Keith Gibbs

Said the following about Safety Task Force:

“The safety task force was formed to improve the safety of our track workers.

• We are changing custom and practice, in Victorian times, a person with a flag and horn would warn of approaching trains, allowing track workers to move to safety. Over 100 years later this practice was still widespread. Train speeds have increased from 15 miles per hour to 125 miles per hour, relying on a mate to look out for you is no longer enough.

• 13 000 workers are on the track every day and their families expect them to come home every day.

• We are eliminating unassisted lookout (red zone) working, and in partnership with track workers and signalling teams to provide improved planning methods, track safety equipment and training while ensuring that we don’t transfer risk.

The benefits the STF have brought in the last 24 months have been:

• 98% reduction in unassisted lookout working.

• An increase of c1.5 million hours of work between near misses.

• A reduction in the frequency of near misses by 313 % (where workers have less than 10 seconds to get out of the way of a train)

• 74% reduction in the number of near misses.

• Reviewed and refined the Maintenance work bank, twice - 28 000 000 MST (Maintenance Scheduled Tasks) with the removed 1.2 million that are not required

• Additional protection during line blocks has increased from 6% to 34%.

• Deployed 1168 Remote controlled TCOD’s.

• Optimised signaller capacity by reviewing each and every signaller workstation.

• Designing and installing 150 Semi Automated Track Warning Systems (SATWS)

• Identified 3636 CESS paths ways for refurbishment so teams can access the worksite safely.

• Removed c6000 (31%) Lookout competencies from the industry.

• Completed successful RailHub trial at Sandwell and Dudley to replace SSOWP’s with digitally created, verified, and authorised Safe Work Packs as well as manage line blocks in one simple and easy to use system. National roll out to be completed by Dec 22.“