RSSB launches five-year health and safety strategy to combat industry issues

A new health and safety policy has been issued by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB).

The new strategy has been developed by the System Safety Risk Group and the Rail Wellbeing Alliance and will have collaboration at its core as the RSSB aim address some of the significant challenges that the industry currently faces, including cost, performance, and reliability.

The plan titled Rail Health and Safety Strategy will run for five years initially and will also cover five key risks to the network, including initiatives to improve health, safety and wellbeing of the workforce and the safety of the passengers and public that interact with the railway.

However, the RSSB has said that for the strategy to be successful, it will require a joined-up way of working and increased collaboration from the wider industry.

Mark Phillips, Chief Executive, RSSB, commented on this, adding, “The industry faces several challenges including cost and reliability. Passenger demand patterns have changed, and ticket revenue is still lower overall than in 2019. The system needs to be more agile to attract more freight onto rail. And we need to prepare for a changing climate.

“These challenges require a proactive and collaborative approach to managing safety and health risks for a safe, reliable, and sustainable rail system. It requires a strong commitment from all the parties involved, and a continuous monitoring and evaluation of the progress and impact of the actions and initiatives.”

David Horne, managing director, LNER, chair of Rail Wellbeing Alliance, and non-executive director, RSSB said: “Over a million workdays are lost to sickness absence every year across the rail industry–nearly twice the national average rate of sickness. These are workdays the industry can scarcely afford to lose. This strategy sets out the commitments and actions needed to ensure a healthier workforce, and by extension, a healthier rail industry.”

Ellie Burrows, regional managing director, Network Rail, and chair, System Safety Risk Group, RSSB, added: “This strategy comes at a vitally important time for the rail industry.

“It identifies the opportunities that offer the greatest benefit and value from working in collaboration and sharing good quality data and best practice across the sector. It really is a vision created by the whole industry for the benefit of us all.”