Safety
Safety is at the forefront of everything we do
The Network Rail Health & Safety Management System
The Network Rail Health & Safety Management System refers to the processes in place to deliver our health and safety objectives and control health and safety risks. The system follows industry best practice in the management of safety and is consistently applied across our company. We also look for our contractors and suppliers to also have a systematic approach to understanding risk and the management of safety before accessing Network Rail controlled infrastructure. For more information, click here.
The Network Rail Safety Policy Section
This outlines the corporate attitude to health and safety and how it is managed within Network Rail. The Chief Executive has a very clear view on how health and safety should be managed within the company and this is clearly set our in his policy (using his own words) and is communicated throughout the company. For more information, click here.
Leadership Commitment
The responsibility we expect from our managers in leading the way in correct health and safety working and practice. For more information, click here.
Individual Accountability
The safety of the organisation depends on each individuals' safe performance and therefore each employee is held responsible for their own health and safety performance. For more information, click here.
Safety KPIs 2006/07
An outline of key safety performance indicators for Network Rail up to 31 March 2007. For more information, click here.
Safety Initiatives
Drugs and Alcohol
We believe that drug or alcohol mis-use is unacceptable under any work-related circumstances. We have a zero tolerance level to drugs and alcohol mis-use in the workplace which we monitor with regular drug and alcohol testing and disciplinary action.
Goto Drugs and alcohol.
Level Crossings
There are over 7,600 level crossings both on public and private land that cut across the UK railway network. At Network Rail, we work hard to maintain level crossings so they are safe and that they work correctly. The ‘Don’t Run The Risk’ campaign highlights the importance of level crossing safety.
Goto Level Crossings.
No Messin’!
No Messin’! is the campaign we use to communicate with young trespassers, highlighting the dangers of ‘hanging out’ on the railway and informing them of alternative activities that exist in their local area.
Goto No-Messin'!.
Safety 365
Safety 365 is a communications campaign which has been employed extremely successfully across the industry to highlight key safety risks to our employees, focusing frequently on track and frontline safety issues such as hazards and walking and safety communications. The campaign utilises hard hitting images to illustrate the dangers and potential consequences of neglecting safe working practices.
Safety Central
Safety Central is a site designed and run by Network Rail to promote consistency and best practice across the whole rail industry. The site contains information on a multitude of health and safety topics, advice and guidance on issues, resources including presentations and safety videos and useful contacts for anyone in the industry to logon and access. We hope that in sharing what we are doing as an industry, others will be encouraged to adopt similar approaches to the management of risk and safety in their own organisations. People working on or near the railway, no matter where they are, who they are or who they work for need to receive consistent messages of what is required of them.
Goto Safety Central.
Other useful Links:
Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB)
Rail Safety and Standards Board builds industry-wide consensus and facilitates the resolution of difficult cross-industry issues. They provide knowledge, analysis, a substantial level of technical expertise, powerful information and risk management tools. Network Rail has a place on the RSSB board.
Sentinel
Sentinel is an integrated management system for some safety critical competencies on the railway. Every cardholder must be registered and managed by a sponsor / employer. The system was introduced in April 1999 by Network Rail to improve the control and processes for track safety training / competence, certification and the supply of on-track labour.
Confidential Incident Reporting & Analysis System (CIRAS)
Confidential Incident Reporting & Analysis System for the UK Railway Industry. CIRAS is an alternative way for rail industry staff to report safety concerns that they feel unable to report through company safety channels. It is a completely independent and confidential way to report safety concerns without fear of recrimination.
HMRI/ORR Website
The role of HMRI within the ORR is to act as the railways’ safety regulator (it is the UK’s national safety authority under the European Union’s Railway Safety Directive 2004/49/EC). It includes the enforcement of both railway specific and general health and safety law through locally based field inspectors, as well as the development of policy and the provision of guidance to duty holders (such as Network Rail and the train operators).
HSE Website
Except in relation to railways, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces health and safety laws in the workplace and continues to be the enforcing authority (rather than HMRI) in respect of “greenfield” construction sites that are physically segregated from the operational railway.
RAIB Website
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is the independent railway accident investigation organisation for the UK. It investigates railway accidents and incidents on the UK's railways to improve safety.