Rail Health and Safety Strategy

Striving for the healthiest, safest affordable railway in the world

Working together is the best way to improve safety and health. The Rail Health and Safety Strategy (the Strategy) builds on previous work and sets out the plan for the next five-years.

Drawn on detailed consultation across the industry, it identifies challenges and opportunities for improvement. It covers five key risk areas including, public behaviour, operations, asset management, occupational health and safety, and health and wellbeing.

Through collaboration it aims to shape the future culture of rail based on three key principles. These are improving performance and accessibility, finding better ways of managing safety risks, and improving the environmental conditions for staff.

Together, we can achieve the vision created by industry for industry: the world's healthiest, safest and affordable railway.

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The Rail Health and Safety Strategy

Click to read Rail Health and Safety Strategy 2024 - 2029

Track the progress on Rail Health and Safety

Follow the advancements of the Rail Health and Safety Strategy in our detailed Delivery Plan. Explore projects and five-year goals tackling key risks like fatigue, passenger operations, and occupational health.

Review quarterly progress updates for each activity, conveniently summarised in our 'Plan on a Page'.

View progress

Rail Health and Safety Strategy Topics

Asset Integrity

Railway assets presents complex challenges. Managing assets as a system, not in isolation, collaboration, and a consistent approach are crucial. Find resources and information to overcome these challenges.

Fatigue

Fatigue is a hidden risk across rail operations. We're working towards work practices that minimize fatigue impact. Here we provide essential resources and tools to help manage fatigue risk.

Freight Safety

To deliver the freight traffic growth set by government, requires reliable and safe delivery of services. By collecting and analysing performance and condition data we can identify and prioritise fright safety risks and work towards this goal.

Health and Wellbeing

There is no safety without health. Find out how the industry is coming together to achieve greater business and industry benefits by working together on health and wellbeing.

Level Crossings

Find out how risk and harm around level crossings can be reduced by focusing on closures, upgrades, new technologies and educational campaigns.

Occupational Health and Safety

Learn about the initiatives that will help achieve ‘a safer, healthier, and better work environment’. They include rolling out new technology to improve efficiency and safety, and sharing knowledge for better safety across all stages of work.

Passenger Operations

The strategy will aim to make rail travel a practical and attractive option for all. See how passengers, public, and workforce safety will be improved by empower the workforce and improving customers’ risk awareness.

Passenger and Staff Assaults

Find out how through collaboration, data analysis, and new technology industry will work towards an environment where work related violence ceases to be a key risk.

Train Operations

Learn how the Strategy will tackle train operation risks by improving data quality, enhancing red aspect understanding and a strong train protection strategy.

Trespass and Suicide

The strategy aims to deliver a continuous sustainable reduction in trespass and suicide. Find out how better data, communication, partnerships, training, technology, and public awareness will work towards this goal.

Common Solutions

Learn about the common solutions that cut across all health and safety risk areas and will enable efficient and effective health and safety management.

Additional information

Relevant Risk Groups
System Safety Risk Group

Rail Wellbeing Alliance