Report Released After Rail Worker Injured Near Market Harborough
Safety advice has been issued after a rail worker was hurt while working on the tracks near Market Harborough. The man suffered a leg injury and needed hospital treatment when he was struck from behind by a road-rail vehicle (RRV) at Braybrooke in the early hours of February 6th. He was part of a team working to install overhead line equipment as part of the Midland Mainline electrification project.
Various road-rail vehicles are used during the electrification works
An investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch found a mandatory exclusion zone around the RRV was not being adhered to at the time of the incident. It needs to be put in place because the operator of such vehicles has a restricted view, due to its design. The report into the incident calls on staff to follow Network Rail’s ‘lifesaving rules’.
Ian Rubery, project manager for the Midland Main Line Upgrade at Network Rail, said: “The safety of our engineers and other colleagues is Network Rail’s top priority and we take it very seriously. “The findings of this safety digest will be reviewed and its learnings acted upon by our teams to aim to prevent these kind of incidents occurring again in the future. We are also carrying out our own investigation and will implement any recommendations.
“We have 10 lifesaving rules which are in place to protect all of our colleagues, including those working out on track, and must never be broken.”