Going ‘Back to Basics’ for Rail Industry Road Safety Week – Rail UK
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RSSB is supporting Road Safety Week 18-22 November, 2024, focusing on reinforcing fundamental safety principles to minimise risks for those who drive for work. In the past year, the rail industry experienced 67 road traffic collisions resulting in staff injuries, and tragically, a fatality occurred in May 2024. As revealed in our Road Risk Safety Performance Report, driver error continues to be a significant factor in work-related driving incidents.
Vehicle telemetry also indicates that speeding remains an issue the industry needs to address. To help industry address these concerns, RSSB is promoting the Driving for Better Business (DfBB) Driving for Work Policy Builder Toolkit. This comprehensive resource helps organisations develop robust driving policies tailored to their specific risks, enhancing safety and efficiency while ensuring regulatory compliance.
About the Road Safety Week Whether an organisation has a mature approach to managing operational road risk or their driving policy is still evolving, this event offers the chance to remind us to strengthen the core principles that keep us all safe. Why it matters
Road driving is vital to keeping the rail industry on track, enabling colleagues to move to and from the railway and allowing maintenance staff to reach possessions or faults. However, many view road driving as ‘just part of the job,’ when in reality, it is one of the highest-risk activities that most of our people will ever do. What’s being covered
The week will focus on three critical areas that significantly affect road safety in the rail industry:
- Speeding: Sharing tips and best practices on managing speed effectively, including the importance of adhering to speed limits and understanding the consequences of speeding.
- Fatigue: Highlighting the signs of fatigue, the dangers it poses, and strategies to combat it, such as promoting regular breaks, ensuring adequate rest, and understanding how to mitigate fatigue through lifestyle choices.
- Vehicle Roadworthiness: Emphasising the importance of regular inspections to ensure road vehicles are in good working order. We will provide guidelines on conducting daily vehicle checks, identifying potential issues before they become serious problems, and maintaining a routine inspection schedule.
Anne-Marie Penny, senior road Safety policy adviser at National Highways said: ‘At National Highways safety is our first imperative, and we’ve been delighted to work in partnership with the RSSB to improve safety on the road for all those who drive for work within the rail industry. ‘Employers have a critical and established legal role to play in the safe management of drivers and our Driving for Better Business programme provides the framework to achieve improvements by sharing key messages and resources.
‘I am so encouraged by the dedication and commitment of those in the rail industry who have shown good management and leadership and are seeing benefits in reduction in collisions, incidents, and associated costs. Sharing these stories during Road Safety Week is a great way to celebrate these successes and inspire others to improve safety for all on the roads. ‘Collaboratively, we can move towards a world where those who drive or ride for work do so safely, efficiently, and sustainably.’RS
RSSB Strategy Manager Lucy Powell added: ‘Rail Industry Road Safety week is an opportunity for the rail industry to work together to share good practice and resources from within industry and the Driving for Better Business programme to better manage occupational road risk.
As well as an exciting suite of resource and events, hosted by Network Rail, we will be promoting the DfBB policy builder toolkit, releasing an exciting new podcast series and sharing van driver toolkits to help industry stay on the move by getting our people to and from the railway as safely as possible.’
Image credit: RSSB