AGENDA ITEM: B2
MEETING:
RSSB Board Meeting
DATE:
12 November 2015
SUBJECT:
Rail Health and Safety Strategy
SPONSOR:
Chris Fenton
AUTHOR:
John Abbott
1.
Purpose
1.1
The development of the new Rail Health and Safety Strategy: ‘Leading health and safety on
Britain’s railway – A strategy for working together’ has the potential to drive forward and improve
the management of health and safety on our railways over the next 10 years.
1.2
This paper seeks to update the board on progress and clarify the timetable for completion. It also
invites the board to consider the potential impact of this strategy on RSSB, RSSB board and the
members.
2.
Background
2.1
The RSSB board has been regularly informed of progress with the strategy during its development.
It was agreed at the last board meeting that the board would become the responsible body for
monitoring, reviewing and governing the document.
It was also agreed that the RSSB board would collectively and as individual leaders endorse the
leadership principles in the strategy which includes responding to the contents of the strategy.
3.
Progress
3.1
Following extensive industry engagement and input, the first draft was produced and issued for
consultation and comment during summer 2015. Extensive feedback was received which has led
to the development of a quality second draft. This included significant work to create a distinctive
and appropriate ‘look and feel’ of the document.
3.2
The quality draft was issued to industry leaders and reviewed at the Industry Safety Meeting (ISM)
on 6 October. The ISM provided positive feedback on the draft and supported the proposed
timetable for completion. The ISM also determined that in light of the strategy, their meeting
should be renamed the Industry Health and Safety Meeting (ISHM). ISM also proposed that, as
the senior leadership meeting dedicated to health and safety collaboration, it would align its
future agendas to the topics in the strategy to help provide focus, share good practices and,
ideally, opportunities.
3.3
Further consultation is now actively underway, including with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR)
Rail Industry Health and Safety Advisory Council (12 October), with other industry forums and
within individual organisations. A significant amount of awareness and engagement activity is
also underway. We informed the Rail Delivery Group about progress at their recent meeting on
27 October.
RSSB Board Meeting Final: 12 November 2015
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AGENDA ITEM: B2
3.4
The strategy has been resourced by a small project team, external consultants and a reasonable
budget to enable the appropriate quality to be achieved. This is being funded from RSSB’s
corporate contingency budget. A considerable amount of resource is still required to deliver the
full suite of materials and collateral needed to maximise the potential of the strategy.
3.5
The board are also asked to acknowledge the very considerable contribution that Roan Willmore
of Network Rail has made to the project.
4.
Reminder of core content
4.1
At the heart of the strategy are four components;



The leadership commitment required to deliver the strategy and to work together better;
12 key priority risk areas for collaborative effort;
9 management capability areas where industry can collaborate in areas that underpin how
we manage health and safety and which will enable improved performance in the 12
priority risk areas; and
A description of how health and safety is managed on the railway.

5.
Timetable to completion
Dates
Activity
Oct – Early Dec
Final consultation: wider industry leaders, subject matter experts, HSE professionals and
industry groups
Early Dec
Final draft complete – incorporating feedback from consultation, and outcome of legal review
Mid Dec
Individual company endorsement
Nov – Dec
Plan the launch and roll out
Nov – Jan
Develop materials and collateral in support of the section ‘How is health and safety managed
on the railway?’
Jan 2016
Paper to RSSB board to inform them of the launch plan and post launch activity
Jan 2016 onwards
Final publication, launch and roll out
On-going
Inform Initial Industry Plan
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AGENDA ITEM: B2
6.
Impact of the strategy
6.1
The strategy identifies areas where health and safety management and performance can be
improved through increased collaboration. It will guide the rail industry’s immediate, short and
medium term efforts in maintaining and developing its health and safety performance by
providing a framework for this.
In order to fulfil its potential and have a positive effect, this strategy needs to translate into
meaningful action and the following is suggested:
-
Individual RSSB members: will need to recognise and connect with the strategy and use it to
guide their internal objectives and guide their collaboration with industry partners. In
support of this the final version of the strategy is going to be cross referenced to the wellestablished ORR RM3 model.
-
RSSB board: will need to determine how it wants to discharge its monitoring and review
responsibility. It also needs to consider the terms of reference of SSRG to ensure suitable
alignment.
-
RSSB: will need to mobilise and prioritise around the areas in the strategy that it will need
to be directly supporting and align company resource accordingly. Key to this will be
determining which of the 12 priority areas, and nine management capability areas are
relevant and aligning of objectives of relevant groups.
-
Non RSSB governed groups and/or industry collaborative forums eg. ISLG, NFSG and ATOC:
will need to review and potentially shape their objectives in light of the strategy.
6.2
A comprehensive launch and roll out plan is currently under development based around identified
target audiences. This is seen as critical to create the necessary industry alignment around the
plan and in support of this, a range of suitable communications and materials are to be developed.
It is expected the roll out will require a minimum of 6 months to create the necessary conditions
for successful engagement and will include consideration of how the success of the strategy is to
be measured.
7.
Recommendations
7.1
The RSSB board is asked to:

NOTE progress with development of the Rail Health and Safety Strategy including the
consultation and completion timescales.

INVITE the chair of System Safety Risk Group to initiate a review of its current terms of
reference and provide a steer on principles to be considered.

AGREE that IHSM will provide a platform for leadership collaboration in support of the
strategy.
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