INBOX
From: Jamie Subject: Changes to Network Rail site safety procedures
As an agency ES, COSS, MC/CC myself I am genuinely scared for my livelihood when these changes are implemented. Will there be re-training? Will I be allowed to become a ‘safe work supervisor’?
Also, the safety aspect would seem to be compromised instead of improved. I am not sure if I am taking it in properly, but with this new system there won’t be a COSS (or whatever name they give it) with every group? I understand the principle of having one guy to answer for safety, but I see it as wholly unworkable and I see a lot of people being done out of work because of it – sad times ahead.
safety-critical staff, weeding out those who have no idea what they are doing bringing the elite staff to the top.
If we want a safer railway, then we need independent policing (not necessarily the ORR) by someone who will ‘fail’ people if they do not come up to scratch. We should be choosing agency staff not based on commercial pricing but on incident-free days. We should be categorising our COSS and ES staff; not all are fit-for-purpose in all aspects of the role.
COSS NTS course? This didn’t prove a thing. If you want the principal contractors to take ownership, then let them vet the agency staff and put them through their paces both indoors and out on site.
From: Nonsuchmike Subject: Colas buys 10 Class 60 locos from DB Schenker
Above: The RAIB recommended that Network Rail cut its reliance on agency staff in safety leadership roles after an accident at Saxilby in December 2012 in which COSS Scott Dobson died.
From: ‘Concerned Railwayman’ Subject: Changes to Network Rail site safety procedures
I really don’t understand. If we look at the number of incidents/ accidents in the past few years, they have mainly been down to Network Rail’s maintainer. Now, the staff there are not on zero contracts; their main occupation is rail and they cover multiple roles, e.g. team leader, ES, COSS – does it work? No.
What is really needed is for Network Rail to police heavily
Magic. At last, some serious and positive action towards delivering an improved, fast and efficient freight service throughout the country. Now we need the track and the extra interconnectability which more track and chords brings to be able to deliver more goods at more destinations more easily.
This will take lorries off the roads coming into, leaving and around this pocket handkerchief of a country, so reducing noxious pollution, traffic jams, fatalities as well as improving the quality of our everyday lives. No small thing when you think about it.
From: Eddie White Subject: Coventry to Nuneaton Rail Upgrade finally gets green light
I used to be track inspector on the Nuneaton to Coventry line in 1995. I could never understand why all
Above: Network Rail signalling director Mark Southwell speaking about the high demand for signal engineers in CP5
the existing disused stations were not re-opened. Coton at Nuneaton would have been an ideal location for access to the George Eliot Hospital and the Pingles Leisure Centre.
Also Fillongley and Coundon in Coventry would have been useful, popular destinations.
From: S Moore Subject: ‘Signal engineering demand to outstrip supply in CP5’
I thought about applying for a job in the signal design sector of the rail industry. My qualifications are: I work for BT and have responsibility for a radio station, a telephone exchange and an external copper and fibre network.
Out of interest I once designed, constructed and programmed a number of small microprocessor electronic circuits to control a set
of signals on a model railway, and
I have a basic understanding of signalling principles in a railway related environment.
So, I might be the sort of person you’re looking for.
However, my problem is threefold: 1) I don’t have an IRSE license. 2) No companies want to train anyone any more; instead they all want off-the-shelf, hit the ground running employees. 3) And even though it is illegal to deny someone a job on the grounds of their age, I have discovered that hitting the magical 50 suddenly makes you unemployable.
I agree with the main argument of this article: there is a wealth of experience and skill in other industries that the rail industry is not tapping into because of a lack of flexibility with its approach to recruitment.
At a guess, I would imagine the HR departments are the culprits, as they have no understanding of anything other than box-ticking.
From: Anonymous Subject: Traffic management contract
Nothing against Thales, but what was the point of the massive procurement exercise and shortlisting if BOTH the pilot schemes go to the same supplier?
Surely the purpose of the pilot is to learn lessons from each to improve the next – now we will have two sets of the same lessons and quite probably a supplier that is too stretched to actually deliver both in parallel. Oh, and the heroic SSL re-signalling too.
No doubt there is some cunning explanation that it is beyond me to grasp…
rail technology magazine Jun/Jul 14 | 17
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