Episodes
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Welcome to another episode of the RSSB podcast! This month we're joined by Dougie Hill, who is Chair of the National Freight Safety Group. He talks about the freight landscape in 2024, what it'll take to safely meet the government's rail freight growth target, and what RSSB is working on to make this happen.
Find out more about the NFSG here: www.rssb.co.uk/national-freight-safety-group -
Welcome to another episode of the RSSB podcast! This month we're joined by Tracy Orlandi, who is Head of Wellbeing and Occupational Health at East Midlands Railway. She talks about the progress being made in rail employee health and wellbeing, areas where gaps remain, and what it'll take to elevate health to the same level as safety in the rail industry.
Correction at 01.23: The RSSB mental health survey was conducted in 2021.
For more information on the health workshops Tracy mentioned, contact [email protected].uk. -
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This month we're joined by Thom Rawson, RSSB's Sustainable Rail Principal, to talk through the impact the Sustainable Rail Blueprint has had so far. He also covers how we're helping rail organisations embed it, how we're facilitating industry collaboration on sustainability, and what's next.
Find out more at https://www.rssb.co.uk/sustainability/the-sustainable-rail-blueprint -
Welcome to another episode of the RSSB podcast! Today, join four members of our Executive Committee — Johnny Schute (Chief Operating Officer), Keith Hanlon-Smith (Chief People Officer), Hannah Kingsley (Chief Finance Officer), and Paul McLaughlin (Chief Commercial Officer) — as they outline industry's current challenges, discuss RSSB's priorities in addressing those, and introduce our new 'strategic multipliers'.
You can find out more about our 2024–2025 Annual Business Plan at: https://www.rssb.co.uk/about-rssb/who-we-are/our-business-plan. -
Welcome back to a new season of the RSSB Podcast. In this episode, we’re joined by RSSB Chief Executive Mark Phillips. Mark takes us through our five-year Strategic Business Plan covering 2024–2029, pulling out some of the key priorities along the way. He’s particularly excited to see how rail can leverage some of the technological and digital advancements taking place. Listen now to learn more about what we’re hoping to deliver to industry in the next few years.
Related information
Strategic Business Plan 2024-2029: https://www.rssb.co.uk/about-rssb/who-we-are/strategic-business-plan-2024-29 -
Rail has been the most environmentally-friendly form of long distance transport for many years, and now needs to reduce its carbon emissions even further. George Davies, director of sustainability at RSSB, and Martin Watt, counsel at global law firm Dentons, discuss the challenges and opportunities of net zero carbon for rail.
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The significant trends in safety risk from 2022-2023, and what's being done to keep our railway one of the safest in the world.
01:19 About Robert Sigrist
01:55 The work of the RSSB Risk and Safety Intelligence Team
02:55 The significant safety findings for 2022-2023
04:03 Changes in public behaviour, trespass and sitting on the platform edge
05:09 The trend in signals passed at danger
06:16 Issues around asset integrity, the whole system risk model
07:20 Some safety statistics, summary and close
Related information:
The Annual Health and Safety Report: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/annual-health-and-safety-report -
Are you getting the best value from your assets? Could your asset management approach be improved? In this episode we look at ISO 55001 as a possible framework for better asset management.
00:53 Asset management in today’s economic context01:59 What to include in an asset management approach
02:15 Which framework to use for asset management
03:23 What’s in ISO 55001
04:25 The what to do, not how to do it
04:48 Understanding the context of your own organisation
05:40 Why a rail organisation would want to adopt ISO 55001
06:40 Selecting the standards that work for your organisation
07:54 Allocating and prioritising the right resources to your plan
09:03 Finding the right (external) resources to implement your plan
10:22 Is this the right thing for your organisation? Do you have the data to answer the question?
11:50 Some examples of the ROI from implementing ISO 55001
12:50 Use ISO 55001 as a tool; it’s not the answer
13:30 Summary and close
You may be interested in
Getting started with ISO 55001 https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/Asset-Management/Getting-started-with-ISO-55001/
Introducing ISO 55001 Maximizing the value of your assets– PDF download (1.2 MB) https://www.bsigroup.com/LocalFiles/en-GB/iso-55001/resources/ISO-55001-Client-Guide.pdf
ISO 55001 supports UN Sustainable Development Goals 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 13. https://www.iso.org/sdgs.html
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As RSSB celebrates its 20th year, this episode looks at the work that it has done to help improve safety at level crossing, one of the biggest sources of risk for the railway.
00:57 About Michael Woods
02:00 The Ufton level crossing accident described
03:32 How Michael got RSSB involved
04:56 RSSB directors brief ministers and help secure RSSB’s future independence
05:54 Looking at new technologies to improve level crossing safety
08:37 Reviewing the ideas sent on for safety improvements
11:04 Proposals for rail vehicle and track design improvements
12:29 Improvements in level crossing safety since Ufton
13:30 Close
You may be interested in:
Level Crossings – RSSB web page
https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/leading-health-and-safety-on-britains-railway/level-crossingsNetwork Rail strategy: Enhancing Level Crossing Safety 2019 – 2029 (PDF download) https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Enhancing-Level-Crossing-Safety-2019-2029.pdf
Level crossings – Network Rail web page
https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/level-crossings/ -
Finding the right people to fill vacant roles can be difficult. Steve Womack of Amey Infrastructure Wales talks about how he has found workers with transferable skills. He's also contributing social value to his local area by employing ex-offenders.
Hear about lessons from a steep learning curve and the benefits to be found.
01:41 About Steve Womack02:31 Getting involved with the Pathway Programme
04:00 Finding the right candidates for the right roles
06:00 The response of staff to working with ex-offenders
07:39 Gareth’s involvement and experience with the programme
08:51 Gareth’s reception at Amey Infrastructure Wales
09:35 Steve talks about the results and the learning from the programme
10:35 Dealing with the transition from prison to release and employment
13:10 What Gareth has learned and gained from the programme
14:50 Steve recommends getting involved in the programme
16:10 About other schemes around the country
16:28 Steve’s offer to talk about his experience with the scheme
18:05 Gareth explains the challenges for programme participants
20:36 Learnings for participants and organisers within the programme
22:25 Using Gareth as a mentor for new participants
25:05 Gareth sums up his experience of the programme
If you'd like to talk to Steve Womack about his experience of the Pathway Programme, please use LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-womack-7471b532/
Transport for Wales Helping Rehabilitate People https://news.tfw.wales/news/transport-for-wales-helping-rehabilitate-people
GOV.UK Guidance on employing prisoners and ex-offenders https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unlock-opportunity-employer-information-pack-and-case-studies -
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch does what it says on the tin. It looks at both accidents and incidents to find their underlying causes. No blame is laid, but recommendations for mitigations are made; some of which may be around organisational culture.
Here, two of RAIB’s accident investigators talk about a company’s safety culture, learning opportunities, and how the two work together to deliver an ever safer railway.
00:05 Introduction
01:37 About Tabitha
01:57 About Mark
02:38 Tabitha’s views on the connection between safety culture and learning
05:17 Mark talks about what impact RAIB recommendations might have on company culture
06:55 Tabitha’s adds more on recommendations that address safety culture
08:41 Mark talks about the language in RAIB reports and how it supports a just culture
10:53 Mark talks about difficulties in establishing underlying factors
11:23 Tabitha on RAIB’s guidance for investigating underlying organisational factors
13:48 Mark talks about RAIB’s products that support corporate memory
15:33 Summary and close
Related links
Rail Accident Investigation Branch web page https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/rail-accident-investigation-branch
How to notify RAIB of an accident https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/notifying-us-of-an-accident
The Railways (Accident Investigation and Reporting) Regulations 2005 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1992/contents/made?view=plain
Accident Investigation and Learning RSSB web page https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/learning-from-experience/accident-investigation-and-learning
RSSB Accident Investigation Training https://www.rssb.co.uk/services-and-resources/training/accident-investigation-training
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This is the first in a series on specific health conditions. In this episode, recorded in Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, an RSSB employee talks with one of our health and wellbeing specialists about his experience of diagnosis, and the support received during treatment.
00:43 About Deb Archibald
01:04 About Tavid Dobson and discovering his cancer
02:05 Tavid talks about his treatment options
02:30 Making sense and making decisions
03:34 The impact and support at work
04:31 The support mechanisms that worked for Tavid
05:37 How to respond and support
07:14 On men, talking about having cancer
08:27 Deb closes with talking to colleagues and where to find more information
You may also be interested in:
Prostate Cancer UK
NHS UK prostate cancer
Prostate cancer information - Cancer Research UK
Macmillan Cancer Support - Prostate cancer
Macmillan Prostate Cancer Forum -
Colds, flu, and other respiratory illnesses always increase over the winter period. That list now includes Covid-19, which is still with us. So, how can we best protect ourselves from it and the others in the coming weeks and months? Claire Shooter, our Public Health Manager, explains what we can expect and do to stay as healthy as possible.
00.44 Claire explains when and why there are peaks in respiratory illnesses.
01.57 Why we know less about the current Covid situation.
02.54 What a rise in infections might mean for rail.
03.30 About Long Covid, its symptoms and how to manage it.
04.58 What we know about Long Covid.
07.00 If you think you may be suffering from Long Covid…
08.30 How RSSB can help you deal with Covid and any other public health issues.
08.51 Where to find accurate sources of information.
09.17 About the GB Rail Pandemic Playbook
10.56 Explaining the structure of the Pandemic Playbook.
11.57 Why you won’t need to read the whole document.
12.58 Summary and close
You may be interested in:
The GB Rail Pandemic Playbook https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/key-industry-topics/health-and-wellbeing/public-health/pandemic-preparednessHSE Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Advice for workplaces https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/
Society for Occupational Health Return to work guidance for recovering workers https://www.som.org.uk/covid-19-return-work-guide-recovering-workers
Acas: Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for employers and employees https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus
Public Health Note: Covid-19 in Winter 2022-2023 https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/insights-and-news/blogs/public-health-note-covid-19-in-winter-2022
Vaccinating to Protect Against Covid-19 https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/insights-and-news/blogs/vaccinating-to-protect-against-covid-19
Covid-19 support https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/the-coronavirus-pandemic-how-we-can-help-you
Workforce Wellbeing [during the pandemic] https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/the-coronavirus-pandemic-how-we-can-help-you/workforce-wellbeing
Distinguishing reliable sources for public health https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/insights-and-news/blogs/distinguishing-reliable-sources-for-public-health
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Standards are talked about very often within rail, so this podcast provides an introductory overview. It describes what standards are, when rail started using standards, what the different types of standards abbreviations mean, how standards development is triggered, and where to find out more.
00:37 Introducing Tom Lee, Director of Standards at RSSB
01:47 Brief definition of standards
03:17 When rail first started using standards, and why
06:18 The organisations that produce standards relevant for rail, and the main standards abbreviations
11:31 The areas that standards cover
13:46 What causes a standard to be developed or revised, and the processes involved
20:20 How to find out more
21:40 Close
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The railway is a very complex system. RSSB has developed tools for the industry to assess and target some hazards, but not all of them. Much of our risk analysis knowledge is based on the Safety Risk Model (SRM), now in version 9. One response to some identifiable hazards is to impose a blanket speed restriction. These can cover wide areas, and may themselves actually increase some types of risk.
Being able to identify specific parts of the network that may be susceptible to increased risk under certain environmental conditions can help. Building on the knowledge within the SRM, RSSB has, with Network Rail, started to develop the Whole System Risk Model (WSRM). Prompted by the Carmont incident, it’s a project that will take some time, but it has to start somewhere.
03:00 About Marcus Dacre
03:30 Risk modelling work at RSSB
03:59 Modelling earthworks failures in the Precursor Indicator Model
05:12 RSSB’s involvement in responding to the RAIB recommendations to the Carmont incident
06:10 About the SRM
06:53 About Vincent Ganthy
07:34 Vincent’s focus on overall risk created by extreme rainfall events
09:00 Differences between the SRM and the WSRM
10:15 Establishing the level of network vulnerability
11:41 How the WSRM supports operational decision making
13:11 Current limitations and its potential for wider development
14:22 What we've found about the risk from speed restrictions
15:26 How to use the findings to respond to extreme rainfall events
16:11 Current testing and proving of the model
17:20 What’s next, the roadmap to extend the model
You may also be interested in:
How the Whole System Risk Model stops rail overcompensating for extreme weather events (RSSB web page 22 December 2022) https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/insights-and-news/blogs/how-the-whole-system-risk-model-stops-rail-overcompensating-for-extreme-weather-events
Research project: Development of a system risk model for extreme rainfall events (T1269) https://www.rssb.co.uk/research-catalogue/CatalogueItem/T1269
Safety Risk Model: Improving safety and reducing costs https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-risk-model/safety-risk-model-improving-safety-and-reducing-costs
Structures and Earthworks Rules Changes (RSSB web page 6 March 2021) https://www.rssb.co.uk/standards/using-standards/structures-and-earthworks-rules-changes
Case Study: Risk from soil cutting failures (RSSB web page 24 November 2022) https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/key-industry-topics/data-insights/earthworks-data-insights/case-study-risk-from-soil-cutting-failures
Any practices described in this podcast shall not be assumed to be risk free. The Rail Safety and Standards Board and other participants in this recording shall not be held liable for actions taken by third parties that lead to loss or injury. Any practices described should, specifically, not be followed in the United States of America or Canada.
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Achieving net zero carbon by 2050 will need more electrification of the GB railway. This episode looks at new and updated standards that don’t just make the requirements easier to understand. They also have the potential to deliver cost savings of well over £27m over five years. So, if you design OLE or AC-powered trains, you’ll want to listen to this episode.
01:24 About Mike Tatton
02:14 How standards are changed
03:43 Drivers of change for electrification standards
05:33 Who will be using these standards
06:42 What’s changed in GLRT1210, issue 3
12:03 What’s new in RIS-1853-ENE
13:43 The new energy standards summarised
14:29 About Darren Fitzgerald
15:05 Key changes to the rolling stock RGS and the new RIS
16:21 New vehicle bonding requirements
17:25 Change to the cant rail warning line requirement
18:38 Main benefits from changes to these standards
19:45 Potential financial benefits from the changes
21:00 Summary and close
Resources mentioned in this episode:
December 2022 webinar recording
https://rssb.videomarketingplatform.co/video/81831824/10:57/ac-current-collection-standardsRegister for the extended webinar at 11.00, 20 February 2023
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ac-standards-rolling-stock-and-electrification-registration-477392863907?ReturnUrl=https%3a%2f%2fwww.rssb.co.uk%2fservices-and-resources%2fservices%2fevents-and-webinarsGLRT1210, AC Energy Subsystem and Interfaces to Rolling Stock Subsystem, issue 3
https://www.rssb.co.uk/standards-catalogue/CatalogueItem/glrt1210-iss-3RIS-1853-ENE, AC Energy Subsystem and Interfaces to Rolling Stock Subsystem, issue 1
https://www.rssb.co.uk/standards-catalogue/CatalogueItem/ris-1853-ene-iss-1RGS-2111, Rolling Stock Subsystem and Interfaces to AC Energy Subsystem, issue 3
https://www.rssb.co.uk/standards-catalogue/CatalogueItem/gmrt2111-iss-3RIS-2715-RST, Rolling Stock Subsystem and Interfaces to AC Energy Subsystem, issue 1
https://www.rssb.co.uk/standards-catalogue/CatalogueItem/ris-2715-rst-iss-1 -
Overspeeding isn’t just an issue when driving trains. It happens on the roads as well. With nearly 10,000 road vehicles in its fleet Network Rail took steps to put numbers to it, and the findings were alarming. Hear what’s being done to tackle the problem and the outcomes so far.
00.48 About Simon Morgan
04.04 A definition for and consequences of road overspeeding.
05.15 The proportion of incidents that have overspeeding as a cause.
05. 56 What other causal factors contribute to overspeeding beyond individual choice.
06.05 Underlying culture of risk perception and the amount of overspeeding.
07.17 The potential fuel cost savings from cutting overspeeding
07.39 Tackling fatigue as a causal factor.
08.22 Removing pressure to ‘get the job done’.
09.49 The condition of vehicles
10.10 Summary and close
You may be interested in:
Network Rail Safety Central, Driving Safety page: https://safety.networkrail.co.uk/safety/driving-safety/
Network Rail’s Ten Lifesaving Rules: https://safety.networkrail.co.uk/safety/safety-vision-and-lifesaving-rules/lifesaving-rules/
Network Rail’s Lifesaving Rules Driving video (1:11) (contains strong language): https://safety.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/LSR-Driving-Subtitles-MP4-2.mp4 -
Good decision making needs the support of good data. So, in this episode you can hear about the work that goes into assuring data quality, and the people behind it.
00:46 Introducing Siona Vass
01:43 About data quality and why it’s important
03:29 How RSSB measures data quality
04:26 Industry’s involvement in improving data quality
06:15 Continuous improvement and when data quality is ‘good enough’
07:26 How RSSB monitors data that might be missing or under-reported
08:51 The role for leaders in supporting data quality
10:16 What would happen if we didn’t manage data quality
11:23 The biggest contributors to data quality
12:15 Summary and close
You may also be interested in:
Data Quality Programme https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system/smis-data-quality
SMIS in Context: https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system/smis-in-context
Improving SMIS: Usability, Performance, Business Intelligence https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system/improving-smis-usability-performance-business-intelligence
Strategy for SMIS https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system/strategy-for-smis
SMIS Support https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system/smis-support
Learning from the past to inform the future of SMIS https://www.rssb.co.uk/what-we-do/insights-and-news/blogs/learning-from-the-past-to-inform-the-future-of-smis
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SMIS is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2022. Hear something of its history, its reason for being, and what it has done for our industry. How SMIS supports risk modelling and safety decision making.
00:48 Introducing Kevin Thompson
01:16 The origins of SMIS after the 1988 Clapham rail crash
02:39 How SMIS functionality and technology have developed
03:34 The components that make up SMIS today
05:26 How SMIS supports RSSB’s work
06:36 How SMIS helps rail companies
07:08 How RSSB supports SMIS users
08:36 The value that SMIS delivers to risk modelling and decision making
09:53 Close
You may also be interested in:The Safety Management Intelligence System https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system
SMIS in context https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system/smis-in-context
Strategy for SMIS https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system/strategy-for-smis
Improving SMIS: Usability, Performance, Business Intelligence https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system/improving-smis-usability-performance-business-intelligence
The Safety Risk Model https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-risk-model
An Overview of The Precursor Indicator Model https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/improving-safety-health-and-wellbeing/rail-risk-toolkit/pim/an-overview-of-the-precursor-indicator-model
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Good information makes for good, evidence-based, safety critical decisions. Much of that information comes from data in the railway’s Safety Management Intelligence System, SMIS. This podcast looks at what’s being done and planned to make it easier and more efficient to use.
01:34 A bit about Paul Murray
01:58 About SMIS and how it is used
02:56 Why we continually improve and simplify SMIS
03:36 Less data, but more effective
04:18 Who’s been involved in the SMIS programme
04:57 Update releases and their benefits
06:07 Faster, easier data input
06:50 Automatic data transfer is coming
07:20 Systems that can connect to SMIS
07:55 Industry data requirements and data matching
08:39 If you’d like to explore the API route…
08:59 The importance of SMIS to the railway of the future
09:35 More SMIS episodes to follow
You may also be interested in:
The Safety Management Intelligence System https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system
SMIS in context https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system/smis-in-context
Strategy for SMIS https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system/strategy-for-smis
Improving SMIS: Usability, Performance, Business Intelligence https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-management-intelligence-system/improving-smis-usability-performance-business-intelligence
The Safety Risk Model https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/risk-and-safety-intelligence/safety-risk-model
An Overview of The Precursor Indicator Model https://www.rssb.co.uk/safety-and-health/improving-safety-health-and-wellbeing/rail-risk-toolkit/pim/an-overview-of-the-precursor-indicator-model
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