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Human factors rail sites

ORR is not responsible for and cannot guarantee the accuracy of information on sites that it does not manage; and a hyperlink does not mean that ORR has endorsed the linked site.

  • Confidential Independent Reporting and Analysis System (CIRAS)-CIRAS is an alternative way for rail industry staff to report safety concerns that they feel unable to report through company safety channels. It is a completely independent and confidential way to report safety concerns without fear of recrimination.
  • Rail Research UK-The Universities centre for railway systems research (RRUK), provides a strong and coherent engineering science base for railway systems research in the UK, located in a number of universities acting in a coordinated way. It brings together researchers, representatives from industry and policymakers to help define, prioritise and guide research, and use the results to challenge policy, inform policy development and improve industry practice. It is supported by EPSRC.
  • Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) - Human factors-RSSB's Human Factors team of ten specialists works to support the rail industry by providing expertise through technical input to research, the development of Railway Group Standards, supporting formal inquiries and the development of new systems such as ERTMS and GSM-R. More widely, the human factors team acts as a resource for the railway industry by helping companies to deal with their own human factors issues.
  • The Yellow Book - Engineering safety management-This website describes engineering safety management for the UK's railways and has an electronic version of the Yellow Book. There is a series of application notes, each providing more detailed, practical guildance on a particular topic. One of these is called "Human Error: causes, consequences and mitigations".
  • Transportation Research Board (US)-A Division of the US National Research Council searves an independent adviser to the federal government and others on scientific and technical questions of national importance. Its mission is to promote innovation and progress in transportation through research.
  • Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)-Makes known and enforces rail safety regulations; administers railroad assistance programs; conducts research and development in support of improved railroad safety and national rail transportation policy; provides for the rehabilitation of Northeast Corridor rail passenger service and consolidates government support of rail transportation activities. The FRA funds a significant amount of human factors research and allows download of many reports.
  • Volpe National Transportation Systems Center - Operator Performance and Safety Analysis Division (OPSAD)-OPSAD resolves problems across all transportation modes by performing research to analyse relationship between human behaviour and transportation safety and productivity. Research reports relating to rail Human Factors issues can be downloaded.
  • Transport Canada - Transport Development Centre-Provides access to Transport Canada's R&D programme which focuses on the human factors affecting operator performance and on the ergonomic design of systems and equipment. covering all transportation modes, the research is designed to optimize the safety, productivity, and capacity of human-machine systems.
  • US Transportation Safety Board-NTSB is an independent Federal agency charged by congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the US and significant accidents involving other modes of transport - railroad, highway, marine and pipeline. The issue safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents.
  • Highway Code - Main page
  • Highway Code - Level crossings
  • Network Rail - Level crossings