August 2015
Fatalities
There were no passenger or workforce accidental fatalities during August 2015. There were 3 public
accidental fatalities:
On 11 August, a person trespassing on the line was struck by a passenger train in the viscinity of Barming
substation (Kent).
On 11 August, a person trespassing on the line was struck by a passenger train at Broadstairs station (Kent).
It is believed that the person was taking a shortcut between the platorms.
On 15 August, a person with injuries consistent with being struck by a train was found on the line on the
approach to Bedwyn (Western). Investigations are currently on going.
There were 16 suspected suicides during August 2015. The average monthly figure over the past 12
months has been 25.4. Suicide figures are subject to change as more information (such as coroners'
verdicts) is made available.
Reportable train accidents: collisions, derailments and trains striking road vehicles
On 7 August, a freight train became derailed having passed a signal at danger at Santon Foreign Oil Branch
(London North East). There were no injuries reported.
On 11 August, a freight train derailed whilst propelling out of the Down Panteg Loop (Western). There
were no injuries reported.
Precursors
During August 2015, there were 37 signals passed at danger (SPADs). This is 18 more than in August 2014,
and represents the highest August total over the past 10 years. The situation will be monitored to see if it
is indicative of an underlying trend or is a statistical fluctuation. The average monthly figure over the past
12 months has been 25.4.
Of the 37 SPADs in August 2015, 12 were risk-ranked potentially significant (16-19), and 1 SPAD was riskranked as potentially severe (20+).
In addition to the 37 SPADs, there were 97 other incidents where signals were passed at red (SPARs) in
August 2015; there were 92 such incidents the previous August. Of these 97 SPARs, 80 were due to
signalling system reversion or replacement (system or human), and 17 were due to replacement of the
signal in an operational incident. There were no train runaway incidents.
Up to 22 August 2015 (the period end date), there were 3 broken rails reported.
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Produced by RSSB
Author: William Sharp
Phone 020 3142 5461
Email address: william.sharp@rssb.co.uk
Accidental fatalities: workforce
Accidental fatalities: passenger
Accidental fatalities: level crossings
Accidental fatalities: public *
Suicides/ suspected suicides
Fatalities
300
293
278
250
243
Passenger
Workforce
Public
Passenger major injuries/billion journeys
350
250
246
132
150
115
26
176
297
274
200
208
43
3 513
313
258
250
234
232
Major injuries
123
34
239
22
348
23
3 310
1 15
114
133
129
104
100
56
43
154
128
120
38
50
46
42
40
36
46
43
19
0
2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016
(Apr-Aug)
2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016
(Apr-Aug)
* Public accidental fatalities include trespass and non-trespass, but exclude
fatalities at level crossings (which are shown separately).
60
Derailments & collisions
Collisions: non-passenger
Collisions: passenger in running
Derailments: non-passenger
Derailments: passenger
Collisions: passenger low-speed
Derailment at crossing: non-passenger
Derailment at crossing: passenger
6
1
6
2
12
8
3
33
16
11
7
32
25
18
20
13
35
30
19
3
17
1
4
1
9
3
1
5
PHRTA/300 million train miles
40
8
7
13
49
50
25
1
22
1
4
2
19
3
Potentially higher-risk train accidents
42
27
24
RIDDOR-reportable major injuries to each person type reported in SMIS. The
majority of passenger injuries occur in stations
2
9
3
10
5
1
0
11
2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016
(Apr-Aug)
2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016
(Apr-Aug)
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations
Statutorily reportable collisions (excluding roll back and open door
(RIDDOR) reportable cases only. Includes derailments at level crossings after collisions), derailments, buffer stop collisions and trains striking road
striking road vehicles. Does not include buffer stop and ‘open door’
vehicles. PHRTAs are normalised per million train miles.
collisions. Passenger low-speed collisions predominately occur at stations.
Total
16-19 risk ranked SPADs
20+ risk ranked SPADs
Percentage of Sep 2006 benchmark SPAD risk
SPADs
400
292
272
296
70%
249
60%
20
21
15
50%
200
72
17
57
19
65
18
68
9
54
16
76
16
68
14
20%
39
4
10%
0%
2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016
(Apr-Aug)
13
14
12
5
30%
0
SPADs on or affecting Network Rail managed infrastructure.
13
40%
129
150
50
Barrier
Gate
Road vehicle
90%
300
288
276
250
100
Train strikes at level crossing
29
80%
350
300
100%
9
6
2
3
1
7
10
6
6
2
11
10
2
2
3
4
2
1
1
2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016
(Apr-Aug)
The blue bars refer to trains striking barriers where a previous incident had
caused the barriers to encroach onto the running line, such as a road vehicle
striking the barriers.
RSSB can help with safety data queries; please do not hesitate to contact us.
Produced by RSSB
Author: William Sharp
Phone 020 3142 5461
Email address: william.sharp@rssb.co.uk