AGENDA ITEM: D5 MEETING: RSSB Board Meeting DATE: 12 November 2015 SUBJECT: Industry Safety Performance SPONSOR: George Bearfield 1. Safety Performance 1.1 Safety Information 1.1.1 Summary safety information is included in section 2. The headlines since the last board meeting are: 
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During August and September 2015 there were no workforce or passenger fatalities. There were 6 public accidental fatalities. During August and September, there were 57 signals passed at danger (SPADs). This is 17 more than during the same two months in the previous year. (Note that this figure is provisional until all cases have been agreed with the relevant parties.) Of the 57 SPADs, 17 were risk‐
ranked potentially significant (16‐19), and 1 was risk‐ranked as potentially severe (20+) 1.2 RAIB Investigations and publications 1.2.1 Initiated investigations: 
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1.2.3 Collision between two engineering trains near Logan, 1 August 2015 Worksite length, possession speeds and driving at caution raised by incident that echoes earlier investigations Buffer stop collision at King’s Cross, 17 September 2015 Driver training and buffer stop design implicated Published reports: Freight train derailment at Angerstein Junction, 2 April 2014 Track defect combines with unevenly distributed residual load and uneven load associated with twisted bogie Train damaged by equipment cabinet door, Watford Tunnel, 26 October 2014 Cabinet design, poor task lighting and fatigue in the causal chain of this collision Trolley runaway and near miss at Raven crossing, 1 November 2014 Runaway the result of work planning, work control, excess speed and inadequate brakes Investigation into protection irregularities Class review considers incidents 2011‐13, reveals a potential for harm that is not reducing Collision between train and fallen signal at Newbury, 17 November 2014 Ballast management, competence management and corporate memory loss combine Freight train derailment at Heworth, 23 October 2014 Cyclic top and wagon condition lead to derailment once more Freight train strikes platform edge at Moston, 28 January 2015 Incident highlights non‐compliance of platform to standard Other reports published: None Further details relating to the RAIB reports and investigations is available on the RSSB board members extranet page. RSSB Board Meeting Final: 12 November 2015 Page 1 of 7 AGENDA ITEM: D5 Key safety reports to September 2015 Passenger
350
Workforce
Public
Passenger major injuries/billion journeys
300
250
313
296
274
258
250
234
232
Major injuries
200
150
132
123
120
128
114
129
132
127
100
56
50
38
36
40
42
46
46
60
20
0
2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016
(Apr‐Sep)
* Public accidental fatalities include trespass and non‐trespass, but exclude RIDDOR‐reportable major injuries to each person type reported in SMIS. The fatalities at level crossings (which are shown separately). majority of passenger injuries occur in stations Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations Statutorily reportable collisions (excluding roll back and open door collisions), (RIDDOR) reportable cases only. Includes derailments at level crossings after derailments, buffer stop collisions and trains striking road vehicles. PHRTAs striking road vehicles. Does not include buffer stop and ‘open door’ collisions. are normalised per million train miles. Passenger low‐speed collisions predominately occur at stations. SPADs on or affecting Network Rail managed infrastructure. This update The dark blue bars refer to trains striking barriers where a previous incident regarding SPAD performance is based on data available at the date of issue had caused the barriers to encroach onto the running line, such as a road vehicle striking the barriers. and is subject to change as further information becomes known. RSSB Board Meeting Final: 12 November 2015 Page 2 of 7 AGENDA ITEM: D5 2. Summary of safety performance for August and September 2015 2.1 Fatalities During August and September 2015 there were no workforce or passenger fatalities. There were 6 public accidental fatalities.  On 11 August, a person trespassing on the line was struck by a passenger train in the vicinity 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 platforms.  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).  On 1 September, a person with injuries consistent with being struck by a train was found on the line at Lichfield Trent Valley (London North West).  On 10 September, a person was found with injuries consistent with falling from a height at Smethwick West Station (London North West).  On 13 September, a person with injuries consistent with being struck by a train was found on the down line at Bentely Station (London North Eastern). There were 43 suspected suicides during August and September. The average monthly figure over the past 12 months has been 23.6. Suicide figures are subject to change as more information (eg, coroners’ verdicts) is made available. 2.2 Reportable train accidents: collisions, derailments and trains striking road vehicles There were 4 reported train accidents during August and September. 
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2.3 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. On 11 September, a freight train struck a van at Raven automatic open crossing (Wales). There were no injuries reported. On 18 September, a passenger train arriving at Edinburgh Waverly Station (Scotland) collided with another already in the platform at slow speed during permissive working. There were no injuries reported. SPADs risk ranked 20+ There was 1 SPAD risk ranked 20+ during August and September 2015; there are no risk ranking forms outstanding for August or September. SPAD risk ranking 21 – On 18 August a passenger train passed WK327 signal at danger on the Down Fast line at Berrylands by approximately 10m. The driver stated the incident was due to a lapse in concentration. WK327 is a signal protecting plain line and the distance to the conflict point where a collision could have occurred is 488m. The signal is not protected by TPWS, and the risk ranking overrun probability is 7 (the highest being 10). In terms of the potential consequences, should a rear‐
end collision have occurred, the SPAD risk ranking consequence score was 14 (the highest being 18). This score arises because (a) the permitted speed of the SPAD train was 80mph and the speed of the conflict train was 80mph (potential collision speed in the calculation – 40mph), (b) the collision would have involved two MU MK3 passenger trains and (c) the passenger trains were both peak loaded. RSSB Board Meeting Final: 12 November 2015 Page 3 of 7 AGENDA ITEM: D5 3. Overseas accidents (August – October 15) Objects on the line US: Concrete ledge crumbles, derails subway train, injuring 2, 10 September 2015 At 22:35 (local time) on 10 September 2015, a commuter service derailed in a tunnel some 700 feet north of Hoyt‐Schermerhorn Street station. Around 80 passengers were evacuated. One reported feeling dizzy; two others sustained minor injuries. Initial investigations show that the derailment was caused by debris from a concrete access ledge, which had fallen to the track. It is thought that a pre‐existing water intrusion, and the failure of several stabilizer brackets, caused the concrete to crumble. The media also reported that at least eight other trains were found to have damage consistent with striking the ledge, which raises questions about internal communications and maintenance processes. US: Passenger train derails after striking rocks on line in Vermont, 5 October 2015 On 5 October 2015, The Vermonter – a passenger train that runs between Vermont and Washington – derailed in Northfield after striking rocks that had fallen to the track. There were seven minor, but no reported major, injuries.
About 900 gallons of diesel fuel remain unaccounted for, but emergency response staff have found no evidence that it reached the stream below the crash site. Special fences protect rail lines from rock slides in some parts of the US. They are installed in known rock‐slide areas and are designed to send signals if they are hit with debris. However, local transportation officials do not believe that any exist in their state. According to the state geologist, rock slides are common in Vermont. Most occur in areas where they do not affect people or property. The Vermont Transportation Agency has developed a rating system for rock‐slide danger along the state's major highways. In a number of locations, the ledges have been cut back to reduce the risk from rocks falling into the carriageways. However, the system has not been applied to the state's rail lines. Other derailments – cause TBA Russia: Theft suspected in derailment that injures 4, 8 August 2015 On 8 August 2015, a passenger service derailed in central Russia, injuring four of the 648 passengers on board.
Officials suspect that the accident was caused by the theft of rail chairs over a 30‐metre length. This caused the rail involved to overturn as the train passed over it. However, the Regional Prosecutor’s Office for Transport believes the derailment may have occurred because of a widening of gauge. Others suggest problems with the train itself. RSSB Board Meeting Final: 12 November 2015 Page 4 of 7 AGENDA ITEM: D5 South Africa: 63 injured in Shosholoza Meyl derailment, 19 August 2015 On the evening of 19 August 2015, a long‐distance passenger train derailed between Modderrivier and Heuningneskloof.
Sixty‐three people, including the driver and a technician, sustained largely minor injuries. Four overhead line equipment masts and 300 metres of track were damaged. An investigation has been launched. US: Freight trains collide in Tacoma, 3 injured, 3 September 2015 Just before 07:00 (local time) on 3 September 2015, a freight train struck the rear of another in Tacoma, Washington state. The impact occurred at low speed; the driver of the incoming train suffered minor injuries. An investigation has been launched. Canada: Freight trains collide at Golden, British Columbia, 6 September 2015 At around 03:30 (local time) on 6 September 2015, two freight trains collided and derailed near Golden, British Columbia. There were no reported injuries. India: Shimla charter train derails, killing 2, 12 September 2015 At 13:20 (local time) on 12 September 2015, charter train derailed on a curve, shortly after leaving Kalka station. Of the 37 passengers on board, two – both British tourists – were killed; nine others were injured. The group were on Day 3 of a 13‐day trip organised by York‐
based Great Rail Journeys, which takes about 2,500 people to India every year. The cause of the derailment remains unclear, though there has been speculation that a boulder may have fallen to the track, or that an animal incursion may have been involved. Another report suggests that the locomotive’s speedometer failed, causing the driver to lose control of the train. An investigation has been launched. Railway crime France: Shooting on board TGV injures three, man arrested, 22 August 2015 At 17:45 (local time) on 22 August 2015, a gunman was foiled after being overpowered by three US citizens, two of whom were off‐duty military personnel. They heard a weapon being loaded in a toilet cubicle and confronted the attacker when he emerged. The incident occurred on a high‐speed Thalys service near Arras. The French authorities said three people were injured, two seriously – one with a gunshot wound, the other with a knife wound. RSSB Board Meeting Final: 12 November 2015 Page 5 of 7 AGENDA ITEM: D5 The attacker – a 26‐year‐old Moroccan, whose weapons are said to have included a Kalashnikov, a knife and an automatic pistol – was arrested at Arras station. He later claimed he wanted to rob the passengers and denied any terrorist intent. Level crossings Germany: Level crossing collision at Hedendorf, 1 rail passenger injured, 16 September 2015 On 16 September 2015, a passenger train struck a bus that stalled on an automatic level crossing at Hedendorf. The bus driver managed to move the vehicle to a less dangerous position and evacuated all 30 of his passengers (children) before the impact. One rail passenger was injured. Media link: http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/buxtehude‐zug‐rammt‐bus‐an‐bahnuebergang‐a‐1053197.html Platform‐train interface Australia: Girl pulled to safety after getting on to line in Sydney, 9 August 2015 A woman saved a young girl who had climbed down to the track to fetch a runaway hula hoop at Flemington station, Sydney, on the afternoon of 9 August 2015.
The girl and a friend were captured by CCTV cameras playing with the hoop, when it rolled off the platform and on to the line. One girl jumped down to retrieve it moments before a train pulled in. In a press release, Transport Minister for New South Wales Andrew Constance warned people to ‘stay off the tracks. Not only is it dangerous, but trespassing on the tracks means big fines of up to $5,000.’ Later in August, a report was also received regarding the introduction of cameras to prevent alcohol‐
related station incidents in Japan. Between April 2013 and April 2014, the Japanese government recorded 221 cases of passengers struck by trains either because they got too close to the edge or fell to the track. Of these, some 60% were drunk. West Japan Railway is now taking action to help prevent such incidents by installing 46 security cameras at Kyobashi station, which will automatically scan for signs of intoxication and alert station staff, if necessary. Other stations are being considered for installation, but the company stresses that the equipment is to be used to prevent accidents and not for identification purposes. News updates US: No evidence that Bakken oil is more volatile than other crude, says NTSB chair The head of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says the volatility of Bakken crude is not a significant factor in large explosions or fires caused by tanker train derailments. NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart told KFGO News that the biggest contributor is the amount of oil released in an accident, rather than the volatility of the product. Shortly after the derailment and explosion in Casselton on 30 December 2013, federal regulators issued special warnings about the potential high volatility of Bakken crude oil from North Dakota and Montana. RSSB Board Meeting Final: 12 November 2015 Page 6 of 7 AGENDA ITEM: D5 The NTSB’s final report on Casselton is still being compiled, but Hart said that it occurred ‘because of a defect in a wheel that caused a train to derail, which then the oil train ran into.’ The elimination of the older tank wagons involved is a long process, he went on, but the rail industry has been voluntarily making improvements faster than federal requirements. RSSB Board Meeting Final: 12 November 2015 Page 7 of 7