Monitoring and evaluation of the The Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006
ORR has commissioned Bomel Ltd to undertake a three-year monitoring and evaluation exercise of the performance and impact of the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 (ROGS).
A report on the first stage of the project monitoring the impact of the regulations is available. The report captures both the qualitative and quantitative data gathered by the researchers from those affected by the regulations, for example, Network Rail, train operating companies, tramways and heritage operators. The research explores specific areas of the regulations and reactions to those. It provides a summary of discussions held with industry and an analysis of responses to a survey.
Early findings are that:
- Most respondents agreed or strongly agreed that standards of safety have, so far, been maintained under ROGS.
- Respondents said that compared with maintaining a safety case the costs of maintaining a SMS under ROGS were either similar or less expensive.
- Respondents believed that, so far, the safety verification elements of ROGS had either not affected, or had improved, safety.
- ROGS is starting to change the way industry is managing safety, with some organisations developing better company standards rather than relying on the content of their safety case. Respondents also said that the regulations place a greater emphasis on the requirement to have robust safety management systems in place and increase the focus on certain specific issues such as managing fatigue in safety critical workers.
- ROGS appear to be impacting on safety-related decision making by, for example, intiating a review of change management processes.
ORR will consider the results of the baseline and decide whether any further action needs to be taken to help with implementation. ORR has already worked with industry to develop new guidance on how to comply with the regulations. The guide has achieved the Plain English Campaign's Crystal Mark.
Work is underway on the second phase of the project which will check progress against the baseline. The second report will also be published on our website.
