We’re having a brilliant Q2 here at Railsafe Group as everyone on the team has been on a mission to deliver even more support to our clients as network expansion continues nationwide. Our people have a great work ethic and we’re proud of their passion and determination to go the extra mile from onboarding new talent to securing the very best skilled workers and rail professionals for key projects. Getting the right people with the right skillset in the right place at the right time to do their absolute best is at the heart of our business model and we are really excited to maintain the momentum this summer.
We had a superb experience at Rail Live in June getting hands-on with the latest innovations at the UK’s large rail plant exhibition at the Long Marsden Rail Innovation centre in Warwickshire. As the only rail event in the UK with real rolling stock on display in a real railway environment, this unique event brought over 6,000 rail specialists together for two days to develop skills, best practice and opportunities to work together going forwards. We are proud to contribute to the big conversations in our industry and are always keen to collaborate with likeminded partners so everyone in the sector benefits from sharing the latest knowledge, skills, technology for the most efficient and sustainable results.
Bringing in new blood is crucial to our ever-evolving industry, so we have also focussed on developing our Skills Bootcamps in our state-of-the-art East Tilbury training centre. The response from young people in the Greater London area has been fantastic and we are already booking in three new cohorts for an 8-week introduction to the rail industry.
As we get ready for high summer and prepare for autumn works, we take this opportunity to thank all our staff and clients for their dedication to safety, quality and innovation.
Remember, Stay Safe, Stay Railsafe.
Steve & Jamie Directors
Company News:
LINKEDIN SUCCESS
A big thank you to all our supporters online as we now have over 3,400 followers on LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking platform. We love sharing our news and getting to know new friends and partners online so don’t be a stranger if you like our content, we really appreciate your continued support as we continue to grow!
NEW WEBSITE COMING SOON
The team at RSG is busy working hard on a new-look website to reflect our continued growth and development. Watch this space for more updates as we make sure it is user-friendly and current so it’s even easier to put a name to a face! Please rest assured that our current website will remain live while construction work gets underway behind the scenes. Just visit www. railsafegroup.co.uk for all your training and development needs and remember a friendly response is always a phone call or email away. 24/7.
GOLD MEMBERSHIP WITH CONSTRUCTIONLINE
We are very happy to announce that Railsafe Group has attained Gold Membership with Constructionline, a significant milestone that demonstrates our commitment to excellence in the rail and construction industries. This prestigious status not only enhances our credibility and trustworthiness among clients and partners but also provides access to a broader network of projects and opportunities. With Gold Membership, Railsafe Group benefits from streamlined pre-qualification processes, increased visibility in the market, and enhanced opportunities for growth and collaboration. This achievement reflects our dedication to maintaining high standards of quality, safety and professionalism.
PIONEERING WORK IN CHELMSFORD: CREATING LIFETIME CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
We are extremely proud that Railsafe Group has delivered the first-ever Rail Awareness Course to men in custody at HMP & YOI Chelmsford. This is part of our ongoing commitment to providing new career pathways and helping to bridge the skills gap in the rail industry.
Darren Richard, Business Development Manager and Sarah Brown, Head of Education and Training provided a bespoke experience to outline the opportunities available as the industry seeks new talent to reflect our diverse population going forwards. Darren and Sarah partnered with trainer Pete Sutton and Rebecca Coughlan, Prison Employment Lead at HM Prison and Probation Service for a practical and audience-appropriate introduction to the career trajectories available.
People News:
SHANNON CUMMINS #TWOYEARANNIVERSARY
We are delighted to celebrate Shannon Cummins’ two-year anniversary with us. Driven and determined, Shannon joined us as Sentinel & Compliance Coordinator before gaining experience as a Resourcer. Her enthusiasm and can-do attitude are hugely inspiring to everyone she meets. Always up for a challenge, she has already climbed Snowdon this year and participated in her first Hyrox Doubles Fitness Race in London.
Congratulations Shannon on leading by example!
MARTIN BENSON #NEWSTARTER
LUKE RHEINBACH #NEWSTARTER
We are thrilled to welcome Luke to the Railsafe Group as our latest Business Development Manager! Luke has earned his spurs as Lead Learner Recruiter at The STC Group, so he has a solid background in the construction industry and an excellent range of transferable skills. High energy and extremely focussed, Luke has hit the ground running in his first few weeks and our directors are sure that his commitment to delivering high-touch customer service will benefit each and every client.
Congratulations Luke on joining our winning team!
We’re excited to have Martin on board as our new Operations Manager and a huge asset to the team. Martin joins us with 19 years of rail experience with a wealth of expertise in the possession management sector on the West Coast mainline and the West Midlands & Chilterns. He’s also familiar with the Anglia, Kent and Wessex regions and is looking forward to making a difference at Rail Safe Group. Highly personable and incredibly organised, Martin is well-versed in senior management, recruitment and resourcing.
Congratulations Martin – we’re ready for the next level!
TOM PERRY #DEVELOPMENT
We would like to congratulate Tom Perry, Resourcer for completing his first day on site after he passed his post-mentoring COSS assessment. Tom has also passed his ALO co-ordinator training too and has fast become a strong member of the Resource Team in the space of the past six months! Our commitment to mentoring from within is pivotal to our growth mindset so every member of staff can keep upskilling and direct their career with confidence.
Congratulations Tom – keep up the good work!
Employee Spotlight:
LUKE FULLER, TRACK OPERATIVE
Luke recently completed an NVQ Level 2 training course with Railsafe Group following a referral from a friend. The eight-week course, which combined classroom learning with practical experience, proved to be a pivotal step in Luke’s career transition.
In April, Luke completed his PTS training, and since then, he has gained valuable experience working for key RSG clients. His tasks have included trough installation, track maintenance, general groundworks, and trial holes. Feedback from RSG’s clients has been extremely positive, and within just three weeks of starting in the rail industry, Luke found himself working regularly. His strong personality and demonstrated leadership skills on site have earned him a reputation for reliability.
Luke’s journey to his current role was not straightforward. In his youth, he endured several stints in prison. However, meeting his partner over 12 years ago marked a turning point. With her support, he turned his life around, started a family, and now has two daughters. Family is extremely important to Luke, and his dedication to them is
evident in his drive to succeed professionally.
Before embarking on his rail career, Luke ran his own recovery business, owning a small fleet of recovery trucks. Although he enjoyed success in this industry, the sporadic nature of the work left him needing more consistency. Luke felt the rail industry would offer the stability he required, and he has embraced the opportunities he has been presented with.
Luke’s aspirations are to continue learning and developing his skills. He has expressed interest in undertaking COSS training in the future and has already recommended a couple of friends to Railsafe Group, who are now completing their own NVQ training. If he continues at this pace, it is likely he will be running his own gang soon, as he certainly has the attributes to lead effectively.
Breaking into the rail industry is always challenging, making it crucial to go forwards with confidence when a door opens. Luke is a shining example of making the most of his opportunities, grabbing them with both hands.
LEEDS TRAINING ACADEMY SUCCESS
As Railsafe Group continues to provide expert training to the UK rail industry, we’re pleased to announce our brand-new Training Academy is proving extremely popular with three cohorts studying a range of NVQs in Rail Engineering.
This is an excellent result of Railsafe Group’s collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Probation Trust and Leeds City Council to name but a few, so that learners will secure a solid grounding in both theory and practice. When they are fully qualified, each student will transition
to the workplace either with Railsafe Group or another employer within our partnership scheme.
Spanning four floors and offering three large classrooms, office space for our North Team and reception area, the new Railsafe Training Academy truly is an amazing location nestled in the heart of Leeds City Centre, within easy reach of Leeds station, Wellington Street multistorey car park and a number of hotels if an overnight stay is required.
Sarah Brown, Operations & Training Manager is passionate about the opportunities available in the rail industry. She would like to thank everyone at West Yorkshire Combined Authority for their assistance with funding so that unemployed in the region can reap the rewards of a new career in our sector. plannedin for year, it’s great to deliver such a strong start to 2024!
Training Update:
RSG’s Training team has also been encouraging young people in the outer Greater London area to take part in a range of Skills Bootcamps at the East Tilbury Training Centre.
These comprehensive and fully immersive NVQ courses are booking out thanks to word-of-mouth referrals and the highly professional and approachable trainers.
Our focus on quality, integrity, safety and delivery is second-to-none from day one.
For more information, please contact the Training Team on 01702 567 283 (option 3) or email training@railsafegroup.co.uk.
LONDON SKILLS BOOTCAMPS HIT BIG
Community News:
RSG SUPPORT GOLF CHARITY EVENT
Everyone at Railsafe Group is always keen to support new charity initiatives so sponsoring a wonderful afternoon of golf to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity and Macmillan Cancer Support was a win-win!
Martin Benson, Operations Manager, and Tony Briffa, Development & Delivery Director were joined by Steve Huckle, Managing Director and Steve Huckle Snr at an event organised by Keiran Urwin, Labour Manager at Coyle Personnel. We’re pleased to report that despite the team not winning at Mill Green Golf Club, Martin did take home the wooden spoon! With £1780 raised this opportunity for networking, good sportsmanship and business development will only grow. We wish Martin better luck next time and look forward to the next golfing date in the diary!
Project Updates:
NORFOLK | HOVETON & WROXHAM RELIGHTING PROJECT | JUNE 2024
Our extensive relighting project at Hoveton & Wroxham Station in Norfolk, is proving to be successful and productive for RSG. The station is on Greater Anglia’s Bittern Line between Norwich and Sheringham via Cromer and the project comprises of civil engineering works to facilitate a new car park and platform lighting. This includes the installation of turning chambers, underground duct routes and concrete bases for lighting columns.
The work at Hoveton & Wroxham has proved particularly challenging from a health and safety perspective due to activities taking place in close proximity to rail customers. Despite these challenges, the project has been managed superbly with Railsafe Group staff often taking time out to
converse with inquisitive commuters who have showed a genuine interest in the work being undertaken and were highly appreciative of the efforts involved to update the station.
We’d like to commend Mark Wade, Construction Manager, Taylor Garwood, Supervisor and the entire team for some top-notch collaborative working, planning, housekeeping and delivery as we progress towards each project milestone.
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 multi disciplines.
FUTURE FOCUS – SOUTH
Over the past three years Railsafe Group has been supporting Greater Anglia to lean into change with platform extension works as part of the introduction of its new 720 10 car fleet.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the project teams who showed faith in RSG’s planning teams, safety critical teams and Project teams. We worked closely across various sites with a focus on Stratford, Broxbourne and Hertford East. Thanks to the Project Management team in these locations for the opportunity and trust shown in our delivery teams supporting them and their contractors along the way.
FUTURE FOCUS – NORTH
Honest and open partnership and collaboration is at the heart of everything we do so we are extremely pleased we have such strong relationships with our friends at Redstone Training, RTS Infrastructure Services Limited and Northern Trains.
Our teams have been putting in the hours at Holbeck Depot, Leeds training the track maintenance workforce of tomorrow. It’s a busy environment with enhancement works in progress as the Transpennine Route upgrade takes shape.
Safety Bulletin:
SUMMER WORKING – BEAT THE HEAT STRESS!
Make sure you are taking good care of yourself with the latest advice from Network Rail
When working in construction, there are many times when your body may be exposed to heat. This can put your body under strain and in high temperatures, your body temperature and your heart rate may rise to uncomfortably high levels making you feel ill.
WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS?
Heat stress occurs when the body’s means of controlling its internal temperature starts to fail. These include: Dehydration occurs when the normal water content of your body is reduced.
It upsets the balance of minerals (salts and sugar) in your body, which affects the way that it functions.
Some of the early warning signs of dehydration include:
• Feeling thirsty and light-headed
• Having dark coloured, strong-smelling urine
• Passing urine less often than usual
Heat Exhaustion occurs when the temperature inside the body (the core temperature) rises to up to 40°C (104°F). A normal temperature is about 37°C (98.6°F). At these temperatures, a feeling of sickness may develop along with headaches, excessive sweating, and faintness. If untreated, heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke which can be serious.
Heatstroke is when the core body temperature rises above 40°C (104°F). It is potentially very serious. The cells in the body begin to break down, important bodily functions cease, internal organs can fail (such as the brain) and, in extreme cases, death can occur.
Someone wearing protective clothing and performing heavy work in hot and humid conditions could be at risk of heat stress because:
• Sweat evaporation is restricted by the type of clothing and the humidity of the environment.
• The body will produce heat due to the work rate and if this heat isn’t lost, the body temperature will rise.
• As body temperature rises the body will produce more sweat which may lead to dehydration.
• Heart rate also increases which puts additional strain on the body. If the body is gaining more heat than it can lose, the body temperature will continue to rise. This can reach a point when the body’s control mechanism starts to fail. The symptoms will worsen the longer it remains working in the same conditions. Be aware that heat stress can also occur in cold temperatures if the work is so physical that it makes you very hot (this is particularly true if you are wearing heavy clothing).
HEAT STRESS MAY BE AFFECTING YOUR HEALTH IF:
• You feel thirsty, weak, and tired and have a dry mouth.
• You suffer from a headache and your skin becomes clammy.
• You experience feelings of giddiness, nausea, sweating and you vomit.
• You experience painful muscle cramps after physical work.
• You suffer from a red, itchy heat rash.
• In the worst case, you can suffer with delirium, aggressiveness, convulsions, unconsciousness, and death.
Don’t work for long periods in hot environments – take regular breaks and drink lots of water!
KEEPING COOL
• Keep the skin covered; ordinary clothing made from close woven fabric, such as a long-sleeved work shirt and trousers prevents burning.
• Use a high factor sunscreen of at least SPF15 on any exposed skin.
• Cover the back of the neck particularly if continually bending over and thus presenting this area to the sun’s rays.
• Work in the shade whenever possible.
• Take all the designated breaks and rest rather than get involved in a leisure activity that involves effort.
• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
DO’S & DON’TS
• Do keep hydrated, drink lots of water when you get hot, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these will dehydrate you further.
• Do take regular breaks - if possible, in a cool environment
• Do keep cool – cool down by sponging yourself with cold water and by wearing appropriate clothing for the task and the conditions.
• Do wear PPE - wear thick PPE when dealing with conductive heat, e.g. metals.
• Do protect your skin in the sun – cover up, wear sunscreen, and try to stay in the shade. Refer to UV radiation Toolbox Talk for more information.
• Don’t work for long periods in hot environments – take regular breaks and drink lots of water.
Keep the skin covered & work in the shade whenever possible.
For information, please visit: www.safety.networkrail.co.uk
