RAIB expresses track worker safety concerns

For the eighth year in a row there were no train accidents involving a passenger fatality on Britain’s railways in 2015. However, in its annual report, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) says there are two “overriding areas of concern” for track worker safety.

The first area of concern is about the attitudes and behaviours within teams of track workers, “which can see staff feeling unable or unwilling to change unsafe working practices”.

The second is the incorrect planning or execution of work - the RAIB says these can result in “less safe” practices being adopted, which can then go unchallenged by those responsible for site safety. 

• For more on this, read RAIL 801, published on May 25.