The Shield
THE SAFETY NEWSPAPER FOR RAIL PEOPLE
STOP. MAKE A CHANGE.
SEE PAGE 8
ISSUE 26, NOVEMBER 2019
SWITCHED ON TO SAFETY
ONE OF the biggest risks working on a railway line is the electrified conductor rail. Touching this rail can result in life-threatening injuries or instant death. That’s why a new system aims to make strapping a thing of the past. Read the full story on page 4 >>
Bright ideas
Tomorrow’s world?
Gang culture
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southernshield.co.uk
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THE SHIELD ISSUE 26, NOVEMBER 2019
First Person IT’S FOUR months since two of our rail colleagues from Port Talbot lost their lives. Given the ongoing investigations, I do not want to speculate on the outcomes, but I have been reflecting on whether our workforce truly recognise the risks of their working environments? Do our people really feel able to speak up if they feel concerned for their safety or the safety of their colleagues? While I think that the majority of our workforce do recognise the risks that they face, I do feel that there is an element of tolerance and acceptance that these risks cannot be avoided. With such incidents occurring across our industry, how confident are we that every single person working on our behalf truly feels able to speak up to raise their concerns about their working environment?
The Shield This paper is produced for:
Are even supervisors and managers too caught up with budget and programme constraints to feel able to raise issues themselves? We will only ever be able to say with confidence that everyone will speak up if we never assume and constantly check by engaging with our teams at every level.
Everyone should: • Feel Safe to Ask and challenge others • Speak up if they have concerns • Know they will be supported. How we respond when people do raise issues is vitally important. We must support our people, listen properly to all concerns
REVIEW KEEPS A CLOSE EYE ON RISK raised, take any necessary action and thank our people for raising the issue. This approach has to be consistent across every level of the Southern Region, to ensure that our people receive the same support. Only then will we create an industry where our people do not tolerate poor working environments and feel confident to say so. John Dowsett, Managing Director of Infrastructure, Osborne
With midwinter fast approaching, Southern Shield has issued a reminder about how to ensure everyone on site is safe and well as the evenings draw in and the temperature drops
GET PROPERLY PREPPED
UNSAFE conditions or poor housekeeping accounted for the highest number of Close Calls in Period 5. Close Call review data for the period showed incidents including materials being left in walkways and poor condition of walkways or work areas – all of which can cause slip, trip or fall accidents – were the most commonly reported. Unsecured access point gates and issues with site boundaries, leading to risk of trespass, were also commonly reported. These incidents were highlighted in a regular review of the most frequent and most severe Close Calls carried out for the Southern Shield Safety Leadership Team. The aim is to identify key issues and trends that require attention and action. Among the most severe Close Calls were issues around electrical safety and buried services. FAILING REPAIR In one incident a Siemens Site Manager found a small puddle of water at the rear of a high voltage (HV) module.
There were also signs of water leaking in from the roof, via a temporary repair which was failing. The situation was reported immediately to the electrical control room. Another Close Call occurred when VolkerFitzpartrick operatives arrived on site to connect to a power supply. As part of this they were required to drive in two earth rods, however they had forgotten to bring a CAT Scan to examine the area before driving the pins. Aimee Skelly-Burgess, Network Rail Health & Safety Manager, said: “In both circumstances the Close Calls were noted before work started, which demonstrates the importance of undertaking site checks prior to starting work. “This is a reminder of the need to properly plan works and make sure that all checks take place before work starts. It also demonstrates the power of discussing the works during the briefing process to make sure that controls defined in the permit process are being followed. “As always we are reminded of the importance of raising Close Calls and acting on them.”
PERIOD 5:
Top Close Call types by frequency SITE WELFARE/SITE HOUSEKEEPING ● Poorly placed materials/equipment/rubbish/ scrap (trip hazards) ● Poor underfoot conditions and slip hazards due to adverse weather ● Vegetation causing tripping hazards ● Dirty/untidy work areas and welfare
HEALTH ● Working in excessive/hot weather ● Discarded hypodermic needles ● Manual handling issues ● Dust from cutting activities affecting others not involved in the actual work
Can you be-leaf it?
Deal with autumn leaf fall – wet leaves are a common cause of slips and falls.
Ready to rock:
Order sufficient rock salt to keep walkways clear and slip-free during snow and frost.
Weather eye:
Check the weather forecasts so precautions can be implemented in a timely manner.
See the light:
Provide additional lighting for walkways, scaffolding and work sites. Written and designed by:
beetroot.co.uk
Walk this way:
Reinforce the need to maintain and use authorised walking routes. Short cuts can result in slips, trips
or falls, and mud becomes a hazard on otherwise safe walking surfaces.
SITE ACCESS AND SECURITY ● Unsecured/damaged access gates ● Damaged site fencing ● Site lighting left on overnight
Sure footed:
Keep absorbent mats around doorways to prevent internal floors from getting wet/muddy and regularly change them.
Level best:
WELFARE ● Insufficient provision ● Site-specific concerns
Identify low/rutted areas which will allow water to collect and level them off.
Dowse rules:
Check fire extinguishers (particularly water and foam) to make sure they have an appropriate anti-freeze additive or are protected from frost.
Snow business:
PROTECTION ARRANGEMENTS/ ZONAL WORKING ● Lack of track information boards/ boards not readable ● Talking on phones in haul roads
Have a procedure in place for snow removal.
want us to feature your team? get in touch at shield@networkrail.co.uk
ISSUE 26, NOVEMBER 2019 THE SHIELD
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WHOSE BRIGHT IDEA WAS THIS? MOTORISTS in Surrey have seen the light – thanks to a bright idea from station improvement operatives. With the works compound at Coulsdon South station taking up space in part of the public car park, Heras fencing has been installed to keep the public at a safe distance. But with the evenings getting darker, the wire fencing was becoming harder for returning commuters to see as they moved their cars. After a couple of near misses the site team from BAM were concerned that a collision could damage the fencing, scratch customers’ vehicles or even cause an injury. That’s when Site Foreman Constantin Posirca, known as Robbie, came up with a solution. He sourced lengths of fluorescent material which have been applied to the fencing.This means when drivers approach the fence it reflects their headlamps or reversing lights. This is especially useful when cars are reversing and visibility is restricted. GOOD NEIGHBOURS “Robbie’s idea was simple and inexpensive but very effective,” said Network Rail Construction Manager John Philbin. “The car park wasn’t very large before we set up the compound. Space is tight, and it’s important that we do what we can to keep the public and their property safe. “Maintaining good relations with station users and neighbours is an integral part of the job. A collision with our property could result in us being liable for costs for any damage, not to mention an unhappy passenger.”
Robbie shows off his idea
A NEW DAWN FOR SAFETY HOW can we make tomorrow safer than today? That’s the question being asked by staff across Osborne as part of a new initiative to keep everyone on track with the highest safety standards. The campaign encourages teams to undertake a 10 minute debrief on safety performance at the end of each shift with a focus on learning to enable continual improvement. The move supports similar initiatives across Network Rail and its partner companies such as Time Out Take Five and STOP Think! At the end of a shift teams are gathered together and asked three simple questions: l What was achieved today? l What would have made today safer? l What improvements can we make for tomorrow? Answers are collected and written on a large magnetic wipe-clean board
The board is designed to be reused at each site that is also used to capture actions required to improve the safety of the next day’s activities. An owner is assigned to each improvement and is accountable for ensuring it happens. A photo of the completed board is sent to Osborne’s intranet each day and it is then wiped clean, with the exception of any unclosed improvements. “By clearly displaying these actions and owners everyone can see that progress is being made,” said Ben Wilcox,Performance Manager,Osborne. “The boards are already being used
with great effect at 13 Osborne sites, and as they are magnetic the can be used anywhere – in the drying room, outside in the car park, or even on the side of a van if there is no permanent welfare set-up.”
EVERYONE HOME SAFE EVERY DAY
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THE SHIELD ISSUE 26, NOVEMBER 2019
ON SITE
OUT OF THE An innovative new system is keeping track workers safer than ever. The Shield visits the Wimbledon depot team to see how they’ve put it in action across the local maintenance delivery unit FOR YEARS, strapping (the application of short-circuit straps) has been a go-to safety procedure for workers. It protects staff on track from an incorrect re-energisation of the conductor rail. It works after the conductor rail has been switched off by attaching a metal short-circuiting strap between the conductor and running rails. Should the conductor rail incorrectly become live again, the straps create a short circuit, causing the circuit breakers to trip immediately and therefore protecting the workers on site. It’s been a good method for a long time but it’s nowhere near perfect. If the process is not followed correctly, workers can be accidentally exposed to live conductor rails, and incidents of this sort have been regrettably common. This can result in workers receiving burns, the loss of limbs or, in the worst-case scenario, lives. A MODERN SOLUTION An updated method is being adopted across the country’s rail network. Its benefits are simple: it removes the need for workers to be on the track and – crucially – means they don’t need to touch any conductor rails. Project Manager Jack Roberts has been using the new system, called Negative Short Circuit Devices (NSCDs). It’s essentially a remote system that, with the flick of a switch, can isolate sections of the track. It is a two-part system that means the power can’t come back on without two operators in different locations both operating the equipment, eliminating the risk of someone accidentally turning the power back on. “This removes our staff from potentially dangerous exposure to electricity,” said Jack. “Existing processes over time have become inadequate for the 21st century railway. This provides a much easier and safer way to
provide isolation and gives us the same flexibility as previous methods – but it’s fundamentally better in every way.” Colleagues using the control panel have to wait for instruction from the authorised person before operating the NSCDs. Once they’ve got the go ahead, they need to press the lamp test to ensure all the lights on the panel are working. There are many precautions with the new system – for good reason. The next step is to turn the control switch to ‘local’, and then turn the operating switch to either ‘open’ or ‘close’ depending on whether they’re isolating a track or making it live again. The switch is then locked into place with a key, which is secured into a special compartment. The master key is kept separately so that the control panel cannot be interfered with. “This has been rolled out for the entirety of Network Rail maintenance team on the inner delivery unit on Wessex,” said Jack. “It will soon be rolled out to the outer delivery unit and from April 2020 it will be rolled out across the wider industry.” Fitting a strap might still be required when using hook-switches or track disconnectors as a point of isolation, but on the whole NSCDs will be the main way of isolating tracks and making them safer. “Once the whole network uses NSCDs, training will be provided for colleagues to use the control panels, meaning everyone working on track in the UK will be better protected,” said Jack.
OLD WAY This interim short circuit kit can be carried in a backpack until NSCDs are introduced
NEW WAY The switchboard is kept under lock and key
“ This is a much easier and safer way to provide isolation.” Jack Roberts never assume equipment is isolated
ISSUE 26, NOVEMBER 2019 THE SHIELD
E STRAPS The Raynes Park Switching Station
REDUCING THE RISK JOHN CUNLIFFE Assistant Electrification and Plant Engineer
“Years ago, there were no safety measures like short circuiting devices. People would go out, test, take possession and do their work. There were some instances where a line was recharged in error, and that’s why strapping was introduced. But strapping has its own problems, because people are still in a position where they’re at great risk if something goes wrong. This new system is in a safe location, it can be closed and locked off-track and keeps everyone safe. The biggest improvement is that it reduces the possibility of human error.”
STEVEN EDWARDS Infrastructure Maintenance Workforce Health, Safety and Environmental Advisor
“The great thing with the NSCD is that you’re separating people from the track. From a manual handling point of view it’s gone from having to carry around a large amount of kit, like straps and markerboards, in all sorts of weather conditions, to simply turning up at a box and flicking a switch. You can use the NSCD in all weathers, at any time of the day. I used to do the strapping when I first started out and I remember having to carry a lot of equipment for sometimes a mile to the site in freezing weather.”
CHRIS COURTNEY Team Leader
“I’ve done a lot of work on track at night and that can bring its own problems. Trains still run at night and so it’s inevitable that there will be trains running past the site, which is dangerous when visibility is low. My main piece of advice is sticking to our Life Saving Rules and reminding yourself of them. The NSCD is a big improvement in terms of safety because it means we can isolate and make a site safe in a much quicker way.”
- always test before touch
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6 THE SHIELD ISSUE 26, NOVEMBER 2019
WE’RE GANGIN
The Shield spoke to a gang in Surrey about the benefits and challenges of working so closely together GANGS – teams who work alongside regularly alongside each other on building and maintenance projects – have been part of the railway since the days of steam. The benefits of workers who know and trust each other are clear but as some recent events have shown, complacency can still be an issue that puts people at risk. Liam Evans, Shaun Pilbeam and Paul Clubb all work on Southern Region rail projects for Kier. Although not always in the same gang they have completed numerous projects together, such as the works they were carrying out at Pirbright in Surrey when The Shield dropped in. For Construction Manager Liam, having familiar faces on a project gives him confidence the work will be carried out safely and efficiently. “Once the proper briefings have been done the team don’t need micromanaging, I can leave them to do a good job, safely and to the right standard,” he said. “They are problem solvers and they make the correct decisions – that includes stopping and asking more questions and requesting changes if necessary.” NO COMPLACENCY Safe Work Leader Shaun has worked on the railway on and off for 20 years. He’s also known Paul for years, as they are from the same village in Kent. “When you know each other so well, you know each other’s strengths and which job is the best for each person. For example, I know Paul is excellent at organising people and getting people going.” Of course, when team know each other and their work very well there might be a tendency to focus on their own knowledge and understanding of a task rather than take instruction.
But Shaun says complacency is a something good teams make a point of avoiding. “Even though you know everyone, you can’t just turn up and do the job – everyone has to be briefed, know the safe system of work and stick to it,” he said. “In some ways it’s easier to stand up and brief people you don’t know. When it’s people you’ve worked with every day that’s not as easy but it still has to be done and everyone in the group knows that. Complacency is the one thing you can’t have. “That’s why, for example, even if I know I have a line block, I will still look out for a train. I’ve done it hundreds of times, it doesn’t stop me from looking out because that’s the right thing to do.” Shaun also admitted that it can be difficult to challenge or question workmates you know well. “You don’t want to feel like you are questioning someone’s ability but we all know that if we do something unsafe we are putting everyone at risk and that has to be called out,” he said. TEA AND CHAT All agree preparation is key to successful and safe working. “Even before the briefings I’ll have a chat and a cup of tea to make sure everyone in the team is fit and in the right frame of mind to work,” said Liam. Shaun believes the level of preparation before work starts is one of the biggest improvements in his time on the railway. “I remember my first ever job was rewiring a signal box,” he said. “I met a supervisor at an access point who said ‘walk up there if you see a train wave at it and they’ll wave back’. That was it. “Now it’s treated like a professional workplace and you are backed up if you don’t think something is safe.”
never undertake any job unless you have
ISSUE 26, NOVEMBER 2019 THE SHIELD
NG TOGETHER
When The Shield visited Liam, Shaun and Paul they were surveying outstanding upgrade works, originally started by HVMS, at a substation in Pirbright, Surrey. This included checking troughing and cable routes – some of which had been covered by vegetation – gate installation and labelling.
been trained and assessed as competent
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THE SHIELD ISSUE 26, NOVEMBER 2019
A FEAST OF SAFETY Testing out buried services equipment
Health as well as safety was a key topic at this stand down HANDS-ON plant testing and healthy eating were on the menu at the UK’s largest construction health and safety stand down in September. The ‘Stop. Make a Change’ day was hosted by BAM at its Edenbridge Yard test site, where key suppliers showcased a range of innovative plant and equipment. As well as getting hands on with the buried services equipment, attendees from BAM, Network Rail and other partner suppliers were able to test their fitness on electric bikes, provided by Evans. The day also included a health and wellbeing presentation, where teams were challenged about their food habits and nutritional choices. There was even a competition where healthy snacks were given out as prizes.
Delegates try out electric bikes
There was also a serious message behind the fun, as Lee Travil, Works Manager for BAM, explained: “This event helps to keep staff informed about the latest initiatives that make our sites safer. It also raises awareness of the dangers we face daily working around plant, machinery and buried services. For example, we focused on zonal working and showed examples of different types of control zones. “It was great to see the broad range of people in attendance, from site teams to office-based staff. This event has been a great success.” BAM Site engineer Ke’arne Graham said: “The day was very informative. It helped me to identify new ways to overcome common obstacles that you find on site, such as buried services, access problems.”
What do you think? Get in touch – shield@networkrail.co.uk