Health and Wellbeing

RSSB’s public health capability supports rail in managing risks to the health of staff and passengers, including managing contagious disease on the network. Public health is defined as the science of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organised efforts and informed choices by societies, governments, organisations, and individuals. 

The rail industry manages its health and safety risks and responsibilities with great care. We recognise that there is more we can do in areas such as Vibration, Noise, Dusts and Emissions. The industry is working hard to develop better management techniques in these areas.

Environments and practices that support healthy lifestyles are important for employee wellbeing, performance and safety. Here we provide resources to help create a healthier environment for employees and enable lifestyle choices that support optimal health and wellbeing.

Mental health and wellbeing are serious issues across the country, affecting all areas of society. Discover the range of tools, training and resources we’ve designed to help manage and prevent mental ill-health in the rail industry.

Health practitioners’ experience and advice can play a large part in improving health and wellbeing attainment within rail. A strategic voice of health professionals, sound standards of health provision and access, at a good price, to expertise are all needed to drive health benefits for rail workers.

An effective method for managing risks is to design out the hazards related to new or renewed assets and processes. RSSB has developed resources to support capability improvements in health by design.

Keeping passengers and members of the public safe is at the heart of what we do. We look across the network - at engineering, operations and management systems - to identify tactical and strategic opportunities to reduce risks.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a broad term used to describe injuries and or conditions that can affect our musculoskeletal system. This could be bones, joints and ligaments, muscles or tendons. MSDs are characterised by symptoms such as pain and discomfort, stiffness, or loss of mobility. The onset of MSDs can be through a one off, traumatic event or underlying condition, but often they can occur spontaneously without any warning. 

Data has helped make Britain’s railways one of the safest in the world. We want to do the same for safety. RSSB are working with members from across the industry to implement a health and wellbeing data programme, to improve the lives of the industry’s workforce.