Working in an unforgiving environment
Railways provide economic and social benefits but they also present challenges and impose responsibilities - particularly in the field of safety.
The rail corridor is an unforgiving workplace. It demands good organisation and comprehensive rules to ensure that staff and contractors have a safe working environment.
Measuring staff safety
The measures we use for staff safety on the network – Lost Time Injury Rate (LTIR) and Serious Injury Frequency Rate (SIFR) both continue to trend downwards.
ONTRACK has worked to create a safe workplace through training schemes, the provision of dedicated safety staff and the provision of protective clothing and equipment.
In the aftermath of an employee death at Ohinewai in an accident in 2007 we have sought to establish how we can make the workplace safer. We expect to have initiatives in place during the 2008-09 year that will achieve this objective.
Training for contractors
As the number of projects increase, more and more contractors undertake work on the corridor, many of them unfamiliar with the special hazards associated with the rail environment. We have designed and introduced training programmes for contractors to bring them up to speed.
Health and safety review
During the 2007-08 year we carried out a review of health and safety management systems to incorporate a comprehensive fatigue management plan. This was in response to legislation changes and to ensure the well-being of our workforce, many of whom can find themselves working at any hour of the day or night.
It’s also a response to the reality of a maturing workforce. The reviewed health and safety management system is currently subject to internal consultation processes and NZ transport Agency approval. Implementation is programmed for the 2008/09 financial year.
Public Rail Safety PolicyPublic safety on the rail corridor is a critical issue for ONTRACK. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure as best we can that the public can cross the rail corridor safely. We also expect the public to cooperate with us in ensuring their safety.