Latest railway news

bbc.co.uk/news

Italian train crash toll up to 22
- Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:03:21 GMT

The number of deaths after a train carrying gas tanks exploded in northern Italy on Monday rises to 22.

Anger at rail inquests decision
- Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:38:20 GMT

Lawyers for the families of the Potters Bar and Grayrigg rail crash victims attack the decision to hold separate inquests.

The ghosts haunting British roads
- Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:24:32 GMT

Haunting memorials are appearing at roadsides across Britain. The white skeletal shrines, known as "ghost bikes", mark the spot where a cyclist has been killed. Why?

Chemical fire residents go home
- Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:00:48 GMT

About 170 people are allowed to return home after being taken to a refuge centre after a major fire at packaging factory.

Crash survivor killer loses claim
- Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:42:21 GMT

A man who claimed the trauma from a rail crash caused him to kill has no right to claim compensation, Law Lords rule.


Learning from Operational Experience

Do we learn all we can from the accidents and safety-related incidents on our railway?

All safety-related incidents on the mainline railway are reported through the industry’s Safety Management Information System (SMIS). The more serious events, and those with more widespread implications, are subject to local and formal investigations and – in some cases – investigations by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB). But do we really learn as much from these incidents as we could?

We asked the industry in 2005 and ‘Learning from Operational Experience’ was highlighted as the Number One area in which RSSB should be involved. To find out more about what the industry really wanted from us, we held a workshop and started a period of consultation with key industry players. From this came a number of ideas, including the strong acknowledgement that we need to look beyond accidents to other incidents from which safety lessons can be obtained. The Learning from Operational Experience Framework and Programme were therefore born:

THE LEARNING FROM OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE (LOE) FRAMEWORK
(note: hover mouse over the various sections of the image for their descriptions).

THE LEARNING FROM OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE (LOE) FRAMEWORK

"Learning from Operational Experience" covers the knowledge and lessons that can be learnt from the full range of safety-related events that occur during the operation and maintenance of our railway – and indeed other railways and industries.

The Framework diagram shows that the links between strategy, culture and the core themes are signalled for bi-directional running. Information coming to light in any core theme has the potential to influence developing strategy or changing culture, while strategy and culture can affect how core themes are carried out. For a similar reason, the diagram also depicts a two-way relationship between strategy and culture, since either aspect may inform or influence the other.

RSSB’s Learning from Operational Experience Programme will cover work under the Framework that, through consultation, our stakeholders identify as appropriate for us to perform, facilitate or assist with.

Strategy, covering the ideas and initiatives that are devised and applied to one or more of the core themes, with the aim of improving its effectiveness or efficiency Data collection, covering all aspects of information gathering from accidents or safety-related incidents Analysis, covering all aspects of how this information is turned into intelligence Dissemination, covering the means and methods by which the intelligence is directed to those who need to be aware of it Action, covering the range and type of response to the conclusions and recommendations from intelligence gathering, analysis and investigations Review, covering the processes by which actions are assessed for their effectiveness Culture, referring to the social and organisational beliefs and behaviours, which will have an influence on how the core themes are performed