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Press Releases16/11/2007ROGS ‘One-Year-On’ Conference – a shared learning experienceManagers and trade union representatives from across the rail industry gathered in London last week to share practical experience of the new ROGS safety regulations, twelve months after their implementation. The conference was held at the Wellcome Centre on 8 November 2007 and was jointly organised by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). The interactive event provided rail company managers, workforce representatives and personnel from the ORR with the opportunity to hear structured presentations on lessons learnt to date, plans for future development, support tools and guidance and to participate in discussions with topic experts. Delegates were also able to learn more about new developments in the field of health and safety in the supporting exhibition. The event was also the platform for RSSB to launch the ‘Duty of Cooperation’ Guide and ORR ‘A Guide to ROGS’, which have been recently developed to support the rail industry’s implementation of obligations. John Abbott, Director of National Programmes at RSSB, explains: “The implementation of the ROGS regulations in 2006 represented the biggest change in heath and safety regulations for the railway system since the Railway Safety Case regulations in 1993.” “The conference provided the opportunity for the entire rail industry to share its collective knowledge and experience after twelve months’ operation of the new regime, as well as learn more about new tools and guidance which have been developed to facilitate further improvements in safety performance going forward.” “What was clear from the conference is that the regulator has worked very closely with the industry to smoothly implement the new regulations, and the rail companies are grasping the opportunity provided by the new regime to both modernise their approach to safety management and work together much more closely to plan and deliver practical safety improvements.” Delegates at the RSSB-sponsored conference heard from Network Rail, EWS, Southern and Grant Rail on their experience of ROGS. Further insight into the new regime was also provided by the ORR, RMT, ASLEF and the European Rail Agency (ERA). In addition to the informative presentations, delegates also participated in specialist breakout workshops on key aspects of ROGS; Safety Verification and Interoperability, Safety Critical Work, Annual Safety Reporting and Duty of Cooperation and System Safety. A brief insight was also given by the ERA into developments within the European
Union which will have a significant impact on the development of safety management
systems in Britain. -Ends-For further information, please contact the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) press office, on 020 7904 7524 / 7525 / 7593 or visit the website on www.rssb.co.uk Notes to editors:
The ROGS Regulations also combine national provisions for non-mainline railways to maintain a SMS and to ensure the ‘initial integrity’ (ie safe design) of new and altered vehicles and infrastructure, through a process of safety verification. Also, the ROGS Regulations implement recommendations, from Lord Cullen’s Public Inquiry into the railway collision at Ladbroke Grove, on the control of safety critical work.
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