Network Rail staff injured in incident at Kennington

[chris from nailsea]

A man who was struck by a passenger train near Oxford last night was carrying out repairs to the track, it has emerged.

An unnamed 55-year-old was hit by a service travelling to Oxford from London Paddington just before 10pm at Kennington.

His injuries were so severe that his left leg was amputated at the scene, a British Transport Police spokesman told the Oxford Mail this morning.

http://www.oxfordmail.net/display.var.2295348.0.update_rail_accident_investigation_under_way.php

[chris from nailsea]

From the BBC:

Rail accident sparks safety call

Improved procedures for line-side railway workers are needed after a train hit a technician, a report has said.

The man had to have one of his legs amputated when he was struck by the London Paddington to Oxford service in May last year at Kennington Junction.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said alternative working methods should be investigated by Network Rail.

Network Rail said it would consider the recommendations.

The accident happened on 23 May 2008 at 2147 BST when three technicians were working on the track, south of Oxford. The RAIB said a technician working on a set of points had failed to move to a position of safety when a lookout had warned of an approaching freight train. A passenger train travelling at 89mph (143 km/h) hit the worker, leaving him seriously hurt.

A series of recommendations were made in the report, including adopting alternative working methods and better guidance on protection during maintenance.

Network Rail said it welcomed the report and had worked with the RAIB during the investigation. It added: "We welcome the final report and will give serious consideration to any recommendations which will reduce the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future."

The full RAIB report is available on their website.

[Tim]

18 months for the report.  RAIB are quick aren't they?

[eightf48544]

18 months for the report.  RAIB are quick aren't they?

But it is  65 pages long.

I have a copy of the

"Report on the Collision which occurred on 24th November 1960 between Ponthydrefen and Cwmavon in the Western Region of British Railways."

There were 2 deaths and 4 serious injuries.

It is 9 pages and a map, tells you everything you need to know.. It was published on 13th April 1961.

[Tim]

18 months for the report.  RAIB are quick aren't they?

But it is  65 pages long.

I have a copy of the

"Reprot on the Collision which occurred on 24th November 1960 between Ponthydrefen and Cwmavon in the Western Region of British Railways."

There 2 deaths and 4 serious injuries.

It is 9 pages and a map, tells you everything you need to know.. It was published on 13th April 1961.

...but I bet it didn't manage to introduce a reference to Charles Dickens being involved in a rail accident (see page 31 of teh RAIB's effort)

[Electric train]

There is a lot of process interviews and research behind RAIB reports also they may have had to wait for the final Coroners Report, any Police investigations and reports etc.

RAIB is independent of the Her Majesty's Inspector of Railways (HMIR) who used to be part of the HSE but are now part of the ORR.  The RAIB like the other Accident Investigation Branches (Air the oldest and Maritime) can only divulge details of witness if instructed to do so by a Court in the near 100 years of the AAIB they have never divulged such information. 

The HMIR can prosecute like the HSE the RAIB can not prosecute but witness are compelled by law to give evidence to them

[stebbo]

I'm a lawyer (but a bit old-fashioned as you'll see). This splitting up of authority just produces a complete legal minefield with different accountabilities and failure to get to the root of a problem quick.

Shrink the playing field, quick.

[Electric train]

I'm a lawyer (but a bit old-fashioned as you'll see). This splitting up of authority just produces a complete legal minefield with different accountabilities and failure to get to the root of a problem quick.

Shrink the playing field, quick.

Professionally at work I would freely talk to the RAIB but would more coy talking to the HMIR although both are done under caution

[signalandtelegraph]

18 months for the report.  RAIB are quick aren't they?

As the Death by Health & Safety website says

Read About It Belatedly 

[Tim]

The Act that set up RAIB requires reports as soon as possible and normally within 12 months.  they are regularly in breach of that requirement.

[inspector_blakey]

Not strictly true - there is a get out clause, with the 12-month limit only applying "in normal circumstances" whatever they are, which I guess would allow for them to do justice to a particularly complex investigation. And it would appear, judging by the more recent clutch of reports emanating from RAIB that they seem to be getting their act together in terms of publishing within 12 months.

Finally, let's not stick the boot in too much - the RAIB is an infinitely better system (and, it would seem, much better trusted by rail staff who are therefore prepared to co-operate without risking incriminating themselves) than the festivals of finger-pointing, mud-slinging and blame apportioning presided over by certain previous administrations at the BTP and HSE.

[Tim]

Not strictly true - there is a get out clause, with the 12-month limit only applying "in normal circumstances" whatever they are, which I guess would allow for them to do justice to a particularly complex investigation. And it would appear, judging by the more recent clutch of reports emanating from RAIB that they seem to be getting their act together in terms of publishing within 12 months.

Finally, let's not stick the boot in too much - the RAIB is an infinitely better system (and, it would seem, much better trusted by rail staff who are therefore prepared to co-operate without risking incriminating themselves) than the festivals of finger-pointing, mud-slinging and blame apportioning presided over by certain previous administrations at the BTP and HSE.

You are right that there is a get out clause, but that only applies to unusual circumstances.  The 12 month deadline applies in almost all cases.

I agree that the system is infinately better than the previous one.  BTP and HSE were both awful and did alot of damage. 

And its good to see them speeding up, but I don't think they are where they should be yet.

[chris from nailsea]

To be fair, in the past few weeks, the RAIB have published four reports, as follows:

Kennington Junction - incident happened on 23 May 2008, report published on 12 November 2009;

Dalston Junction - accident involving a railway track worker on 30 March 2009, report published on 19 November 2009;

Eden Valley loop - incident happened on 4 July 2009, report published on 19 November 2009;

Bayles & Wylies footpath crossing - involving the deaths of two pedestrians on 22 November 2008, report published on 19 November 2009.

[chris from nailsea]

From the BBC:

Network Rail fined £150,000 over track accidents

Network Rail has been fined £150,000 for breaching health and safety laws following the death of one worker and the serious injury of another.

Charles Stockwell, from Reading, was hit by a train and killed while welding at Ruscombe, Berkshire in April 2007.

Track worker David Coles was struck by a train which severed his leg in 2008 at Kennington Junction near Oxford.

The sentencing at Reading Crown Court follows a lengthy investigation by the Office of Rail Regulation.

The regulator found Network Rail had failed to ensure the safety of its employees.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "Network Rail respects the verdict of the court and has apologised today for its shortcomings. The judge acknowledged that we have made improvements to our maintenance regime. We will always strive to make further improvements."