crossing the railway at private crossings - iosh · crossing the railway at private crossings adam...
TRANSCRIPT
ORR protects the interests of rail and road users, improving the safety,
value and performance of railways and roads today and in the future
Crossing the
railway at private
crossingsAdam Meredith HM
Inspector of Railways
2 November 2017 Askham Bryan
22
This is why we are here
33
Why does it matter to
you?■ 14% of all level crossing deaths are at UWC & UWCT
■ 53% of all near misses between trains and road (land
based) vehicles occur at UWCs
■ 38% of all collisions
■ Average 2 deaths per year 2 pedestrian: 1 vehicle
■ Springfield 2006 – double fatality utility workers
■ Prison sentences for drivers
44
Assessing the risk at a crossing
■ Do you need the crossing?
■ Can you eliminate the risk any other way?
■ Understanding the controls
■ Understanding the instructions – wheelie bins
■ Additional hazards, slopes, OLE
■ Planning for foreseeable abnormal situations
■ What to do if there is a problem with the controls
■ Out of hours arrangements
■ What to do in an emergency
55
Understanding the controls
■ Signs
■ Written instructions
■ Sighting
■ Phones
■ Warning lights
■ Barriers
■ Gates
■ Surface
■ Fences
■ Trespass / cattle control boards
66
Some common combinations
77
Signage at this crossing
88
Sighting – the basic control
99
Sighting where a telephone is provided may
be poor
1010
Telephones
1111
Other controls – MWL (UWC and FP)
1212
Gates, fencing and surface
1313
Other controls - surface
1414
Other controls – cattle panels
1515
Other hazards at crossings
1616
UWCs and your safety management system
■Identify who is at risk
■Check controls
■What more can
be done?
1717
How you can control risk with a safe
system of work■ Establish the locations / grid references
■ Pre plan operations
■ Discuss with Network Rail
– Is there a window to work in?
– Ask for a railway crossing attendant
■ Communicate to visiting workers
■ Employ you own banksman / gateman / phone
operator
■ Consider locking the gates
1818
Things to include in briefings
■ Understanding the crossing instructions
■ Understanding the method of work
■ When to use the phone (and/or alternatives)
■ Lack of pedestrian facilities – how to cross safely
■ Adverse Weather – fog, darkness
■ Abnormal situations / loads / vehicles / reversing
■ Damaged, missing or malfunctioning controls
■ Out of hours arrangements
■ What to do in an emergency
1919
Testing your system
■All calls are recorded
■You can check whether calls have been made
■Observation of staff using crossings
2020
Steps to safety
1.Know who is using crossings, how
often and what for
2.Plan safe systems of work
3.Brief accordingly
4.Confirm that actual use is safe
2121
Until technology is implemented
Safe use of the crossing will continue to
depend upon you