ONRSR has today released an Australian first Code of Practice – Level Crossings and Train Visibility. Australia’s Infrastructure and Transport Ministers tasked ONRSR with developing the code as part of a suite of actions that are needed by governments, industry and regulators to improve level crossing safety. The code is the result of engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including those with lived experience of rail collisions, industry representatives, unions, governments, and subject matter experts and provides the Australian rail industry with best practice guidance to support operators to strengthen the controls in place to address the safety risks posed by level crossings. It is not a ‘silver bullet’ but a well-considered and responsibly developed safety tool backed by a significant body of independent research which will help address part of the level crossing safety challenge. You can download a copy of the Code and view a series of related documents and resources via this link https://lnkd.in/g-bm4U-c.
I know I am only one small voice, but, it saddens me to think that as an industry we knowlingly expose members of the public to these high risk situations - where there are significant HF issues at play mostly for the road user who might not be as aware of these risks as others, so are ignorant to some respect of the risks. And then we have the group of people who are regular users who do not see those risks as their interaction with trains is low. And then we build intersections that are patently wrong - forcing road trains and longer vehicles to stop at the T junction whilst their load is across the track - how can we as a society accept that this is an engineered arrangement that essentially ignores the risk? How many more deaths and near misses need to occur before someone calls out the elephant in the room? There are novel and lower cost active solutions out there - there is just not the will or expertise within railways anymore to be the first to install and assess. Take care out there anyone using a level crossing as displayed in this post - they may well become your worst nightmare. PS - and I'm wondering if the photographer had any protection arrangements in place for their safety....
Rod Beasley
1w
Yes there are many aspects to Railway level Crossing Incidents but the most outstanding one is the failure of many road users to respect the level crossing & the signage displayed, especially heavy vehicles. As a Train Driver of some 42 years I'm sick to death of ignorant road users & again particularly heavy vehicles putting mine & my co workers lives at risk to save a few seconds of their time!
Glen H
2w
About time! But the only way to ensure level crossing safety is eliminating them. Grade separation!
Glenn Fraser
1w
Congratulations! ONRSR.
Fantastic update
Karen Ashton
1d
Congrats!
Rail Safety Advocate
2wCoronial recommendations following the triple fatality that claimed the life of my brother and his friends in 2000. How many more people have to needlessly die?