As cities invest in light rail systems to reduce congestion and promote greener transport, it’s crucial to learn from global best practices, especially regarding safety.
Australia’s light rail and tram stops are often unmanned, and the open network they operate on provides a level of risk not seen on train networks. This is the case in light rail networks globally, and Australian operators can learn valuable lessons from counterparts around the world.
Recently, one UK light rail tram operator needed to conduct a review of common safety methods for risk evaluation and deliver recommendations to meet industry good practice. Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) Consultancy applied its expertise to meet this client’s needs.
Initially, the light rail tram operator had two key risks to evaluate for which they needed RSSB’s support. The first was associated with the platform train interface, assessing the risk of potential incidents involving members of the public falling into and/or becoming trapped in the gap between tram and platform edge. The second was assessing the risk of passengers falling into the gap between the carriages, which could happen as a result of coupler surfing or moving between trams, whether trams were in transit or not.
Subsequently, RSSB was tasked with undertaking a tram operation risk assessment review and delivering its recommendations to allow the operator to meet industry good practice.
The project scope included recommendations for the tram operator to generate risk assessments that target operational areas of improvement, which in turn would provide confidence in their ability to act reasonably in accordance with ‘as low as reasonably practicable’.
Project delivery and outcome
RSSB’s experts included a system safety engineer and principal system safety engineer. As part of this project, they used existing RSSB guidance documents, including Taking Safe Decisions and CSM common safety method for monitoring and the GEGN8646 Guidance on the common safety method for risk evaluation and assessment.
After considering the initial project brief, they concluded that an independent review into the risk assessment of the double units was required.
This approach enabled our experts to ensure their recommendations were aligned with good industry practice in detail, content, and structure, together with identifying whether risks had been captured and incorporated correctly in the recommendations.
While this project wasn’t required to analyse standards, RSSB was able to provide the tram operator with recommendations that would align their risk assessment practices to best practice in rail. This enabled the tram operator to receive further insights to help target risk management activities in the most effective and appropriate way. The consultancy project also provided an independent expert opinion about which additional quantified risk assessments should be carried out.
Global expertise
Safety is the highest priority for any rail or tram operator. However, operating an unsecured network poses significant challenges, so it was vital RSSB worked thoroughly to make sure that all the necessary risks were captured correctly.
RSSB’s consultants set the standards, enabling them to diver exactly what clients require. Whether it’s rail, light rail, other modes of transport or other industries, RSSB Consultancy makes its experts available on a project basis, to help organisations answer technical questions that are critical to their future.
For more information, visit rssb.co.uk
