⚠🦺 Today, UIC held a webinar on “Safety at Work: Protecting Rail Workers from Trains” at UIC HQ in Paris, with around 100 attendees from 28 countries all around the world gathered to discuss the safety challenges the railway industry currently faces. 🔎 Ali Chegini, Director of System and Health, RSSB and Chairman of the UIC Safety Platform, opened the webinar saying that the Health and Safety of our railway colleagues and our workforce, including the subcontracting activities, is of utmost importance and our number one priority as health and safety professionals and members of the UIC. He also reminded that initiatives to promote better health, safety & wellbeing at work are not only legal and ethical obligations, but also practical as they are self-funding and should, over time, help reduce the industry’s costs. 💡 The webinar focused on how UIC members strive to improve the management of the health and safety of all railway workers, with European case studies: ▪ “Evaluation of safety PDCA-framework implemented in the Netherlands in 2005: effect on staff hit by train and compared to international numbers” presented by Bart Hoogcarspel, Data specialist, Safety department – Policy and data (ProRail), ▪ “Contractor safety: client and contractor perspectives” presented by Maria Hedqvist, Market and Planning, Transport Quality, Railway Safety (Trafikverket), ▪ “Safer railway maintenance” presented by Allan Spence, formerly Director of Regulator Liaison, and Nick Millington, Safety Taskforce Director (Network Rail), ▪ “Digitalization and railway safety - rethinking worksite protection under ERTMS” presented by Leslie Steen, Program Manager Safer-W (Infrabel), ▪ and a discussion chaired by Frédéric Henon, Head of Operations and Safety, (UIC - International union of railways #UICrail). Thanks to their presentations, members shared their expertise and experiences to bring about lasting changes in the lively Q&A. Key points included the importance of the role of technologies; the automation of certain tasks; work scheduled during daylight hours or even remotely; and the general improvement of the physical and mental health of workers, regardless of whether it is work or lifestyle related, to help the rail industry attract and retain high-calibre staff. Virginie Papillault Isabelle FONVERNE #railway #RailwayInfrastructure #workers #safety #webinar #workforce #collaboration #data #ERTMS #UIC100
Thank you for the opportunity to present and take questions. Technology is great, I was in Bristol and the panel were in Paris. The delegates were all over the World. Amazing etc! Track worker safety is one of the most complex topics I have dealt with - it is a passion of mine. It stirs emotions and opinions, but is one of the most worthwhile things that any railway can do. Caring for your people, there is no alternative……. Nick
Program Manager SAFER-W at Infrabel
1yVery interesting UIC seminar about track worker safety. It is clear that several rail infrastructure managers are working on similar topics. Sharing knowledge and experiences is useful in reducing development time, cost and mutual vision towards suppliers. #railway #workers #safety #UIC100