The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) today released its report into Network Rail’s management of existing earthworks. This is as a result of three accidents involving trains that have been derailed due to earth falling onto the track.
A full copy of the report is available here:
Summary
The RAIB has previously investigated incidents at Oubeck in November 2005, Moy in November 2005 and Kemble on 15 January 2007 where earthworks slope failures resulted in passenger train derailments.
These incidents were in part caused by a recent period of localised extreme weather, deficiencies in the performance of the local drainage systems at the site and surface water standing on, or flowing from, adjacent non-railway land.
As a result the RAIB decided to investigate Network Rail's overall process for the management of its earthworks.
There has been no fatality attributed, either directly or indirectly, to an earthworks failure since 1995. Though the approach to earthworks management taken by Network Rail is comparable or better than other industries with similar type of earthworks, the RAIB's investigations have highlighted some inconsistencies in the application of earthworks management systems across Network Rail.
The investigation sought to address a number of questions, including:
Does the available evidence indicate an increasing number of safety related incidents occurring as a result of earthworks failures?
Are the earthworks management systems used by Network Rail appropriately identifying the safety risk?
How do the processes and systems used by Network Rail compare with those used by the owners of other, similar infrastructure?
Is there any evidence of climate change affecting the behaviour of earthworks and if so how is Network Rail addressing this?
Recommendations
Within this report the RAIB has made four recommendations targeted at Network Rail which relate to work by them to further understand the accuracy and effectiveness of their inspection and assessment processes in mitigating the risk from earthworks failure, improving the consistency of application of good practice seen during this investigation, the provision of guidance to staff in regard to the railways’ neighbours and the alignment of internal procedures which define the actions to be taken in adverse weather.
Notes to Editors
1. The sole purpose of RAIB investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents and improve railway safety. The RAIB does not establish blame, liability or carry out prosecutions.
2. For media enquiries please call 020 7944 4671.
Newsdate: 23 December 2008
