Assaults on staff

How many staff are assaulted each year?

In 2007 there were 168 incidents of Work Related Violence (WRV) reported to ORR’s HM Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. The graph below gives details of WRV over the past five years.  

Work Related Violence definitions

We define WRV as 'any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work'.

Due to industry concerns over inconsistency of reporting, new clearer definitions and associated guidance – Reporting and recording assaults on rail staff – were agreed by the RSSB-convened Rail Personal Security Group in May 2004.

Industry initiatives

The Rail Personal Security Group was set up in August 2003 to raise the profile of personal security issues and to encourage sharing of best practice within the industry. The group also acts as the main stakeholder for RSSB research into WRV, recent outputs of which include reports on the benefits of complimentary policing initiatives, the management of football fans on the railway and conflict avoidance training for front line staff. The latter included the production of a training DVD “Stop Work Related Violence –SWeRVe”. Membership of the RPSG includes a number of key stakeholders.

Prevention, control and investigation of violence towards members of the public using the railways is not the responsibility of HMRI. These incidents are dealt with by the British Transport Police (BTP), who are also involved in the investigation and prevention of staff assaults

The Department for Transport (DfT) “Secure Stations” scheme gives advice on measures that can be taken to reduce WRV and awards “secure stations status” to stations reaching specified standards.

Our strategy

Our inspectors continue to press for a high and consistent level of compliance when assessing the management arrangements of individual train operating companies (TOCs) in respect to WRV. Further information on our strategy for the prevention of WRV can be found in our employee safety strategy.

Last updated: 10 September 2008

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