On Track—Staying Safe

This episode was originally published to the RSSB at the Front Line stream in June 2021. It features Nick Millington, Director of the Safety Task Force at Network Rail.  He talks about recent accidents on the mainline railway, and what the task force is doing to reduce open line working.  We talk about the removal of lookouts, night shift working and fatigue, what more possessions will mean for signaller workload, and the aspiration for more effective work planning.01:02 About Nick and his role in the railway.02:27 Numbers of near misses, track worker fatalities, and open line working.04:30 Equipment and technologies to replace lookouts.08:07 Removing the lookout competence, new roles, and better protection.10:20 Signaller workload, better planning, and collaboration for safe systems of work.13:00 Increased night shifts, wellbeing and fatigue; and more efficient work planning.16:38 Future plans, integrated signal-controlled protection and warning systems, and the search for innovations.Resources related to this episode:Nick Millington's video report on LinkedIn of his May 2021 visit to North West and Central regions to talk health and safety with those on the front line https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nick-millington-817335a8_networkrail-safetytaskforce-trackworkersafety-ugcPost-6804666611174273024-FQwS Network Rail Front Line Focus episode 96 https://network-rail.wistia.com/medias/tsakiypg9t Infrastructure Safety Leadership Group https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/groups-and-committees/safety/ssrg/islg Leading Health and Safety on Britain's Railway—Workforce Safety web page https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/leading-health-and-safety-on-britains-railway/workforce-safety