Network Rail - Network Rail Safety - K

Network Rail - K

Network Rail Safety

While generally good, the safety record of the company was marred in February 2007 when a Virgin express derailed at Grayrigg in Cumbria. Network Rail admitted responsibility for the incident. The RAIB investigation concluded in 2009 that a faulty set of points had caused the derailment.

In 2012 the Office of Rail Regulation announced that Network Rail was to be prosecuted under the Health and Safety Act for "failure to provide and implement suitable and sufficient standards, procedures, guidance, training, tools and resources for the inspection and maintenance of fixed stretcher bar points". Network Rail pleaded guilty and were fined £4.1 million including legal costs.

In December 2005, two young girls were killed by a train as they were crossing the railway line via a pedestrian level crossing at Elsenham in Essex. Network Rail was prosecuted for breaching health and safety law and fined £1 million in March 2012. The court heard that risk assessments carried out by Network Rail staff in 2002 had identified potential dangers with the crossing and recommended the installation of gates that would lock automatically as trains approached, but this was not acted upon.

Many track safety initiatives have been introduced in the time Network Rail has been operational. One high-profile measure, announced in December 2008, known as "All Orange", states that all track personnel must not only wear orange hi-vis waistcoats or jackets, but must also wear orange hi-vis trousers at all times when working on or near the track. This ruling came into force in January 2009 for maintenance and property workers and in April 2009 for infrastructure and investment sites.

All workers working on or near the line or trackside have to pass a medical assessment and a drug and alcohol test. They must also sit a Personal Track Safety training course and undergo assessment to be issued with a PTS card (reassessment is required every two years).

Network Rail workers undergo periodic assessments as part of the Skills Assessment Scheme, formerly called the AITL process (Assessment in the Line). This requires each worker to go through questions on a computer based program on all the competencies held.

Network Rail Overview

Network Rail Type: Government-owned company/non-departmental public body

(incorporated as a private company limited by guarantee without share capital)

Network Rail Industry: Rail infrastructure and asset management

Network Rail Predecessor: Railtrack

Network Rail Founded: October 2002, 21 years ago

Network Rail Successor: Great British Railways (from 2024)

Network Rail Headquarters: 1 Eversholt Street

London

NW1 2DN

Network Rail Key People:

Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (chairman)

Andrew Haines (CEO)

Ric Scott (Highland Area LOM)

Network Rail Products: Public transport

Network Rail Revenue: £6.6 billion (2019)

Network Rail Owner: HM Government (Department for Transport)

Network Rail Number of Employees: 42,099 (2020)

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