crossing the railway at private crossings - iosh · crossing the railway at private crossings adam...

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