UK: The Rail Accident Investigation Branch says six recurring safety themes ran through the operational and investigative activity undertaken during 2022.
These were:
- the safety of track workers;
- railway operations;
- management of bad weather;
- safety of people getting on and off trains;
- safety at level crossings;
- management of low adhesion.
Publishing its annual report on May 22, RAIB said it received 461 notifications during 2022, with 45 events requiring a preliminary examination to determine the most appropriate response.
It deployed on 22 occasions to carry out a preliminary examination of the site, and from these preliminary examinations 11 investigations and nine safety digests were started.
During 2022 RAIB published 14 full investigation reports, eight safety digests, four letters to coroners, one letter to industry and issued one interim report. It made 67 safety recommendations to 77 different organisations.
‘The railway is statistically very safe, but we must still look very carefully at what causes accidents and affects their consequences’, said Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents Andrew Hall. ‘This is one of the most important ways by which the railway has historically improved safety and reduced harm, and rightly continues to do so.’
