Safe Insights: Putting the AI in rail

March 2025 was a watershed moment for rail’s safety data. After more than 25 years of the Safety Management Intelligence System (SMIS) being used to collect and analyse data on safety-related incidents, it was superseded by Safe Insights. Safe Insights took the best bits of SMIS and set them in a new AI-powered platform that leverages the latest technology. 

Strategic value and industry impact

Safe Insights is now GB rail’s source of high-quality safety event data. All mainline train and freight operating companies use it, collectively reporting around 70,000 accidents, incidents, and precursor events every year. This data is invaluable as it underpins the industry’s risk and evidence-based approach to safety management and supports network-wide safety monitoring, risk analysis, and decision-making.  

Key differentiators

In addition to the committed inputters that make Safe Insights possible, its AI features set the system apart. It uses AI to streamline event reporting by analysing user narratives in real time and suggesting the most relevant event templates. Users are relishing this feature, which resolves one of the bugbears they had with its predecessor. Freightliner Group, an early adopter, commented that the use of AI and intuitive design markedly speeds up reporting.

But users are set to benefit from an even slicker system in the months ahead, thanks to AI. RSSB is enhancing Safe Insights so it can pre-populate priority fields such as location type and risk profile. As part of this programme of work, the team will also add the capability to flag potential conflicts for user validation. 

And still, there’s more that AI can do to support efficiency and data quality, such as automate summarisation of narratives and live record quality scoring at entry. So, the team will constantly look out for developmental opportunities while maintaining a high level of oversight with human assurance and validation. 

User-centric design

These AI features are designed to support human judgement to ensure a smooth, intuitive user experience that generates accurate data. Because, in essence, Safe Insights has been built for users. RSSB designed and developed this integrated, forwarding-thinking system with end-users’ needs, preferences, and goals in mind. As a result, the benefits extend beyond the features mentioned.

For instance, because Safe Insights was developed in-house, the team ‘owns’ it and can ensure it advances to meet users’ evolving needs. This can be seen in a bespoke feature they’re developing which enables users to collaborate with other rail organisations that hold key information about their safety event. This was much trickier with SMIS. Meanwhile, Safe Insights’ Application Programming Interface functionality has been enabled to support quicker data sharing between Safe Insights and stakeholders. This limits the need for double entry, saving users time and resource.

Additionally, the Safe Insights reporting tool is built in the Microsoft Platform, allowing the team to make use of an integrated ecosystem of industry standard best-in-class tools and services. This has allowed them to deliver an integrated user experience, so users can find guidance, get live feedback, and see a summary of outstanding data quality issues in one system. Add to that, Microsoft Power BI is now available to users for data reporting and analysis.

Johnny Schute, RSSB’s Chief Operating Officer, says: ‘Following a period of industry user acceptance testing, and a successful pilot run, Safe Insights replaced SMIS in March this year. 

‘Safe Insights was built by RSSB’s in-house development team. Having full control of the system meant that issues and suggestions for improvement that arose from testing could be addressed ahead of the wider roll-out, which has delighted users and boosted confidence in the system. 

‘Users were supported in the transition between SMIS and Safe Insights via a series of training sessions and drop-in surgeries, as well as a dedicated team of account managers on hand to answer queries as they arose.

‘It’s been a commendable effort by all those involved, and we trust Safe Insights will serve industry well for years to come.’