REVIEW RAILSAFE
WELCOME
We’re all set for a bumper Q3 here at Railsafe Group as our team continues to expand so that we can ensure an even better service to our clients across the country. We are working on sites from East Sussex to London, up to Cambridge and all the way to Glasgow and we pride ourselves on being able to deliver around our clients’ needs rain or shine 24/7!
Our commitment to service is down to our fantastic team members who are always striving to go above and beyond to support the latest projects throughout the UK. We are constantly inspired by how our people lean into opportunities to mentor new recruits and keep learning and developing as our sector continues to evolve. We see ourselves as leaders in recruitment –so that the very best of the talent pool are in place to fulfill every single project to the highest standards. Our working culture is founded on getting everyone home
safe, secure in the knowledge that we have carried out all aspects of the brief rand planned for every conceivable outcome.
We believe that forward-planning is fundamental to every success so we have been taking care of our orange army with a training roadshow to ensure everyone is prepared for winter driving conditions and is secure and confident with vehicle handling.
In addition, we have been rolling out a new COSS appraisal throughout our business to ensure that newcomers to this crucial role are well-supported as they progress. Our team of experienced in-house mentors are always keen to share their knowledge and make sure all bases are covered in depth. We like to that this contributes to our reputation for staff retention and a great work ethic!
Our commitment to delivering talent to the industry is growing from strength to strength with regular cohorts of young people enrolling at our Leeds training centre as well as in our leading-edge training centre in East Tilbury. Our LinkedIn presence is growing with over 4000 followers to date, so rest assured you can always connect with us online as well as by picking up the phone 24/7.
As we rise to the challenge of keeping the infrastructure in great shape ahead of the winter, going the extra mile to ensure all jobs are done to the highest standards is all in a day’s work. Many thanks to all our staff and clients for their dedication to safety, quality and innovation.
Remember, Stay Safe, Stay Railsafe.
Steve
& Jamie, Directors
COMPANY NEWS
ISO 9001 QUALITY ASSURANCE ACCREDITATION
We are pleased to announce that Railsafe Group has successfully completed Stage 1 of the ISO 9001 audit. This stage focused on evaluating our quality management system’s documentation and overall readiness, verifying that we have the foundational processes required by the standard. Looking ahead, we’ll undertake the Stage 2 audit in January, where auditors will conduct a thorough, in-depth review of our operational practices to confirm that our quality management system is effectively implemented. Achieving certification will mark a significant milestone in our commitment to quality and continuous improvement.
NEW KIT FOR FRIENDS OF RSG!
The team at RSG believes that good, solid working relationships are the key to working in partnership with clients so creating some exclusive flasks and mugs for our RSG VIPs was the next logical step. When they’re onsite or in the car, we know our favourite people can enjoy a hot drink and have our details at their fingertips for the next job! We’re always a phone call or email away 24/7 so when you need us, we’re always there.
NEW COMPANY SIGNAGE CREATED
We are pleased to unveil a new collection of RSG brandedsignage which is now being used on every site to underline our commitment to safety at work and hazard prevention. Given the unique nature of every job, it pays to have a visual checklist for that all-important PPE and a reminder that getting home safely is always the end goal for everyone on the team. We have had a great response to the signage from clients and crew alike and feel that it also serves to reinforce the professionalism and teamwork in our industry – helping to promote even more respect for the incredible job we do to keep the railways moving safely for all users.
A reminder that getting home safely is always the end goal for everyone on the team!
COMPANY NEWS
TOOLBOX TALKS TO BOOST ROAD SAFETY
We are committed to taking care of everyone in our crew especially given the increase in extreme weather conditions. We decided to visit our teams and deliver a series of ‘Toolbox Talks’ on Winter Driving so that our people are fully prepared for tough conditions in the month ahead. Road use is a massive part of the orange army’s routine and we wanted to engage with our site-based teams to discuss safe driving techniques and how to prepare and maintain their work vehicles. A big focus was placed on never driving when tired, and how our teams manage their rest periods to ensure that everyone is home safe every single working day. Well done to James Ratford, for stepping up and delivering the toolbox talk to his colleagues at the Ipswich Network Rail Delivery Unit.
RAILSAFE AND CYBERSAFE!
We’re delighted to announce Railsafe Group has successfully renewed our Cyber Security Essentials Accreditation. This achievement underscores our ongoing commitment to maintaining top security standards and protecting all systems and data within the business. We appreciate how important online security is to our everyone in our team and our clients so a big thank you to the entire RSG team and special thanks to our Compliance Division.
PEOPLE NEWS
SARAH BROWN #PROMOTION
We are very pleased to announce that Sarah Brown is now our Training and Commercial Director at Railsafe Group. She joined us last November as our Head of Education and Training, impressing us all with her people-centred approach and determination to support every single learner, every single day. We’re proud to have such a strong leader on our team, well done Sarah!
GARY HUGHES #PROMOTION
We are thrilled to share the news that Gary Hughes has been promoted to Rail Training Lead as we are always keen to reward talent. Gary joined us as a Trainer/Assessor two years ago and has gone from strength to strength through sharing his expertise as an Engineering Supervisor/COSS/ Level B strap man/ SMSTS. Gary is a great example of seizing opportunities and is always keen to share his knowledge. A brilliant result! Thank you Gary.
LISA WALSH #NEWSTARTER
We are excited to welcome Lisa Walsh to Railsafe Group as our newest Resourcer. Lisa has a huge passion for railway life and a solid background in project management and recruiting for rail and civils. A great motivator and a real people-person, Lisa is already making her mark and doing sterling work with us. It’s great to have you on board at Railsafe Group Lisa!
PEOPLE NEWS
JON BATES #NEWSTARTER
We are thrilled to welcome Jon Bates to Railsafe Group as our latest addition to our growing training team in his role as a Trainer and in Employer (CHK) Engagement! Jon is very personable and his ability to build strong working relationships and develop winning learning strategies is truly inspiring! Here’s to a long and happy future with us as we continue to develop a market-leading training programme to reflect the needs of our evolving industry going forwards! Congratulations Jon on joining our team!
PETE SUTTON #NEWSTARTER
We are delighted to welcome Pete on board at Railsafe Group as our newly appointed Trainer and Assessor. He is a highly experienced trainer with extensive knowledge of the rail sector and he is already proving a great asset to our team, working full-time as a Rail Tutor delivering NVQs at our East Tilbury Training Academy! Congratulations Pete on such a strong start!
ADAM ADAMS, HARDEEP DHOTHAR & TONY SPENCER #DEVELOPMENT
We would like to congratulate Adam Adams, Hardeep Dhothar, and Tony Spencer on passing their COSS post mentoring assessments. Both were thoroughly committed to getting in mentored shifts and doing their revision. Martin Benson, Head of Delivery at RSG says,” We are strong believers in supporting our people from within as they go up the ranks and are extremely proud of our mentors who work tirelessly to share their knowledge and expertise. These three are both confident, knowledgeable and very keen to progress. I’m glad their railway careers are going well.” A big thanks to the mentoring team, proof that having the right people in the right roles works wonders as we move forwards to the next level together. Great achievement Adam, Hardeep & Tony – well done!
We are strong believers in supporting our people from within as they go up the ranks
MARTIN BENSON
“It is a pleasure for me to be working for RSG, alongside colleagues I started my rail journey with all those years ago and with a top Delivery Team under me that always go above and beyond and have the same passion as me and all in our business.”
Introducing… Martin Benson, Head of Delivery at Railsafe Group. Having joined our team less than 6 months ago as Operations Manager, we are thrilled to see how quickly Martin has developed his role within the company and as of November 2024, he’s now Railsafe Group’s Head of Delivery.
Martin has close to 20 years railway experience in a number of senior management, recruitment and resourcing roles where he has worked on a variety of Network Rail and PC contracts, frameworks and projects incorporating many geographical areas of the UK rail industry.
Martin says “It is a pleasure for me to be working for RSG, alongside colleagues I started my rail journey with all those years ago and with a top Delivery Team under me that always go above and beyond and have the same passion as me and all in our business. Our Senior Management Team alone at Railsafe has over 150 years combined rail experience and we are looking forward to a busy Christmas period and further growth in 2025.
Steve Huckle, Managing Director at Railsafe Group says “Since day one, Martin has gone above and beyond expectations, consistently exceeding targets and delivering exceptional outcomes. Throughout his time here, he has displayed exceptional leadership skills, effectively guiding and inspiring our team towards success. Well done on your promotion Martin, thoroughly deserved!”
TRAINING UPDATE
GREAT FEEDBACK FROM FIRSTEVER COURSE FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS
Railsafe Group is extremely proud of the impact the Training team had when delivering the first ever Rail Awareness course at HMP Chelmsford this summer. There were 113 applicants for 13 places on the course, with the chosen candidates having passed their qualification and on track to gain employment with RSG in the industry.
Rebecca Coughlan, Prison Employment Lead at HMPSS at says, “This is amazing opportunity for meaningful and sustainable employment for our prison leavers and I am so grateful to have been able to facilitate this at Chelmsford. Huge thanks to Sarah Brown, Darren Richards and Pete Sutton for their continued support. We can’t wait to have you back for Cohort 2.”
NEW FUNDING FOR SKILLS BOOTCAMPS
We are pleased to announce that Railsafe Group have secured Skills Bootcamp funding from the Greater London Authority to deliver NVQ Level 2 in Rail Engineering Track Maintenance at our new Training Academy based in Leyton, East London. This means that new cohorts of our Pathway into Rail scheme will be starting every month in London and at our Leeds Training Academy.
This is superb news – as we now have three Government Funding Providers and three training academies in Essex, Leeds and London. Please contract RSG Training & Education on 01702 789 591 or email training@railsafegroup.co.uk to discuss your needs.
Pathway into Rail at our Leeds Training Academy is funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and is identical to the courses in London – covering Level 2 NQC in Rail Engineering Track Maintenance, PTS AC/DCCR, OLEC1, Track Induction in addition to full PPE and competence card. Alannis Sharpe, Operations Manager for Training at Railsafe Group is the lead on this project and is always only DM away on LinkedIn.
TRAINING UPDATE
RAILSAFE GROUP SECURES IAG ACCREDITATION
Railsafe Group are pleased to announce that we have achieved and been awarded the Department of Education’s Matrix accreditation for all things IAG (information, advice and guidance). This is offered to all our learners enrolling on one of our funded NVQ courses, DfE - Essex, GLA - London and WYCA - West Yorkshire. Sarah Brown, Training & Commercial Director says, “I’d like to congratulate the entire Railsafe Group training team and learners who were involved in the two-day audit. This is just further evidence of the hard work that goes into each learner’s journey with Railsafe Group.”
For more information on the extensive range of training available, please contact Sarah at Railsafe Group on 07544 871 163 or email her today at sarah.brown@railsafegroup.co.uk.
RSG PARTICIPATE IN AMCO GIFFEN TRAINING
We were really pleased to support Amico Giffen by participating in recent COSS training alongside Shaun O’Connell, Learning & Development Academy Manager.
He says, “Craig Micallef, Rail Systems Manager, and I both really enjoyed working with Paul Wade (RSG Head of Rail) and his team at our Basingstoke office last week. Despite the wealth of rail experience represented in the room, egos were left at the door and learning and the sharing of learning were the order of the day for the delegates and the instructors. We look forward to further collaboration with RSG in the very near future.”
Craig Micallef adds, “The support that Railsafe are providing for their Safety Critical staff was clear to see. Keep up the good work, Paul!” Feedback from delegates was that the training at the Amco Giffen COSS Academy was insightful and well-organised, providing valuable knowledge and practical skills essential for a COSS. The instructors were knowledgeable and engaging, making the learning experience both informative and enjoyable. Attendees confirmed that they are looking forward to applying what they’ve learned and continuing to improve their safety practices and wanted to thank everyone involved in making this academy a success.
“The support that Railsafe are providing for their Safety Critical staff was clear to see. Keep up the good work, Paul!”
Railsafe Review | www.railsafegroup.co.uk
TRAINING UPDATE
HANDS-ON TOOLS TRAINING
RSG’s Training team is proud to offer a combination of classroom and site-based training to ensure that everyone is skilled up so they can deliver their best. Our core gang who work from the Ipswich depot, had some small tool training recently, under the watchful eye of Gary Hughes. He’s our Rail Training Lead here at Railsafe Group and prides himself on delivering down-to-earth training and making sure everyone in the cohort gets his full attention so they are fully competent and confident.
We offer expert solutions for all your rail needs including Full Labour Support Packages, Projects, Site Welfare, Drone Services & more! If you can dream it, we can deliver it!
COMMUNITY NEWS
RSG HIT BIG WITH GREENWOOD & NEGUS BOXING
Everyone at Railsafe Group is always keen to support dedicated sportsmen and women, so we are excited to be sponsoring local talent at Greenwood and Negus Boxing in Rayleigh, just down the road from the RSG head office.
Established by Dominic Negus and pro-fighter Kevin Greenwood, the Greenwood Negus gym opened in October and is intended to inspire a new generation of fighters in South Essex. The gym also serves as a training base for up-andcoming middleweight fighter Dylan Phoenix-Morrison, 25, who will compete in his first professional bout at the Sunderland Live Arena on 9th November. We wish him all the very best and everyone at Railsafe Group will be rooting for him!
PROJECT UPDATE
WESTERN ROUTE
BRUNEL PROJECT | OCTOBER 2024
We are really proud to be supporting the Brunel Project given its importance to the Western Route. It is a £140m 18-month programme of works which aims to address asset reliability problems between Paddington and Airport Junction and strategic sites across the Western route. Railsafe Group is supplying two valued clients, Rail Electrification Limited and QTS Group with Possession and SWP planners, ALO Co-ordinators, MEWP MCs & DPVs, COSS personnel, Site Wardens and Telehandler Operators.
Following site assurance checks recently, we would like to commend Tom Perry for delivering an impressive Any Line Open briefing to MEWP MC Simon Reynolds. Simon then passed on the communication to the MEWP Operator and linesman. Prior to the worksite and isolation being granted, there was a good discussion regarding ALO working. Everyone in the team is doing a superb job so keep up the great work!
If you are looking for support on your projects, we are able to provide turnkey solutions, planning, design, delivery and skilled labour. We can assist across multiple disciplines.
PROJECT UPDATE
KENT
ISLE OF GRAIN | OCTOBER 2024
We had a fantastic result at the Isle of Grain on the Hoo Peninsula in Kent for a very busy blockade over 18 days supporting Network Rail with work scope 3 S&C units and 370m PL. RSG provided safety critical staff, P Way gangs, site access, minibuses and SNR site supervision. RSG provided an on-site presence for the entirety of the blockade with Labour Co-ordinators present for each shift enabling the client to focus on delivery of the works.
All works were completed safely during a critical 72hour possession during weekend 27 with no accidents or incidents to report, 100% attendance. Additionally, full shift-by-shift report and Site Access Control was provided by RSG.
At Railsafe Group, we take great pride in what we do, and had regular site visits from the directors of RSG ensuring the service we provide is at the highest standard. We always put safety at the forefront of all our projects so
we can ensure that we mitigate risk, and control works in hazardous environments wherever possible.
In fact, following a recent P Way Site Assurance check on one our teams, Paul Wade, Head of Rail at RSG said, “If you know me, you will know I love a bit of P Way and with 36 years in the industry, it was good to show some of our newer staff some tricks of the trade and techniques, I’ve picked up along the way. I’m sure they all learnt a bit from this old hand and enjoyed the shift…I know I did!”
RSG is your one-stop shop for anything you need, and is always here to help if you want to talk about your requirements for your next project. If you’re interested in our services, talk to us on 01702 567 283 or email:
Labour@railsafegroup.co.uk or Planning@railsafegroup.co.uk.
PROJECT UPDATE EAST LONDON
EAST LONDON | SEPTEMBER 2024
As London is the national hub of our railway industry, carrying out safety critical assurance in the capital is second nature for the RSG team. Our Site Controller Ryan Walsh, and Responsible Manager Taylor Garwood have been in East London to implement and maintain a safe system of work in accordance with NR/L2/OHS/00130. This is another well-managed site which allows the team installing the PVA system to work safely whilst trains remain running. Ryan and Taylor are keeping up the high standards RSG expects and have a great level of construction detail and understanding of the deliverables for our valued clients.
This is another well-managed site which allows the team installing the PVA system to work safely whilst trains remain running.
HERTFORDSHIRE
HERTFORDSHIRE | SEPTEMBER 2024
Taking care of key commuter routes into London from the Home Counties is also keeping the RSG team busy with our civils team installing a GRP route for our valued client RTG Group. With great workmanship and skilled operatives, it was a pleasure to observe. Our core COSS Kieron Nuamah was on hand to deliver a professional and competent SSOW briefing, CRP in place and limits briefed to the team.
With short possession times on the DCs midweek, the team maximised outputs every shift. Discussing PPE compliance regularly and ensuring that everyone in the team is dressed for the weather is really important as temperatures drop, which in turn increases the risk of slipping. As ever Kieron Nuamah was on the case and able to ensure that everyone on site was properly supplied with the right gear to protect against the ever-changeable British weather! Well done team!
Ensuring that everyone in the team is dressed for the weather is really important as temperatures drop, which in turn increases the risk of slipping.
BEDFORDSHIRE PROJECT UPDATE
BEDFORDSHIRE | SEPTEMBER 2024
With the combination of night working and an intensive project to contend with, our Coss Tyler set up two safe systems of work. Prior to the possession, the team were working NR/L2/ OHS/00130 creating a Site of Work Segregated from the Railway. This was followed by being granted permission to start work by the Engineering Supervisor, so all staff were stood down and Tyler carried out a full Safe Systems of Work briefing in line with NR/L2/OHS/019 Safety of People at Work On or Near the Line. This was a safe and well-managed site which ran smoothly and with care and attention to every detail. Keep up the good work Tyler!
This
was a safe and well-
managed site which ran smoothly and with care and attention to every detail
A BIG THANK YOU
A BIG THANK YOU TO RICHARDSON RAIL
Our friends at Richardson Rail were kind enough to provide an assessor for Ian, a member of our Core COSS team at one of our worksites in East London. It was brilliant to see all our team on point and carrying out their roles professionally to a very high standard. There was a great worksite briefing from our Engineering Supervisor Jaime Barham too and whilst we were waiting for the worksite to be granted, we took the opportunity to discuss key topics including fatigue and wellbeing to make sure that everyone was feeling in good shape physically and emotionally.
SAFETY BULLETIN
DRIVING SAFELY
Although Network Rail own and run Britain’s rail infrastructure, in order to operate, maintain and upgrade the infrastructure the industry has to undertake a lot of driving.
Road risk is one of the highest risks all our workers face, and our road driving activities impacts on the widest range of those working in the rail industry from employees, contractors, suppliers, as well as how our driving performance affect members of the public.
As an industry, our most recent fatalities have involved driving, and as part of Network Rail’s Life Saving Rules, and its Home Safe Plan’s Managing Occupational Road Risk, we would like to share some useful information...
SAFETY BULLETIN
WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS?
Fatigue Reduction: Driving
The main impacts of weather on the railway include costs, poor performance (measured by Public Performance Measure (PPM), and safety risks. Over the past 12 years adverse weather conditions resulted in an average 2-3% reduction in PPM achievement across the railway network. The impacts of extreme weather can be more significant, with large variations from year to year.
According to the Department of Transport’s THINK! campaign, nearly a fifth of accidents on major roads are sleep-related.
Crashes caused by drivers falling asleep typically involve vehicles running off the road or into the back of another vehicle. Crashes involving drivers falling asleep, or having microsleeps, result in a high risk of death or serious injury, as drivers don’t brake before crashing.
Microsleeps are short bouts of unintentional sleep that can last for several seconds, which occur when we are very tired, or when all the conditions are right.
Crashes
involving drivers falling
asleep, or having microsleeps, result in a high risk of death or serious injury, as drivers don’t brake before crashing.
Motorways and dualcarriageways are the most common roads for sleep-related crashes, due to the monotonous road environment and lack of interruptions or driver stimulation!
DID YOU KNOW…
• The most common time to fall asleep behind the wheel is between 2:00am–6:00am, when alertness is at it’s lowest. There is another dip in alertness around 2:00pm - 4:00pm
• Motorways and dual-carriageways are the most common roads for sleep-related crashes, due to the monotonous road environment and lack of interruptions or driver stimulation. Regular breaks help relieve the monotony.
• There isn’t a specific law that states that it is an offence to drive when you are tired, but the chances of a driver committing a driving offence while tired are increased; this is mentioned in the Highway Code (rules 91 and 262). If you are found to have been asleep when an accident occurred, depending on the severity of the collision and any injuries sustained, you could find yourself charged with dangerous driving, the penalties for which can be severe.
SAFETY BULLETIN
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO REDUCE THE RISK?
There are a lot of misconceptions around fatigue and driving. Opening a window or chewing gum will not improve your alertness, so don’t rely on these myths. Instead, take the Fatigue Awareness eLearning, so you know how to improve your alertness in preparation for your drive and…
• Plan your journey to allow time for breaks. Plan for at least 15 minutes, at least every two hours.
• Share the driving on a long journey, if you can.
• If possible, time your journey to avoid driving when your alertness is naturally at it’s lowest.
• Consider the effect of any medication on your driving. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
• Make sure you know what emergency countermeasures you can take if you find you’re having problems maintaining alertness mid-journey.
Opening a window or chewing gum will not improve your alertness, so don’t rely on these myths!
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
• Do you know what the warning signs of fatigue are?
• Have you ever experienced a microsleep whilst driving? If so, what action did you take?
• Do you think of travelling times and methods when planning work activities?
• What can you and your team do to reduce your driving fatigue risk?
EMERGENCY COUNTERMEASURES:
STOP DRIVING:
Park somewhere safe (not the hard shoulder) such as a service station or safe place off the motorway.
CALL SOMEONE:
E.g., let them know you’re stopping and/or running late.
HAVE A CAFFEINE-RICH DRINK:
Approx. 2 cups of coffee or an energy drink.
TAKE 15-20 MINS NAP:
Lock the doors for safety. If you still feel tired after waking up and taking time to refresh, you are not fit to drive and should take proper rest.
SAFETY BULLETIN
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
• Caffeine takes about 20 minutes to take effect, this “window of opportunity” is perfect for a short nap of no more than 15-20 minutes.
• If you nap for longer, it can lead to you falling into a deep sleep, which will leave you feeling groggy when you wake; a condition known as sleep inertia.
• Remember to set an alarm for 20 minutes to stop you sleeping too long.
• Take another 5-10 minutes to recover after waking and fully wake up before beginning to drive again
