Safety critical work

The Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 (ROGS) will contain provisions for the management of safety critical workers with respect to their competence, fitness and fatigue.

The requirements are found in Part 4 of ROGS. In the most part, these include continuing provisions from the existing Safety Critical Work Regulations 1994 (SCWR), plus new provisions on the control of fatigue (arising from Lord Cullen’s recommendations, following his inquiry into the collision at Ladbroke Grove). The new provisions on fatigue are supported by guidance.

The requirements of Part 4 of ROGS will apply to all dutyholders working on a transport system, for example, track contractors. Dutyholders with an established Safety Management System (SMS) must also detail how safety critical work is managed.

Safety critical tasks must be carried out by a competent person, and include driving and dispatching trains, signalling, installation of components and maintenance, ensuring safety of persons working on the track (provision of protection), etc. Any worker carrying out safety critical work as part of practical training, for the purpose of obtaining experience towards developing competence as a safety critical worker, must be supervised by a competent safety critical worker.