ACCIDENTS UNDER-REPORTED AT NETWORK RAIL

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2011 :: RMTnews 24 An independent investigation carried out by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) has concluded that up to 40 per cent of lost-time injuries to workers in Network Rail and its contractor companies over the past five years have not been reported as required by law. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that the report confirmed what RMT had been warning of for a number of years – that the commercialis- ation of rail infrastructure has created a climate where business-led targets have overridden safety reporting. “The report is a wake up call for the government which is under pressure from within its own ranks to re-privatise Network Rail creating the nightmare prospect of Railtrack Two – dragging the organisation even further away from the ethos of public service and setting us on course for a return to the dark days of Hatfield and Potters Bar. “The last thing we need now is another poisonous dose of privatisation,” he said. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) requires employers to report to the relevant enforcing authority any workplace accidents which cause major injuries to workers or injuries which prevent the workers from undertaking their full range of normal duties for more than three days. The RSSB investigation arose out of concerns expressed by the Office of Rail Regulation in their 2010 Health and Safety Report regarding the ratio of major injuries compared to the reportable three day lost time injuries within Network Rail, which seemed very high in comparison with other industries. The RSSB report states this has occurred because of pressure of work and, in some cases, fear felt by Network Rail staff and contractors if they report accidents or incidents. These pressures have arisen from the implementation of an overall strategy for safety based upon the use of safety targets, league tables and contractual requirements linked to the number of reported lost time injuries. Other management actions, such as the frequent company re-organisations and procurement practices leading to job insecurities, the strict application of a punitive attendance policy, and financial disincentives such as loss of overtime etc. Part of the investigation involved confidential interviews with managers and staff, during which many expressed the view that Network Rail was not a company where an open and active dialogue can be held about accidents/incidents or safety concerns without fear of reprisals. There was also some evidence that local managers were under pressure to get the job done, which in some cases could have led to safety and safety reporting being compromised. A culture of fear was also found within the Network Rail’s contractors which employs around 65,000 staff on various aspects of railway infrastructure work, increasingly on a temporary or casual basis. Amongst companies and individuals alike, there was a strong belief they would be less likely to be selected for work if they reported a lost-time injury. The workers also had the added disincentive of being stood off without pay during the course of any related investigations into the accident. The report puts forward a number of suggested actions that Network Rail could take to promote a better safety and reporting culture, and RMT will be meeting with the company to discuss these over the coming months. “The report makes clear than in the kind of cuts led environment that has dogged Network Rail in recent years bullying and corner cutting are rife with potentially dire consequences. “Now is the time to pull back from the brink, protect and increase the investment in Network Rail and rebuild the organisation as the crucial public infrastructure service that we need to take our railways into the future,” Bob said. ACCIDENTS UNDER-REPORTED AT NETWORK RAIL RMT demands end to commercialisation of rail infrastructure as rail report exposes under-reporting of injuries