december 2014 safety briefing

Safety BriefingDecember 2014

Welcome to the advance Training & Recruitment Services

December 2014 Safety Briefing.

In this month’s briefing:

• Latest advance-TRS news............................................................................................2

• Close Calls......................................................................................................................3

• Worksafe Procedures...................................................................................................3

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)........................................................................4

• New Life Saving Rules..................................................................................................5

• Safety Bulletins.............................................................................................................6

• Important Contact Information ...............................................................................12

Latest NewsEverest Challenge for Andy RidoutAndy Ridout, managing director of advance Training & Recruitment Services, has announced that he will take part in a trifecta of fundraising challenges in 2015, starting in March with a trek to the base camp at Mount Everest in aid of Railway Children.

As well as climbing Everest, Andy plans on cycling a thigh-burning 302 kilometres through mountainous Welsh countryside in an event aptly dubbed the ‘Dragon Devil’ in June, whilst late 2015 will see Andy relay swimming through the English Channel for Cancer Research UK; a year long mega-triathlon!

Railway Children is an international children’s charity that works to reach homeless children on the streets of the UK, East Africa and India. In the UK alone, a child runs away from home every five minutes, forced to flee as a result of poverty, abuse, violence or neglect. ‘That’s a frightening statistic that requires immediate attention’ says Andy.

Andy will be carrying a giant banner to the base camp at Everest. There are limited sponsorship opportunities to add your company’s logo to this banner and have it proudly lifted 17,000ft high in the Himalayas.

Photographs of Andy holding the banner will be used in numerous press releases, social media and e-mail marketing campaigns, so it is a fantastic opportunity to benefit from some great PR whilst saving the lives of children worldwide.

To discuss sponsorship opportunities, call Andy directly on 01483 361 061 or e-mail [email protected]

Donate before Andy’s expedition in March by visiting his fundraising page today at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AndyRidout

2 Safety Briefing - December 2014

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Close Calls

No matter where you work, reporting Close Calls is vital to improving safety. If you see something with the potential to

cause harm, raise the alarm on site and make it safe. If it is not safe to continue work then stop. Once the hazard has

been removed or made safe then report it in.

Worksafe (Refusal to Work)

Every worker has the right to refuse to continue work if they feel that the safety of themselves, their co-workers or the

public has been put at risk. If you see something that you think may jeopardise the safety of you and/or others:

• Stop what you are doing and move to a position of safety.

• Contact the person in charge, explain why you have invoked Worksafe procedures.

• The person in charge will make an assessment of the situation and determine a course of action.

• An agreement should be reached that there has been a suitable and sufficient assessment of the task, the

system of work is safe and that the work can be restarted.

Workers who invoke Worksafe procedures will not face disciplinary action, unless it has been deemed that it was

invoked incorrectly. If a contractor feels that they cannot escalate matters through their management heirarchy, they

may call our 24 hour duty manager or CIRAS (Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis Systems for the UK Rail

Industry) with strict confidence.

Business Hours Emergency Number

01483 361 061Out of Hours Emergency Number

07930 384 505CIRAS

0800 4 101 101


Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

All persons on or near the line and on the lineside shall wear at least the following PPE:

• High visibility upper body clothing with reflective tape which complies with BS EN ISO 20471: 2013 and

Railway Group Standard GO/RT3279.

• High visibility lower body clothing to BS EN ISO 20471:2013 and Railway Group Standard GO/RT3279.

• A safety helmet which complies with BS EN 397: 2012.

• Safety footwear which complies with BS EN ISO 20345: 2011, provides support to the ankle, includes

mid-sole protection and has a protective toe cap. Where used, steel or other conductive toe caps shall be

covered.

All contractors must:

• Wear appropriate PPE as defined by the client.

• Inform advance Training & Recruitment Services of any damage, deteriation or lack of PPE.

• Report any and all PPE that is ill-fitting.

• Ensure that all PPE is used, cleaned and stored in accordance with all health and safety guidelines.

• Invoke Worksafe procedures for any ill fitting, inadequate or lack of PPE.

Our Lifesaving Rules

For more information about our Lifesaving Rules go to safety.networkrail.co.uk/LSR

July 2014

We will always comply with our Lifesaving Rules

Never undertake any job unless you have been trained and assessed as competent.

Never work or drive while under the infl uence of drugs or alcohol.

Never use a hand-held or hands-free phone, or programme any other mobile device, while driving.

Always test before applying earths or straps.

Always be sure the required plans and permits are in place, before you start a job or go on or near the line.

Always use equipment that is fi t for its intended purpose.

Never assume equipment is isolated – always test before touch.

Always obey the speed limit and wear a seat belt.

Always use a safety harness when working at height, unless other protection is in place.

Never enter the agreed exclusion zone, unless directed to by the person in charge.

Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail.

These Rules are in place to keep us safe and must never be broken.

We will all personally intervene if we feel a situation or behaviour might be unsafe.

NR_LSR_DRoyal_Poster_02.indd 1 01/08/2014 14:51


Network Rail Safety Bulletin

NRS: 340 - Deployment of Lookout Operated Warning Systems (LOWS)For the attention of all Network Rail Staff and Contractors

Immediate Action Required

While we are investigating the causes of the incidents, please take the time to consider the following and discuss in your

teams:

• Is every effort made during planning to undertake work in available possessions, line blockages, behind fences / barriers or separated by distance?

• How can you be certain there is no train between the lookout and worksite when work (re)starts?

• Have you encountered potential distractions when on site from the environment such as from members of the public, station operations or a noisy environment such as a level crossing? What would you do to make the arrangements safe in these circumstances?

• Are LOWS lookout duties planned to facilitate breaks at least every two hours as recommended in the lookout e-learning?

• When acting as lookout, if you feel your concentration has reduced do you send a “train on” warning and agree a suitable break with the LOWS Controller?

For further information contact your local ‘LOWS Champion/Advisor’ who will be able to clarify information in more

detail.

Background

There have been recent incidents at Market Harborough, Hest Bank

and Thatcham where Network Rail staff and contractors have not been

adequately protected by the safe system of work involving Lookout Operated

Warning System (LOWS). No one has been injured in any of the reported

incidents, but workers had to move out of the path of trains with insufficient

warning time. In each case, subsequent analysis of the LOWS data-logger

has confirmed the equipment to be operating as designed. between the

machine’s dipper arm and a stack of sheet piles, sustained serious crush

injuries.

7


NRS: 341 - Watford Tunnel – Train Collision with location case door

For the attention of: all railway staff working trackside

Background

On 26 October 2014, a London Midland train travelling south through Watford Tunnel came into contact with the door of a

signalling location case. The impact of the location case door on the train caused damage to the carriage including smashing the

train door window.

The location case had recently been installed on the tunnel wall.

Investigations have commenced and involve: RAIB, ORR, Network Rail, the Principal Contractor and London Midland.

While we are investigating the causes of the accident, please take the time to consider the following and discuss in your

teams:

• When working on location cases how do you positively confirm that the doors are closed and secured on every occasion before leaving the worksite?

• Are there other pieces of equipment or materials that you work with that may pose a similar risk? How do you make sure these are only ever left in a safe condition?

Location case with door missing Location case with door missing



NRS: 342 - Access to signalling power supply systems operating between 175V ac and 650V ac

For the attention of: All staff working with signalling power supply systems

Work must always be carried out with the supply dead, unless it is unreasonable to work dead, and a suitable risk

assessment has been carried out to show that it is reasonable to work live.

The maximum safe working voltage is 60V ac & 120V dc

Any conductor energised at or below these voltages is considered to be safe.

Any conductor energised above these voltages must be considered live and wherever possible isolated prior to work.

If this is not possible then suitable precautions must be taken before any work is carried out on energised conductors.

For further information, please refer to Safety Bulletin 278 dated 26 April 2013.

If you have to work on or near a conductor (closer than 300 mm) between 175V ac and 650 V ac where isolation is not

possible, then you must use live working procedures. Between 60V ac and 175V ac, a local risk assessment must be

completed to determine if live working procedures are required.

External metalwork, for example the case of a Functional Supply Point (FSP) and metal covers of equipment within the

FSP, should not normally be live. The test before touch lifesaving rule still applies. If testing shows any voltage to be

above 60V ac you should first consider isolation. Live working must only be applied where isolation is not possible.

If you are required to work on equipment live above the maximum safe working voltage, then you must be competent

in live working.

Where live working is necessary, you must use insulated gloves and you can choose between the thinner Class 00, or

Class 0 gloves.

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NRS: 343 - Safe use of IronmenFor the attention of: All staff involved in the planning, operation and maintenance of Ironmen

Background

On 1 November 2014 a group of trackworkers were

moving 2 x 52ft pieces of rail for approximately a mile

and a quarter on the line between Paxntyffynnon Jcn and

Gwaun-cae-Gurwen in Wales using two pairs of Ironmen

The Ironmen were being operated down a gradient

which was up to 1 in 40, with the load for each pair being

just short of 1 tonne. The rail head was contaminated

with leaves and it was raining heavily at the time.

Both pairs of Ironmen experienced difficulties during braking; this resulted in them gaining speed to the point the

operators could no longer control them. One of the operators of the first pair received a graze injury and another

suffered from shock.

The first pair ran away for approximately 5 miles crossing 5 level crossings including narrowly avoiding a team working

on the first. The second pair was brought to a halt at the first level crossing. Subsequent inspection of the brakes has

shown them to be worn.

Immediate Action Required

• Before further use, all Ironmen shall have additional maintenance carried out by the maintainer. The mainte

nance shall follow the full maintenance requirements for brakes contained in the user guide or handbook.

• Ironmen shall not be used on gradients greater than 1 in 150 until further notice.

• Staff are reminded that a brake test is required at the start of every shift (rotational tests) and once mounted

on rail (prior to loading).

• The requirements for planning, operating and maintaining Ironmen including the number of staff required to

control the equipment based on the load are contained within NR/PLANT/0200/modules P501, P514 and P702

Infrastructure Plant Manual.



NRS: 344 - Failed Safety Equipment - Sumner Roust-A-Bout R-250For the attention of all Network Rail staff and suppliers

Background

During a recent lifting operation involving the use of a Sumner Roust-A-Bout R-250 lifting hoist, a cable failed without

warning which caused a section of steelwork to fall within a designated site area.

The initial cause is not known. As part of the investigation into how the failure occurred, it was discovered that internal

elements of the lift were not accessible for routine inspection.

Immediate action required by all persons affected:

• Until we are certain that this cannot happen again, the Sumner Roust-A-Bout R-250 lifting hoist is to be taken

out of service with immediate effect and alternative means of lifting to be used.

• Staff are reminded that all lifting equipment must be thoroughly examined and inspected before first use and

records held on site with the accompanying lift plan.

Sumner Roust-A-Bout R-250 lifting hoist

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NRS: 345 - Use of Sleeper Spacers (Grabs, Lifters)For the attention of: All staff involved in the planning, undertaking of lifting operations, site monitoring of works (POS) and maintenance of Sleeper Spacers (Grabs, Lifters)

Background

On Tuesday 25 November a team of track workers were using a 360 excavator to unload concrete sleepers from a

flatbed lorry in Galashiels, Scotland. The excavator was fitted with a ‘sleeper spacer’ attachment modified into a ‘sleeper

grab’.

Immediate action required:

• All sleeper spacers that have been modified for use as sleeper grabs must be withdrawn from use; • Only approved sleeper grabs and sleeper spacer attachments are to be used for handling multiple sleepers, and only within their design limits.• A thorough pre-use check of lifting plant and attachments must be undertaken before checking specifically for defects and any missing bolts or components;• The lifting attachment must have been thoroughly examined (and have LOLER certification) within last 6 months;• The ‘last maintained’ service tag must be within the manufacturers prescribed maintenance interval;• Machine Operators must be trained and deemed competent in the use of sleeper grab and sleeper spacer attachments;• Exclusion zones must be maintained during all lifting operations;• Duplex communications equipment is required between the Machine Operator and Crane Controller/ Banksman

Users are reminded that the requirements for planning, operating and maintaining attachments are contained within the Infrastructure Plant Manual NR/PLANT/0200.

Several groups of sleepers were successfully lifted from the

lorry to the adjacent track bed, but during a subsequent

lift one of the sleepers slipped from the grab resulting in a

serious crush injury to a member of staff. Initial investiga-

tions suggest that the IP had moved into the lifting zone to

remove the wooden dunnage from the lorry deck.

The injured person was admitted to hospital, and has

subsequently had his lower leg amputated as a result of

the crush injury.


COSS CRP LLT deadline extensionFor the attention of all Network Rail staff and suppliers

The deadline for recording a COSS Conductor Rail Permit using a Live Line Tester (COSS CRP LLT) endorsement has

now been extended to 6th January 2015. Briefings have recommenced.

This is due to ongoing issues with transitioning from the existing Conductor Rail Permit endorsement (COSS CRP) to the

new endorsement and the number of COSS’s who have not been able to be briefed.

Therefore we will not be taking down the old COSS CRP endorsement from those who have attended the correct

briefing or training event until 6th January 2015.

COSS CRP is still VALIDAll Site Access Controllers and Authorised

Card checkers are asked not to turn

away any card holder who is still showing

a valid endorsement for the COSS CRP

endorsement.

Business Hours Emergency Number 01483 361061Out of Hours Emergency Number 07930 384505Rail Industry Confidential Reporting 0800 4 101101

e-mail: [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0) 1483 361 061

Fax: +44 (0) 1483 431 958

Registered Address

Suite 3, Stamford House, 91 Woodbridge Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4QD

www.advance-TRS.com

december 2014 safety briefing

Documents

photographs of andy

andy plans

safety briefingdecember

safety bulletins

comandyridout2 safety

andy ridoutandy ridout

andy relay swimming

lives of children