1ISSUE 18

THE THAMESLINK PROGRAMME

Pictured: Some of the team who have worked very hard to ensure that the opening of the Southern concourse, platforms 7, 8 and 9 and extended terminus concourse is a success. The photograph above was taken in the Wedge Void just days before opening.

London Bridge Opens

ISSUE 18 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

EVERYONE GETS HOME SAFE EVERY DAY!

FREE!

The HL09 blockade is a truly monumental stage for the London Bridge Re-Development project, delivering the following:

• Opening two thirds of the new street level concourse

• St Thomas Street opened to pedestrians• The new ticket office was opened• Platforms 7, 8 and 9 opened for the Charing

cross stopping service• Terminus concourse extended to bring escalators,

stairs and lifts down to the street level concourse into operation

• Temporary pedestrian routes through the Western arcade and up Stainer Street opened

• Stage 3 worksite established• Joiner Street Bridge 54 waterproof

After circa 4 years of endeavour by the project team, the

public will be, for the first time, exposed to the colossal new street level concourse. Over the August bank holiday weekend two thirds of the Southern concourse has been entered into service and it looks fantastic. The concourse will be fully opened at Christmas 2017 and be larger than the pitch at Wembley Stadium.

Leading into HL09The weeks leading up the handover of the concourse have been very intensive for everyone involved. With the introduction of walking routes for the Network Rail and TOC staff and the transition from a construction site to a fully operational train station it has been a challenge to make sure that adequate segregation between the works and staff have been robust at all times. However with the use of the daily co-ordination meetings and excellent support from the station

interface and management team the project has navigated it’s way safely through this difficult period. In addition, the detailed planning and co-ordination of the works with Railway systems took place to ensure that we could establish our Stage 3 worksite following the recovery of the existing tracks 1, 2 and 3.

During HL09The opening over the August bank holiday weekend was phased to provide the station staff with an opportunity to become familiar with the station in a live environment before the arrival of large numbers of commuters at peak hours starting on the Tuesday.

• On the Sunday morning the concourse opened along with the stairs and escalators to the Terminus platforms Continued on page 6

Article byMark Howard, Project Director, Costain and David Higginson, Blockade Co-ordinator, Network Rail

2 3ISSUE 18SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

London Bridge Live Event

In advance of the new station concourse opening on 29th August the Project team set up a ‘live event’. This event gave an opportunity for over 500 friends and family members of the people working on the project to see where they work on a daily basis. It also helped the London Bridge team understand how customers would use the new platforms, lifts and escalators leading down to the new concourse, including wheelchair users and parents with pushchairs.

On the day there was a wide range of people in attendance and the feedback from them is being used to help improve the station.

Volunteers also carried out trials including using the new access and egress routes, which gave the station team an opportunity to see how people will navigate around the new concourse once the station is open to the general public post the bank holiday works.

As soon as the last train left to take volunteers back to Charing Cross, a sweep of the live event area was carried out by the station security team and normal construction activities resumed.

Prior to the ‘live event’ the Project team liaised with the London Bridge Station team and its Train Operator Interface Managers to produce a bespoke Work Package Plan and Risk Assessment Procedure. This was so controls could be implemented throughout the period that event participants would be using the new station environment. In advance of the 1st train arriving, a joint site health and safety inspection was carried out and an agreement was signed to hand the live test area over for a set period of time from a construction site to station operational area.

A big well done to all involved.

We’ve Come a Long Way Baby!The Story of the Bermondsey Dive Under 1. Mick Kelly’s Burn Injuries

November 2012

2. Installation of steel bridge over the East London Line April 2014

3. Installation of “Saddle Beams” tying new structure into existing viaduct January 2015

4. Demolition of the XTD Viaduct June 2015

5. Piling works September 2015

6. 40m bridge deck installation over Bolina Road May 2016

7. Main Box nears completion August 2016

Free Environment (IFE) safety culture programme and Network Rail’s Safety Vision working towards ensuring that everyone goes Home Safe Every Day.

With RRAP2 successfully built in time for Rail Systems to use in their first “Low Level Stage” in May 2013, BDU works moved to the east of the site, with demolition of the old Bricklayers Arms Viaduct and the installation of a 125 tonne steel bridge deck over the East London Line which was lifted in 3 sections using a 500 tonne crane during Easter 2014. This was followed by the construction of the eastern approach ramp which was completed just before Christmas 2014 and that will eventually carry the Southwark Reversible line.

After the Christmas break, the new year of 2015 heralded the next phase of construction that included the January and February blockade, in which the XTD lines 3 & 4 (now the Down & Up Charing Cross) were recovered by Rail Systems and the BDU Project installed “saddle beams” which straddled the existing viaduct and the new eastern approach ramp, tying the two together. Saddle beams were also installed on the western side in readiness for the new approach ramps to be built. It was in this location that the platform foundations of the old Southwark Park Station (closed in 1915) were uncovered.

Focus then switched to preparatory works for demolition, with the construction of “book-end” strengthening to the existing brick piers at the extremities of the existing brick arch viaducts to be demolished. These were necessary to provide sufficient lateral stability to ensure that the brick arches didn’t

progressively collapse progressively once demolition works commenced. With XTD lines 3 & 4 brought back into use, Rail Systems recovered track and signal cabling from XTD lines 5 & 6 and LBW lines 7 to 9, leaving football pitch sized areas of redundant railway viaduct. To those who visited site at the time, including local councillors, it was apparent why congestion was being experienced at London Bridge Station, with a full time-table running on slightly more than 50% of the infrastructure (since Easter 2015, 5 of 11 lines have been out of use).

The milestone date of 1st June 2015, in which Rail Systems handed the track level to the BDU Project was achieved and demolition sub-contractor, Armac, soon moved in with their specialist plant, including the 40 tonne excavators complete with “T-Rex” attachments. They made light work removing 4 steel bridge decks, 1 concrete bridge deck and 104 brick arches where the viaducts along Jarrow Road and XTD lines 5 & 6 used to be. All that remained were the brick pier stubs that would form the foundation of the new viaduct ramps. That and plenty of spoil!

Much of the 45,000 tonnes of spoil across the site was contaminated and had to be piled high, whilst it was tested, before being sent to specialist treatment plants to ensure it was diverted from landfill. These stockpiles, including one so large it was affectionately known on site as “Mt. Fuji”, provided a logistical challenge in terms of available space and were clearly visible from the operational railway, attracting a certain amount of public attention.

milestones was to construct a new Road Rail Access Point (RRAP) adjacent to Bolina Road (known as RRAP2, with the previous one constructed in Gemini Business Park known as RRAP1). Sadly the Project faced a difficult start, when on 21st November 2012, Mick Kelly, a long-time member of the Skanska workforce, suffered serious burns whilst using a petrol driven saw to cut the pile reinforcement at RRAP 2. The joint

Skanska and Network Rail investigation established that the primary cause of the accident was that the petrol cap on the saw was not fitted correctly. Petrol had leaked onto Mick’s hi-vi trousers, which were then ignited from a spark produced by cutting the steel. Despite the quick thinking of the on-site team in putting out the fire, Mick was seriously injured and required several skin grafts after being air-lifted to hospital. Several lessons were learnt from this unfortunate incident, with the trial of flame retardant clothing and a joint venture between Skanska and manufacturers, Stihl, to develop training for risks associated with the use and maintenance of cut off saws. This training was accredited by CSkills Awards (CITB’s awarding organisation) and rolled out across the construction industry.

Thankfully, in the time since this incident, the project has racked up over 750,000 major-injury-free contractor man hours. This demonstrates the Project’s continued commitment to safety, with Skanska’s Injury

Gary’s kids (Laurie & Francesca) on the day wearing his hard hat

Article by Gary Smith Station Projects Interface Specialist

London Bridge Station Redevelopment

The back end of 2015 saw sub-contractor Cementation on-site to drive 892 piles of up to 20m in length into the ground to form the foundations of the new structures. And so into 2016…

The stage was set for the new structures to rise from the ashes of the original viaducts. Skanska and their sub-contractor’s UK Reinforcement Ltd, worked tirelessly to construct the new eastern and western approach ramps with pre-cast capping beams on the existing brick piers, pre-cast arches with foam concrete backing, topped by pre-cast “L” shaped robust kerbs on either side of the new viaduct, which were stitched together with in-situ concrete slabs. In total 820 pre-cast units were used to construct the BDU.

The bridges over Bolina Road were constructed with in-situ concrete, with the exception of the southern-most bridge, which was a composite bridge deck requiring two 40m beam sections to be delivered by road under police escort in the early hours at the beginning of May.

The western fly-over that consists of an earth embankment on the eastern side of site, formed of compacted fill that will carry the Thameslink lines onto and over the main box where they join the existing viaduct on the western side of the site.

The main box was constructed with in-situ concrete walls, columns and deck slabs cast on top of scaffold false-work. This false-work was in addition to the scaffolding erected and struck across the project, by sub-contractor All-Task. All in all, 20,000m3 of concrete has been cast on-site, weighing 48,000 tonnes.

As the Bermondsey Dive Under structures near their completion, Project Manager Greg Thornett reflects on its construction…

The Bermondsey Dive Under (BDU) is a 120m concrete box structure with approach ramps allowing 4 lines (Southwark Reversible, Down & Up Kent Fast and the Down Sussex Slow) to dive into it and 2 Thameslink lines (Down & Up Sussex Fast) to fly over the top, providing the

“grade separation” for trains from the south to get to the north of the viaduct, through London Bridge Station and on to Blackfriars with fewer crossings. This structure is a key element in providing Thameslink’s goal of 24 train paths per hour (24 tph) in each direction through the “Central Core” (Blackfriars, Farringdon & St. Pancras).

The award of the Bermondsey Dive Under Contract to Skanska UK on 22nd May 2012 seems a long time ago. Manchester City had just won the top flight for the first time since 1968, there had never been a British winner of the Tour de France (between them, Sir Bradley Wiggins & Chris Froome have won 4 of the last 5 since then) and the London Olympics with Britain’s then record haul of medal 65, including 29 gold, hadn’t even started.

Since then, Network Rail tenants such as Welcock’s Skips, RTS Waste and Red Lion Scaffolding were relocated, with Bolina Road also being “stopped up” to the public to facilitate the site set-up in the heart of Bermondsey. It was a protracted process with the Project being left the legacy of substantial tenant’s waste which has had to be removed and disposed of as the works have progressed.

Whilst designers, Ramboll, worked on the GRIP 5 detailed design of the BDU, one of the first project

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Sub-contractors Geoforte were brought in to construct the reinforced earth embankments at the interfaces between the approach ramps and the main box and Waterseal installed the spray-applied waterproofing on all structures.

At the time of writing, the final touches were being made to all structural elements carrying the Down Sussex Slow and the Up Kent Fast lines, ready for hand-over to Rail Systems on the milestone date of 31st August 2016. After hand-over, Rail Systems will install ballast, track panels, signalling equipment and test and commission ready for the Down Sussex Slow to be opened to operational traffic in January 2017. Structures carrying the other lines will be handed over to Rail Systems on 15th November 2016 and will be opened to operational traffic in 2018.

The BDU Project will continue with the drainage systems and attenuation tanks at road level being constructed in parallel with the new public footway and cycleway on Bolina Road, which will be handed over to Lewisham Council. Construction works should complete by the end of this year and the BDU Project will then draw to a close.

It’s been a long time in the making, with over 800,000 total contractor hours being accumulated, but the Bermondsey Dive Under is nearly complete. Each and every person who has been involved in its construction can be proud of their achievement, and of being part of a key element of the Thameslink Programme which has been safely and successfully delivered.

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A Western Approach Ramp

B Western Fly-over (carrying Thameslink trains on the Down & Up Sussex Fast Lines)

C Main Box

D Re-profiled Earth Embankment

E Eastern Approach Ramps

“ On the day there was a wide range of people in attendance and the feedback from them is being used to help improve the station”

Article by Greg ThornettProject ManagerBermondsey Dive Under & Structure Strengthening Programme

4 5ISSUE 18SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

Doing this will help make driving safer for all

Driving is the highest safety risk in the industry. Whenever we use a vehicle we have a responsibility to ourselves, any passengers and to other road users to drive safely. This means that as well as obeying all the rules of the Highway Code, we have to make sure we’re in a fit state to drive.

Driving when unfit can mean people lose their lives and you could lose your liberty. Not long ago, after finishing a night shift, someone decided not to use the hotel accommodation arranged for them and drove home instead. They were involved in a fatal traffic collision which resulted in four colleagues dying and the driver receiving a prison sentence of 4.5 years for causing death by dangerous driving.

Costain’s London Bridge Station Redevelopment (LBSR) worked with the nation’s leading men’s health organisation Prostate Cancer UK to raise awareness among its workforce of a cancer that affects one in eight men in the UK.

Led by Graham Dean - Community and Security Manager, Amy Nott - Project Skills Co-ordinator and the site’s two occupational nurses; the campaign included the distribution of over 1,000 life-saving “Know your Prostate” leaflets (plus literature in other languages), screenings of the excellent film ‘Two minutes to save a man’s life’ at the start of each shift and a pop-up shop on pay-day to buy merchandise and the much sought after ‘Man of Men’ pin badge.

Two highlights of the month long campaign were the personally delivered

awareness talks from prostate cancer survivor Bill Petch to more than 900 of the workforce. Bill covered who was at a higher risk (men aged 50+ years, Black men and men whose father or brother had prostate cancer), what signs and symptoms to look out for and if anyone had any concerns to seek help from Prostate Cancer UK’s Specialist Nurses (0800 074 8383).

“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men,” said Amy. “And we were shocked to find out that 83% of men at risk don’t even know they’re in danger. Working with the team at Prostate Cancer UK was fantastic. It’s been one of our most engaging health campaigns with many men on site now asking the question ‘what is prostate cancer and how does it affect me?’. Our nurses have had several requests for more information and lots more men have taken the information booklets

available. Following the campaign some operatives have been identified with potential symptoms and recommended to see their doctor.”

Sukhi Dale, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Prostate Cancer UK said: “With one man dying of prostate cancer every hour, and 1 in 8 men at risk, awareness is key to saving men’s lives. Thanks to the fantastic Costain team at London Bridge, hundreds of men on site now know their risk and are taking action before it’s too late. We’re very grateful to everyone for voting for us and raising over £6,800 through the close call scheme to help us revolutionise diagnosis, provide specialist support and tame prostate cancer within the next ten years. Not only are Costain transforming London Bridge Station they are building a better future for their workforce and men everywhere.”

Costain recently organised a ‘Temporary Works Impact Day’ at the London Bridge Redevelopment Project with the aim of improving operatives’ health, safety and wellbeing and reducing risks by increasing temporary works understanding and compliance during all stages of construction, loading and removal.

London Bridge Station Redevelopment is part of the of £6.5bn Network Rail programme to upgrade the north-south Thameslink route through central London. The redevelopment of the 180-year old station is being completed over nine phases and the project is therefore heavily reliant on temporary and staged works to complete the £1billion project.

Costain regularly holds safety impact days for members of staff and its supply chain to raise awareness and to improve standards of health and safety on its projects.

Data from Network Rail showed that, across the whole Network Rail Thameslink Programme since 2012, around 13% of all accidents were attributed to temporary work installation or design. Of the 303 incidents reported that on the London Bridge Station Redevelopment project, this figure increases to 25%, with over half of these incidents related to scaffolding

‘Everyone home safe every day’ is the Network Rail safety goal. This means that from the moment you leave the front door to go to work until the moment you return, safety should be at the forefront of everything you do. This includes your journey to and from work.

In the past few years we’ve lost 12 colleagues in road traffic accidents. That’s 12 people who will never see their families again, 12 people who will not fulfil their life’s ambitions and dreams, 12 people who did not make it home safe from work, 12 people who will be sadly missed by their loved ones.

Drivers make more than twice as many mistakes when they are just mildly dehydrated, according to new research (led by Professor Ron Maughan, Emeritus Professor of Sport and Exercise Nutrition, who led the study at Loughborough University).

The study revealed that drivers who had only had 25ml of water an hour made more than double the number of mistakes on the road than those who were hydrated – the same amount as those who have been drink driving.

Dehydration can also result in impaired mental functioning, changes in mood, and reductions in concentration, alertness and short-term memory, say the researchers who carried out the study into dehydration, driving errors and accident risk.

The researchers also warned that driving in a hot car may lead to significant losses of water over the course of a long journey, and that the effects may be made worse by drivers who deliberately restrict drinking to avoid toilet stops on long journeys.

Make sure YOU are properly hydrated before you drive and during your journeys to and from home

Temporary Works Impact Day at London Bridge

or working at height.“Some of the finding highlighted the need for

greater communication between the designers, delivery engineers and supervisors, including getting supervisors involved at an earlier stage in the process to draw on their experience, ensuring that designs meet the requirements of site team and are not changed/modified without due process being followed,” said Martyn Back, Chief Engineer on the project.

Martyn followed by saying the team will also look at ways to ensure a more accurate brief is provided to the designer, which should ensure that the temporary works design solution meets the actual permanent works requirement, which should mean fewer changes to the design once it is implemented on site. This will give the designers more opportunities to visit the site.

It will also ensure temporary works are given more attention during the Works Package Planning (WPP) methodology stage, which should improve accuracy and specificity of WPP when evaluating and planning the need for temporary works.

“The input we received from everyone was really refreshing and we have some excellent findings to follow up on,” said Martyn.

The ‘Temporary Works Impact Day’ was organised by Martyn Back and Mark Howard, Costain’s Project Director, together with Network Rail’s Engineering Manager Boris Lucic, and Costain’s Group Temporary Works Director, David Woodhouse.

Raising Awareness of Prostate Cancer at London Bridge

If you would like an awareness talk at your site or more information from Prostate Cancer UK, please visit prostatecanceruk.org/talks

The next Temporary Works Impact Day at London Bridge is scheduled to take place in November 2016.

1. The M4 fatality which claimed 3 lives June 2014 2. Fatal accident travelling home on the A267 after a nightshift in London

Did you Know….Not drinking enough water has same effect as drink driving

Article byLondon Bridge Redevelopment Team

Motorists who are dehydrated make twice as many mistakes, a study revealsHaving as few as five sips of water an hour while driving is equivalent to being over the drink drive limit.

Remember Our Life Saving Rules

Always obey the speed limit and wear a seat belt.

Never work or drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

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

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Safety at the Wheel

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Did you know?• Wearing a seat belt will

reduce your risk of death in a road accident by 61%

• At 70 miles an hour, it will take you on average 24 car lengths to stop.

Safer driving tips:

Only drive when you are fully rested and alert

Challenge your speed

Plan your journey in advanceWear your seatbelt

Article by Amy Nott, Project Skills Co-ordinator, Costain

Article by Ian BradlerHead of Health & Safety, Thameslink Programme

6 7ISSUE 18SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

Why do we do Point of Work Risk Assessments?The purpose for the PoWRA is for the lead supervisor to engage in discussion with the operatives involved before they start work, identifying changes that affect their work they are carrying out, identifying any new hazards and risks that require assessing and highlighting controls that can be implemented before starting the task.

What are the benefits of Point of Work Risk Assessments?

• They reduce the chance of accident or incident.

• Works can continue as the risks and controls.• A PoWRA helps improve communication

between the operatives working together.

• Helps communication across the different work groups working in the same area.

Findings from accident and incident investigations, across all of Costain’s business areas, highlight all or some that could have been prevented if a PoWRA had been conducted following changes in the work environment.

How the assessments are distributed round site?

• Promoted through the supply chain• Supervisor induction where they have

been introduced to the PoWRA and briefed when they are expected to complete them

• All operatives within the site induction

How are the Point of work risk assessments reviewed on site?PoWRA are reviewed during site inspections, where the SHE and delivery team will talk to supervisors about the assessments and the circumstances that occurred which created the need for an assessment.

Once PoWRA books are completed they are submitted to the SHE team for review and collation, so any lessons learned can be highlighted and briefed to all site operatives.

Work is now being undertaken to enable the content of PoWRAs to be analysed so that commonly occurring issues requiring PoWRA use can be identified. This will allow for better planning of tasks through risk identification and control measures.

The concourse just before opening

The North side of the hoarding separating the new concourse and the Stage 3

worksite. The hoarding has been fully designed and will ensure that noise and

dust to not affect the new concourse

The concourse during the first morning peak. The blue hoarding

separates the operational concourse from the Stage 3 worksite

The waterproofing of JSB 54

Layout showing blue topper areas

The first Charing Cross service to stop at the new through platforms at London Bridge station

Continued from page 1

• On Monday the full concourse opened along with platforms 7,8 and 9 and all the associated stairs, lifts and escalators

• On Tuesday morning the temporary pedestrian routes through the Western arcade and along Stainer Street opened

During this time the level of activity continued to be very intense with large numbers of interfacing trades working in an ever decreasing area. The workforce were excellent and remembered their discipline with exclusion zones for working at height, banking MEWPs and PPE. The use of POWRA (Point of work Risk Assessment) was encouraged for our supervisors to manage these interfaces and the minor unplanned activities that inevitably arise during a major possession.

After the opening of the concourse, while HL09 rumbled on upstairs in the track environment, everyone watched and hoped that the first morning peak using the new station layout would be a success. One of the challenges was controlling the pedestrian exit route out to Tooley Street. With lots of commuters crossing the busy road, our traffic marshals had to have their wits about them but they managed the situation admirably. Overall the station and its team held up well to the first morning peak Stage 3On the other side of the hoarding the Stage 3 worksite is ready to progress the final third of the concourse. Once Railway systems have recovered the track layout as part of HL09 and the stage 3 hoarding is established at track level, demolition can commence in earnest.

Following the opening of the concourse and the temporary routes our site is a very different place with a reduced floor plan of 75%. This means more of our worksites can only be accessed during non-peak station hours and have live systems such as fire alarms, PAVA (Public Address, Voice Alarm) and CCTV which must be maintained at all times during station hours. Therefore, far more control is now required to ensured that the works are carried our safely and we don’t unwittingly set off a fire alarm by dust generation for example.

The plan shows the blue topper areas. These are operational areas that now require a permit to work to ensure that the appropriate control measures are in place for works to be carried safely without operational impact.

For a lot of the team, it’s going to take a little getting used to as the areas that are now part of the station have been construction sites for a number of years. It is essential that we understand quickly that these areas no longer belong to us and we are only guests.

Railway Systems Support.The N421, Railway Systems team supported the Station Opening by ensuring that the track and signalling systems delivered earlier in the year were operating correctly. The platform signals were brought into operation use which means that stopping trains could be efficiently despatched. Test trains were successfully run in July and at the rehearsal event on 20th August.

Because of changes to the traction supply system, ‘system proving’ to live test the new configuration was carried out on Sunday 28th, before the hand back of the possession at 0400 on Bank Holiday Monday.

14 trains, 17 RRV’s 1 tamper, 600 people – 40 sites of work! - not including the stationSafety – Front and CentreAll plant had to be safely on – tracked during the possession. With the Charing Cross lines being handed back 4 days before the Cannon Street lines, the train and plant movements were heavily restricted. ‘Any Line Open’ constraints had to be considered, and the requirements of a long ‘wheels free’ period whilst Siemens tested the new signalling installations and

transferred signal control to Three Bridges. This resulted in complex train plans being developed which if not followed would lock up the access to and from the sites of work.

40 Sites of WorkThe integration of the 40 sites of work needed to include tasks to be carried out by the Maintainer, Works Delivery Unit, Keltbray, Stobart Rail, Amey, Mc’Nicholas, Dyer and Butler, SRS and track patrolling.

Working all these stakeholders into the plan, so that the works could be carried out safely, economically and efficiently, took considerable time and effort. This process started last August, a year before the blockade to ensure that the Thameslink works could be successfully delivered along with the other tasks. 8 formal workshops and dozens of informal fringe sessions brought the programme together into a final deliverable format.

SignallingOne of the key deliverables during the blockade was the recontrol of the Cannon Street area to Three Bridges Route Operating Centre (TBROC). The signalling at Cannon Street stopped being controlled from London Bridge at 0900 on Saturday Morning, and the migration was completed and tested by 2000 on Thursday 1st September. During this time, Siemens had testing and commissioning staff both on site and at the ‘ROC’ throughout this period to both commission the recontrolled area and the modified track layout of the Up and Down Cannon Street lines.

Personal Commitment to SafetySafe delivery is an integral part of our discussions at the T minus workshops, and at one of the reviews, each of the delegates provided a personal commitment to safety.Some examples:Brian Duffy – Balfour Beatty – ‘ Ensuring that all staff have been briefed fully on all aspects of the works’Steve Freeman Senior PM NR – ‘Pay particular attention to the use of the right tool for the job…’John Abbott – WDU – ‘I will ensure that all the workforce will be fully briefed of all hazards’Rob Watson – SRA- ‘Ensuring that all resource planning takes fatigue management into account’

Zero ToleranceDuring the blockade, the Railway Systems team adopted a zero tolerance approach to safety breaches. This was briefed out in the run up to the bank holiday works and has paid dividends. Whilst still following a ‘fair culture’, the incidence of safety violations has reduced significantly. The message is getting through!!

Point of Work Risk Assessments (PoWRA)

8 9ISSUE 18SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

Safe Driving ModuleBetween 2011 and 2016, there have been 12 rail worker fatalities in the UK rail industry as a result of work related road driving. Bridgeway takes driving very seriously, and has identified it is an area of high risk to our staff and it’s acknowledged as one of the riskiest activities we undertake every day. Bridgeway currently use in excess of 250 company vehicles of which 51 are used on the Thameslink Programme – what are we doing to help keep Bridgeway staff safe? Well, we have developed a safe driving module for all new staff that is completed before they drive a company vehicle. The driving module contains information regarding Bridgeway’s company procedures, what’s expect of them representing the company and guidance on driving safely in all weathers, at all times of the day.

Bridgeway – Driving for Improvements!

All Bridgeway staff have also received the following booklets:

Article by Lee Gambrill, HSQE & Compliance Specialist, Bridgeway

DrivingCommunications

TelematicsUsing Trackers Bridgeway also monitor the following: speeding, harsh braking, harsh acceleration idling, with a review of all statistics at our monthly Safety Meetings. This highlights the Safest Bridgeway Drivers and highlights other Drivers that may be require additional training or assessmentBridgeway Fleet and Training Teams

delivering the safe driving moduleOn Line Risk AssessmentAn online driving risk assessment is completed as part of their company induction which provides a measurement of the drivers risk awareness. Following the on-line assessment, training is provided to staff that have been graded as ‘High Risk’.

The additional driver training is delivered by the Bridgeway Fleet and Training teams following their recent attendance on an intensive ROSPA Driver Training Course, which will allow them to assess other Bridgeway drivers. They are trained on the principles of defensive driving and how human elements, such as attitude, stress and fatigue can affect driver behaviour.

Keys areas for the additional training also includes:

• Human Factors• Use of Controls• Observation and Anticipation• Communication• Fuel Efficiency

• Management of Space• Junctions and other Hazards• System Driving• Positioning• Parking and Manoeuvring

Operating a mobile device Driver using an eBay mobile app while doing 55 mph on a dual carriageway

Anthony Tompkins was on a delivery trip when his white van veered into a party of highways workers who were mending pot holes on the North Devon link road.

Road worker Steven Tolley, aged 48, suffered fatal head injuries when he was hit by the wing mirror of the lveco van as he wheeled a barrow load of tar inside a protective lane of cones.

Tompkins had been seen driving erratically in the minutes before the accident at Gornhay Cross, Tiverton, in January 2013, and checks on his phone showed he may have been using the internet at the time.

CASE STUDY

In the early hours of 30th July 2016, the Thameslink Programme achieved another milestone, running the new Siemens Class 700 train through central London using European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 in-cab signalling.

The train ran from Blackfriars to Elephant & Castle under in-cab signalling, switching over to conventional signalling and back again at line speed, before running north to St Pancras in ETCS. This marked the start of a comprehensive sixteen month testing campaign, progressively proving the interaction between the trackside and trainborne components of the ETCS and Automatic Train Operation (ATO) systems.

From 2018 the facility to operate 24 tph will operate between St Pancras and Blackfriars stations. In-cab signalling is required to allow trains to be driven automatically between these stations, under driver supervision, in order to deliver the required train throughput.

Over the last year Network Rail has tested its in-cab signalling infrastructure through central London using our Class 313 test train and has been undertaking tests with GTR and Siemens using the Class 700 train at the ETCS National Integration Facility, and has used the Class 700 to test the OLE through Canal Tunnels. This weekend was however the first time that Level 2 ETCS operation was undertaken with the ‘real train on real track’.

Paul Bates, Project Director for Network Rail said: “The fact that the testing was successful at the first attempt is a testament to the commitment we made as an industry to an incremental testing approach by making full use of the great facilities at Siemens’ test facility in Wildenrath, the ETCS National Integration Facility and the Systems Integration Lab at Network Rail’s London office, as well as the hard work put in by the design and test teams over the duration of the project. The success is also due in no small part to the integrated and collaborative approach taken by GTR, Siemens Rail Automation, Siemens Trains and Network Rail to work together to achieve collective success.”

Overnight testing will continue in September, with the first trials of the Automatic Train Operation system between St Pancras and Blackfriars.

Slips, trips and falls are one of the most common incidents occurring on our sites. Unfortunately our worksites can very easily become riddled with slip and trip hazards such as scrap rail and equipment, protruding cables, studs, new and uneven ballast and generally poor underfoot conditions. The photos to the right should remind you that ‘you cannot take your eyes of the ball’ whilst in the track environment:

However if the risks of falls are predictable then they are equally preventable! It begins with the simple idea, that by doing the little things correctly to remove or control the risk, it can prevent injury to YOU and YOUR colleagues. BBR and its partners recognise that it must prevent slips, trips and falls in order to achieve its goal of Zero Harm. We believe this is not difficult and can be achieved if everybody makes a personal decision to make a difference. Preventing slip, trips and falls starts with ‘eliminating what can hurt you’ and also ‘minding your step’.

Eliminating the risk of fall involves ‘Sorting out your walkways to eliminate anything that you could slip or trip over, Setting up or Design your worksite layout to remove slip/trip obstructions, and finally Maintaining good Housekeeping’.

At BBR, these three factors are referred to as the ‘Trip Potential Triangle’.

Class 700

1. 700110 – Testing at London Blackfriars Station, Platform 2

2. Level 2 in cab signalling speed profile and movement authority shown on the Driver’s Machine Interface

3. Unit 700003 – Under test in Canal Tunnels

4. Unit 700003 – Emerging from Canal Tunnels

1 3

42Slips, Trips & Falls

Together, let us banish slips, trips and falls from our worksite.

Finally, if you observe any potential slip and trip hazard, please ‘don’t ignore it, instead try to ‘sort it out’ the best you can and inform your supervisor or manager.

Don’t walk by – take positive action to improve things and reduce risks, but more importantly Make Safety Personal and simply ‘mind your step, every single step!’

‘Minding your step’ involves adopting the BBR the 7 Steps to prevent slips, trips and falls as outlined below:

7 SIMPLE STEPS TO PREVENT SLIPS, TRIPS & FALLS

10 11ISSUE 18SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

Volunteers from across the Thameslink Programme rolled up their sleeves from the 25th to 29th July 2016 to assist in the creation of a youth club and community garden at St Katharine’s Church, Bermondsey. This project was overseen by the Bermondsey Dive Under team, as part of commitments under our Sustainability Strategy to engage with the community and to leave a positive legacy to the area we’ve work in.

In total, 40 Network Rail volunteers from across the Thameslink Programme took part in the project. The Network Rail team worked alongside fellow volunteers from Skanska, Mace, Kairos Community Trust, local community members, and the church reverend Father Egerton Gbonda.

Careful consideration of the safety of all volunteers was required. Numerous site visits and meetings with church leaders were held in the months leading up to the works, and a work package plan and three task briefings were developed. The youth club area was full of old equipment, and this had to be removed prior to the volunteer week. Skanska installed scaffolding to enable safe access to a high wall above basement stairs; disconnected and removed old heaters from the basement, and completed a CAT scan of the garden area for any buried services before volunteer works started, and helped provide PPE and equipment.

All volunteers received a detailed safety briefing from the event coordinators Greg

Thornett and Kirsten Velthuis before they started with sanding, washing down and painting the youth club space, or weeding and tidying up the outdoor areas.

The volunteer week organised by the Bermondsey Dive Under was just the first stage of the work. The baton has now been handed to the London Bridge team who will continue with the second stage of the works to help achieve our goal of creating a space for the local youth, and a garden which the whole community can use.

The volunteers received praise from Father Gbonda and church members, as the church newsletter published after the volunteer week noted the high health and safety standards employed:

“They showed concern for everyone.”

“ They observe health and safety issues at the time. Whether you are a Network Rail staff or a church member or just a member in the community; they are willing to teach you how you can avoid accidents.”

Feedback from the volunteers themselves identified that although there are several opportunities to improve the efficiency of a project like this, overall everyone enjoyed working as a team to support this community project. The BDU team will review lessons learnt from the project, to be passed onto the team from London Bridge before they start on the second, and final, stage of the project.

Article by Kirsten Velthuis

NR Environment Specialist Looking After Our Volunteers: The St Katharine’s Refurbishment Project

1. Greg Thornett painting from the scaffold

2. Masks are on for Tom Hanifin and Kate Spires

3. Shaan Sahonta ready to roll

4. Father Egerton Gbonda (seated third from left) with NR volunteers and church members at morning tea

Stay safe when the nights start to draw in when the clocks go back…

British summer time officially ends as the clocks will go back one hour on Sunday 30th October at 2 am

As the evenings get darker early and there are shorter periods of daylight, there is more potential for accidents to happen. With a little planning, and common sense, these accidents can be avoided.

Areas of potential change for the workforce and staff to consider:

• Access points & walking routes• Positions of safety• Positions of lights (potential to overheat

and cause fire)• The work area (should be well lit to avoid

slip, trip and falls hazards)• Task lighting (avoid causing shadows) • Lower angle of the sun (will cause problems

to machine/plant operators)• Lights on all vehicles (cleaned regularly to

ensure vehicles are visible at all times)• Impact/disturbance to local residents• Reflection of light on train signals

or positioning of lighting columns (no obstruction of signals)

• Additional reflective PPE

It is vital that we all take personal responsibility for reporting any close calls on hazards related to site or office lighting. See it…Fix it…Report it. Be vigilant and stay safe!

Article by Michelle Gander Health & Safety Specialist

Don’t Be Left In The Dark

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30TH OCTOBERBACK 1 HOUR

Wisdom comes with age, I’m sure many of us felt invincible when we were teenagers and can recount many a story where we had a lucky near miss.

My friends son Jack was just the same, but last year on July 13 he was fatally injured and died aged just 19, when he was crushed by a piece of farm machinery in Australia.

Jack had just left college and started his first job, he was using a rock picker out on a farm when it broke down. He had sent out for a new part but in the meantime attempted to fix the machine himself. He just didn’t want to lose time and get the job done.

Jack’s mother Sarah said she had never envisaged anything like her son’s death would happen, ‘I thought he’d learnt everything from the Agricultural School, but Jack being Jack, he wanted to fix what was broken, only on this occasion a part fell and crushed him’.

‘Jack’s death has had a huge impact on his family and friends; it’s touched everyone big time’.

Jack’s girlfriend Hannah, commented ‘before the accident me and Jack had our own house, both living there, both working,

splitting bills and living a normal teenage life, after the accident it all went downhill. ‘I’d seen other friends losing their partners, but never thought it would happen to me’.

Hannah said ‘if there was one message to come out of the accident, it would be for everyone to be mindful of safety. If someone doesn’t know how to do something, and they’re not 100% on the job, always ask, don’t just assume that you know how to do it’.

Wise words for us all.It hit her family and friends back in England

hard as well, many of us have got teenage kids and it hurts, really hurts, to imagine what Sarah her husband Steve and Jack’s two brothers Christopher and Mathew have gone through.

We wanted to do something in his memory, so his uncle wrote a song which I played on, called ‘Until We Meet Again’ with all proceeds at Sarah’s request going to Prostate Cancer Research.

Justgiving.com/Dave-Williams-MLCRock

A Close Call was raised relating to the health and wellbeing of a team working on the EA08 Site on the hottest day of the year recorded so far. As the temperatures reached 34 degrees the Supervisor assessed the situation and, although water was available, decided that due to the heat, no shade and condition of the team he stood his team down.This shows good leadership skills and a duty of care for staff working on our sites. Our thanks go to Sean Doherty of Balfour Beatty, you have taken our number one Close Call spot this month.

When working on the Country End of London Bridge platforms 10 & 11 a signal post was seen to have been dropped by an RRV, this could have led to staff being injured or damage to the infrastructure.Mr Sukhijinder Singh of Pod-trak reported the issue to the safety team so lessons could be learned to ensure this type of incident did not happen again.

Whilst performing checks on site one of the Safety Champions noticed that a Machine Controller was not watching the machine he had been assigned for the shift. No communications were in place either so there was no chance of a quick stand down in an emergency situation.

On approach the Safety Champion got the attention of the Operator and stood the works down. A conversation was had regarding the need for a well controlled exclusion zone and a reminder of the unfortunate accident at Whitechapel was given. The M/C was re-positioned and communications set up prior to the works recommencing and a yellow warning given. Thanks go to the Safety Champion who stopped the works and challenged unsafe practice.

Whilst accessing at O’Meara Street to start working with the Crane it was noticed that the lighting for the works was not sufficient. The works were suspended until more lighting was set up so that the lifts could be carried out safely.Well done to Dave Scally of Balfour Beatty for not only raising this issue but also for showing leadership skills in taking the correct actions to right the situation.

Young and Eager

Article byMike Netherton Safety

Manager Signalling & Track

Article by Balfour Beatty

The song ‘Until We Meet Again’ is available on:soundcloud.com/dave-williams-644990805/until-we-meet-again

Jack Bondini Jack & his girlfriend Hannah

Stars in our eyes: ‘Making Safety Personal’ at BBR

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 201612

So in the last issue of Hi-Viz I highlighted the importance of keeping hydrated. However, many people don’t like the taste of water, and so juicing fruits and vegetable seems like a good alternative.

JuicingIt seems that every other person has invested in a Nutri-bullet blender or similar. Machines like this keep the pulp of the fruit and veg as opposed to a juicer which extracts the juice but leaves the pulp to be thrown away.

Whilst the juice will give you nutrients, it is more useful to have the pulp left in the juice too as the fibre plays a part in how you control your blood sugar. Of course, if you blend any fruit or veg you are able to consume a lot more of it and faster which again will influence how you control your energy.

So What’s the Best ApproachBest is to chunk up a blended drink with flax seed, or protein powders (check they aren’t just full of sugars – I like Puriton).

Although a pain to do, juicing and blending has its fans, and it can be a refreshing change to water at the weekends (when it’s more practical). Juicing is said to have real health benefits too:

• Maximises nutrients by breaking down cell walls and releasing them to the digestive system. This is especially helpful to those with compromised digestion.

• Preserves nutrients levels which are sensitive to processing and are dramatically reduced by other methods of preparation such as cooking.

• Makes meeting your daily requirements of 6 - 8 portions of fruit and vegetables easy

Juicing also helps you to get a wider variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet. It’s good way playfully concocting your own healing recipes. Apple for example, is believed to support liver and intestinal health. Lemon performs a similar function while also assisting with allergies and colds and greens are supposed to be great for skin and digestive issues.

Juicing can also be a useful way to get the most out of your grocery budget, providing you with the opportunity to throw in any fruit and vegetables you fancy before they go to waste.

How To Prepare Always try to select good quality fruits and vegetables wherever possible to avoid exposure to herbicides and pesticides. I like to wash my produce in a water and apple cider vinegar solution to help to strip off any unwanted bacteria and chemicals before juicing. You can also peel vegetables. This is particularly important if they are covered in wax. Root vegetables such as carrots or beetroots should have the above-ground ends removed.

What Type Of Juicer Should I Buy?There are many different types of juicers on the market and investing in one can be expensive. What I usually recommend is to start whizzing up juices in your kitchen blender and see if you enjoy it then you can explore options on which juicer to invest in. I am a firm Ninja Blender advocate. The Ninja is not strictly a juicer as it doesn’t strip out all the fibre from the fruit and vegetables, blending it instead into the drink.

Kate Cook is a nutritionist who has worked with leading companies for 16 years to improve health through inspiring change in nutrition. Eating better, she believes, is not only better for individuals but for companies too. She has written 5 books including “The Corporate Wellness Bible” and has a clinic in Harley Street, London.

Kate will be giving us some advice on health and wellbeing. If you have any specific requests for articles that you’d like to see Kate cover contact sharon.fink@networkrail.co.uk.

Any ideas or suggestions email sharon.fink@networkrail.co.uk | Editor: Sharon Fink, Health & Safety Manager, Network Rail

A wordsearch puzzle: The following 33 words are hidden in the grid below. Words can appear forwards or backwards. Can you find them all?

CONCOURSE OPENEDCROSSRAILMOUNTAINTEACHERSESCALATORSAPPLAUSEBALLGOWN

BEMUSEDEARNESTSTRIKERMATTERRAIL SYSTEMSMANIACCEMENT

ALPHABETICALPASSENGERSCABLE MANAGEMENTENTRANCESBLURREDKEENESTNOBBLE

ACCESSMAINTAINEDTASTEFULMAP MAKINGCHELSEAAUGUSTSCREAMERS

ASSISSTINGDESSERTIONCOINCIDENTALOCTOPUSLONDON

Juice it Up!10 Tips for Successful Juicing

1. If your juicer has a pulp bin, line it with a bag before you start for easy cleaning.

2. Drink your juice as soon as possible after it is made to maximise nutrient content. If you make a double batch, it can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 24-48 hours – filling to the top it can help to prevent oxygen getting in and depleting the nutrient content.

3. Remember – vegetable juices are the healthy option (fruit juice is mostly fructose!) – but include some fruit for taste (eg. an apple).

4. A basic formula for juice should include:• one to two root vegetables (carrots, beets,

turnips, parsnips) • at least one leafy green vegetable (kale,

spinach, lettuce, chard, arugula, mustard greens, beet greens, dandelion, sorrel, broccoli)

• one watery, high-yield vegetable or fruit (cucumber, celery, Romaine lettuce, fennel, tomatoes, melons) to add liquid and dilute the flavour of the greens.

• herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro, mint) for added nutrition and flavour

• spices (ginger – or chilli if you dare!)• lemon or lime• one fruit for taste (apple, melon, citrus

fruit, stone fruit, berries)5. Consider adding back some of the fibre that is

filtered out by the juicer to help make the juice more filling.

6. J uicing can add to the overall daily nutrient intake, but should not replace eating fruit and vegetables as only the whole food contains the fibre to fill you up and support digestion.

7. Juices contain calories too – if you are trying to lose weight, juices will contribute towards your daily food intake.

8. Juicers take large quantities of vegetables and turn them into small amounts of juice and you still need vegetables for meals, so you will need to buy a lot of veggies.

9. If you buy organic, most fruit can be juiced with the skin on – exceptions which should be peeled are kiwis, any waxed produce and citrus fruit (the skin changes the flavour).

10. Some ideas to maximise the yield from your ingredients:

• tightly pack (roll) leafy greens and herbs before feeding them through the juicer and place them between two harder, juicier ingredients (cucumber or apple)

• use a slower speed for leafy greens and herbs and other softer ingredients

• juice a high-yield ingredient last to flush everything else through the juicer before you finish

Wordsearch

If you’re keen to start using juicing to enhance your health then it’s a good idea to invest in a recipe book which will help you put together nutritious drinks specifically designed to support you in your health goals. Two of my favourites include:

• Super Juice - Juicing for health and healing by Mitchell Beazley

• Miracle Juices by Charmaine Yabsley and Amanda Cross

I’m sure you’ll find more than a few delicious juices in these books to convince you to make juicing your new health habit, and a nice change to always hydrating with water.

Wordsearch by Tim Witcomb, Network Rail