Tony Da' Costa-green

Said the following about Electrical Safety Improvement Programme [E-SIP]:

“In recognition of the need to bring about significant changes to the way our business approaches electrical safety risk and mitigation, an Electrical Safety Improvement Programme (ESIP) was initiated within London North Western (LNW) Route in April 2015. LNW ESIP programme has been supported by a small number of business as usual technical experts from across the route which meet on a regular basis. This working party is remitted to create an environment that encourages, behavioural change and holds themselves accountable for delivering high standards of electrical safety performance; and improved safety performance with precursor indicators. The team continues to works hard and relentlessly and is committed to embedding a change programme to focus on behavioural, procedural and asset safety improvements. Due to the teams hard work which involves working with key stake holders within the industry such as employers [including Network rail] end users; contractors; suppliers and consultants the team has been able to influence and drive significant awareness and changes to:

1. Improve Workforce Safety ‐ The exposure to electrical risk is increasing day on day, with more new electrification.

2. To raise the awareness of what is needed to improve safe working on or near Network Rail’s electrical assets including compliance to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Electricity at Works Regulation 1989 and Network Rail’s ‘Life Saving Rules.

3. Promote and support the ethics of working safely on or about Network Rail’s Electrical Assets and to resource and champion the introduction of behavioural change in accordance with Network Rails Management of Health, Safety and Welfare at Work procedures.

4. Support the development of a blame free culture and recognise that workers invoking the Worksafe Procedure, reporting near misses or accidents shall do so free from the fear of sanctions.

5. Improving Legislative compliance – We need to be compliant and demonstrate our compliance with Health and Safety Legislation.

The team have achieved and continue to maintain high standards of safety and positive cultural awareness. The team have also agreed and signed up to a high target level that, is zero tolerance for any Electrical event that causes any harm or potential for harm as it is unacceptable not to send our people home and or to send them home with life changing injuries. This brings a positive message statement to our industry that, we can no longer tolerate lack of understanding when working on or near electricity.

a. We are delivering and creating an environment that encourages use of our existing techniques and finds new ways of changing behaviours so that electrical safety is the core objective.

b. Reviewing our keys risks (including SMIS, 307 reports, Investigation reports, infrastructure failure, and close calls) in order to eliminate or reduce the health and safety risks associated with our activities and

work with our industry colleagues to eliminate or reduce those risks we share with them (NEDeRS).

c. Developing and agreeing with the business a harmonised business prioritised strategy for reducing Electrical Safety Risk and Hazards that, may give cause to cause ‘Life Changing Injuries’ and Or ‘Death’

across the LNW Route.

d. Developing and agreeing LNW route wide projects, strategically harmonised with the business approach for reducing Electrical Safety Risk and Hazards.

e. Embedding company principles to create clear executive rules alongside specifications, processes and systems of work that are not pragmatic and cost driven.

f. Improving our behaviours to reduce bureaucratic barriers and focus on creating a more broadly Skilled, Knowledgeable, Experienced and Trained (SKET) workforce to work safely.

g. Embedding enhanced governance and corporate assurance arrangements.

The team works extremely hard and relentlessly to ensure that we continue to meet our key objective that, is to Improve Electrical safety and awareness“