Taking safe decisions
While individual organisations are accountable for safety within their own undertakings, RSSB plays a key role in suporting an understanding of system safety - RSSB’s core functions include measuring safety performance and analysing risk.
As a world leader in the field of railway risk modelling, RSSB seeks to maximise the benefit its members can derive from data through its Safety Risk Model (SRM) which models hazardous events that could directly lead to injury or fatality during the operation and maintenance of the mainline railway and the Precursor Indicator Model (PIM) that measures the risk, per million train miles, of a train accident - i.e. collision, derailment, fire or striking a road vehicle on a level crossing.
RSSB undertook a programme of work on behalf of the UK rail industry following a range of requests from industry stakeholders to:
- establish a common understanding as to how the industry delivers safety
- develop a framework of processes and criteria for decision makers to apply
- achieve clarity and stability in the safety governance of the railway
The work acknowledged that decisions about safety are not made separately, but are very much part of the normal business management processes.
Taking safe decisions
Almost every policy, investment or operational decision taken by the GB railway industry has an impact on safety. It is therefore vital that the consideration of safety is embedded effectively into the decision-taking process. RSSB’s technical expertise in risk and appraisal, and consensus building were ideally suited to meeting industry’s need for formulating a consistent approach.
Taking safe decisions
Through an extensive programme of research, analysis and consultation the rail industry agreed on a consistent framework and approach to decision-making – which was published in a document called ‘Taking Safe Decisions’.
This describes the industry consensus view of how decisions should be taken that properly protect the safety of rail industry staff, passengers and others, satisfy the law and respect the interests of stakeholders, while remaining commercially sound.
It also provides guidance on what they mean in practice, and includes worked examples for those taking decisions that potentially impact upon safety.