Organised by Rail Forum between 26th June - 2nd July, Rail Safety Week is a series of events and activities dedicated to raising the profile of safety across the UK rail industry.
As this poignant week comes to an end, we take a look back at some of the highlights from the initiative and reflect on what this means for the future of safety on the UK’s railway infrastructure.
Working towards a safer rail infrastructure for all
At the start of the week, Rail Minister Huw Merriman MP shared how while we are fortunate to have the safest railway in Europe, we mustn’t be complacent—we must do everything we can to protect our passengers and our workforce.
Tended is incredibly proud to support this initiative and we were lucky enough to partner with Rail Forum on the official launch conference of Rail Safety Week, held in London.
Key recurring themes across the conference included using RM3 to drive safety improvements, making the best use of technology, human factors and the importance of taking our people with us and the potential risks we face over the next few years as we lose significant numbers of people through retirement.
The day saw a great turnout and a superb range of speakers across the day covering both the workforce and wider community safety. Tended's Head of Business Development Damian Ciesielski talked about Tended's important involvement in Rail Safety Week, and gave an insight into how geofencing technology is the future of track worker safety.
Geofencing to improve workforce safety
Held in conjunction with Rail Safety Week, the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) hosted their third annual Operations Risk and Safety Conference in London.
The event gathered industry leaders to consider the key challenges facing the industry, facilitate state-of-the-art thinking, and share good practices.
“There are many factors for our sector to address. The rail transformation process for Great British Railways provides the overall context, and safety is a perennial issue, so it’s essential we explore how we can maintain safety throughout the transformation process, and the long-term objective for safety and security in rail. Human and organisational issues, such as safety culture and fatigue risk management remain important, in freight as well as passenger rail.” Johnny Schute OBE, Chief Operating Officer at RSSB
During the conference, there was a focus on implementing new technologies and one segment in particular highlighted geofencing as an effective solution to help improve worker safety. Tended’s CEO Leo Scott Smith was there presenting on the impact of Tended’s geofencing wearables on transforming the safety of trackside workers.
“We’re incredibly proud to be spearheading the future of trackside safety and I’d like to thank RSSB for giving us this opportunity to share our vision of making it safe for people on the railway to go to work, as well as to learn from other industry pioneers. Together, we are driving significant change and raising safety standards.” Leo Scott Smith, CEO at Tended
Bridging the gap between human vulnerability and worksite safety
Elaine Clark, CEO of Rail Safety Week organisers Rail Forum, recorded a short podcast with Network Rail’s CEO Andrew Haines.
Speaking on the safety of track workers Andrew comments: "We put lives at risk by the way we currently work [...] There's almost no equivalent in the world that I can think of where we ask people to work close to a 1,000-tonne train running 100 mph."
Andrew goes on to say how technological advancements can dramatically improve the safety of track workers across Britain, keeping people away from moving trains.
The Network Rail CEO states: “We still make mistakes, we still have accidents, and there's still so much learning to do [...] I believe technology is one of the ways we can get consistent high levels of safety."
In her webinar on Thursday 29th June, Tended’s Head of Behavioural Science Jules Reed covered just this in her live session titled “Bridging the gap between human vulnerability and worksite safety”.
An expert in human behaviour, Jules takes a deep dive into the psychology of why people make mistakes. And in high-pressure, high-risk working environments, the consequences of this can be devastating.
With 70% of change initiatives failing in the workplace, transforming the safety of workers with new processes can be challenging. But in this webinar, Jules explains how, using revolutionary technology, organisations can minimise the impact of human error to instil sustainable safety change onsite.
And with the right approach, leaders can bridge the gap between human vulnerability and worksite safety to help end preventable accidents and ensure workers return home safely - every day.
What’s next?
Rail Safety Week plays a crucial role in fostering a safety-oriented culture within the railway industry, serving as a catalyst for a continuous focus on the wellbeing of both passengers and the workforce.
The initiative serves as a reminder that the future of the industry relies on ongoing improvement and innovation in safety practices - as illustrated by the spotlight placed on embracing new technologies throughout the course of Rail Safety Week.
“The focus on safety doesn’t stop after the dedicated week passes; please continue to keep safety at the heart of your activities and share best practice.” - Rail Safety Week organisers, Rail Forum
It’s been a pleasure to be involved in the 2023 Rail Safety Week, which has not only allowed us to demonstrate our commitment to improving safety on the UK’s railways, but also provided a platform to engage with like-minded organisations and individuals who share our passion for getting everyone home safe, every day.
To learn more about Tended’s revolutionary geofencing technology and what we’re doing to help improve railway safety, please visit our website.
