platforms. Furthermore, with a 14% reduction in the number of industrial accidents from 52 to 45 over the same period, Korail was awarded the Best Practice in Industrial Safety and Health Award by the Korean government.


IRJ August 2013 2008 2009 2010 Figure 1: KTX-Sancheon began operation on March 2 2010.


The incidence of human error is expected to drop further following the opening of a Human Safety Centre on June 28. The centre will focus on improving employee mental health care, conducting in-depth research into the causes of human error, and the effective application of research findings. The centre is currently developing an improved aptitude test, and providing employees with therapy to relieve job stress.


Fewer failures Korail has also seen a significant


reduction in the failure rate of its high- speed trains, which is one of the major indicators of rolling stock safety. The failure rate for KTX high-speed trains stands at 0.026 compared with a low- point of 0.052 in 2009, which means that the trains have become twice as safe (Figure 1). The figure for KTX- Sancheon, Korea’s locally-produced high-speed train, is slightly higher at 0.195 and represents a seven-fold reduction from 1.376 in 2010. To eliminate risk factors at the design and manufacturing stages, Korail has established a system of close cooperation with the rolling stock manufacturer. As a result it requested technical improvements to 10 major components and undertook intensive management of rolling stock from the design stage. Korail also increased the distance required for test running new


2011 2012 2013 2012 2013 Figure 2: reduction in train delays.


rolling stock from 35,000km to 180,000km. Test running was monitored closely and the manufacturer was notified of any issues found to seek a joint solution. As a result, the 50 KTX-Sancheon trains which entered service in 2012 recorded zero accidents and incidents for the first 100 days of operation. The overall failure rate of KTX-Sancheon also fell 42% in 2012. In the first half of 2013, the rate dropped to a third compared with 2004, when Korail launched its first high-speed services, while the size of the fleet has increased 2.4 times over the same period. Train delays, a major source of inconvenience to passengers, have been cut by 59% from the first half of 2011 to the first half of this year (Figure 2). This has led to improved customer satisfaction, while the brand value of KTX jumped 63 places from 80th in 2011 to 17th in the first half of 2013. The stabilisation of Korail’s high- speed fleet has enabled Korail to regain public trust in its safety and punctuality, which in turn has improved performance, and the figures speak for themselves. The number of daily trips by Korail’s high-speed train fleet increased by 33% from 181 in March 2010 to 241 in May 2013. Maximum daily revenue from high- speed operations almost doubled from about $US 3.4m in 2005 to $US 6.4m in 2013. Finally, revenue grew by more than 10% from the first half of 2012 to the first half of this year and is expected to expand steadily in the future. IRJ


33 KTX Sancheon 1000 2000


Annual First half


1500


Train failure rate per million km


Minutes


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