Railway watchdog issues safety notice to Iarnród Éireann

The Railway Accident Investigation Unit (RAIU) has issued a safety notice to Iarnród Éireann, emphasizing the importance of conducting thorough planning before work is conducted on the railway. This notice followed a near miss incident on July 13, where two workers narrowly avoided a fast approaching train with just seconds to spare while working under red zone conditions.

The RAIU advised that a Safe System of Work (SSOW) must be meticulously planned, with red zone working as a last resort when all safer options have been exhausted. Red zone working refers to the scenario where the railway line remains completely open to trains traveling at normal speeds without any restrictions.

The incident occurred on a section of the track classified as medium risk, and the insufficient sighting distance prevented the workers from reaching a safe position in time. The RAIU stressed that any SSOW must be reviewed and authorized before work begins, ensuring that necessary protection arrangements are in place. They also provided guidelines for track safety coordinators, emphasizing the need for training, assessment, and competence in their roles.

The rail network is divided into risk-graded sections, and the RAIU highlighted three main hazards for workers - sighting distance to approach trains, train frequency, and the position of safety, which requires a safety distance of at least 1.5 meters from the nearest rail. The watchdog also noted that multiple near miss incidents have occurred on the network, with several cases resolved with less than three seconds remaining.

Iarnród Éireann acknowledged the progress made in addressing the safety concerns, including moving track patrolling out of live running conditions and implementing new pre-access compliance check procedures. The company has also invested over €10 million in infrastructural improvements and enhanced use of technology to minimize exposure on the tracks.