ACT ON MARGAM REPORT

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: january 2021 :: RMTnews 4 RMT is calling for the establishment of a new body to oversee the Rail Accident Investigation Branch's (RAIB) recommendations in the wake of publication of its report into the Margam Port Talbot rail tragedy in which two union members were killed. On the morning of Wednesday July 3 2019, the two track workers were struck and fatally injured by a passenger train at Margam East Junction on the South Wales main line. A third track worker came very close to being struck. The three workers, who were part of a group of six staff, were carrying out a maintenance task on a set of points. The union has written the Chief Executives of Network Rail, the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and to HM Chief Inspector of Railways at Office of Road and Rail (ORR) calling for a group to be formed to oversee the rail industry response to the tragedy. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that all of the recommendations made by RAIB in their report have implications for RMT members either in how they work or how their safety is managed. “In particular the report recognises the role of trade unions in establishing and maintaining safe systems of work. “Many of the concerns identified have been issues our representatives have raised over the years with the employers and the safety authorities. It is also clear to us that some of the implications of the report’s recommendations may also have an affect on our members’ terms and conditions of employment. “Network Rail has previously been unable to accept the need for oversight of its safety improvement programmes. This report demonstrates Network Rail’s failures over recent years to provide our members with a safe working environment. “RMT is calling for the establishment of a new body to oversee the RAIB’s recommendations to ensure track worker safety so that our members will not be exposed to such risks in the future,” he said. RAIB made a numbers of recommendations in its latest report including: • improving its safe work planning processes and the monitoring and supervision of maintenance staff (three recommendations) • renewing the focus on developing the safety behaviours of all its front- line track maintenance staff, their supervisors and managers • establishing an independent expert group to provide continuity of vision, guidance and challenge to its initiatives to improve track worker safety • improving the safety reporting culture • improving the assurance processes, the quality of information available to senior management, and processes for assessing the impact of changes to working practices of front- line staff (three recommendations). ACT ON MARGAM REPORT RMT calls for establishment of rail industry group to oversee response to Port Talbot rail tragedy report