RISSB's Rail Safety Conference
31 March - 1 April 2020
Keynote Speakers Confirmed

RISSB has released details of its keynote speakers for this year's Rail Safety Conference. 

Allan Spence, Chief Quality Health, Safety and Environment Officer, Network Rail (UK) joins David Evans, Check and Training Captain Airbus A380, Qantas.

The two keynotes join an already impressive speaker line-up including:

• Sandra Wilson-Ryke, SQE Director, Keolis Downer
• Tilo Franz, General Manager, Operations & Maintenance, CMET
• Scott Cornish, Executive General Manager, Safety, Risk and Assurance, Queensland Rail
• John Langron, Rail Safety Manager, Sydney Metro
• Rachel Wood, Lead Investigator – Rail Safety, Transdev Auckland
• Simon Vaux, Director, Digital Engineering, Transport for NSW
• Jamie Dean, Assurance & Improvement Manager
  Country Regional Network, John Holland
• Paul Nheu, Systems Assurance Manager, Digital Systems Program, Transport for NSW
• Nafiseh Esmaeeli, University of Alberta, Canada

The official conference program is expected to be released within the next 10 days.  Until then, if you want more information, please visit the official conference page to register to attend, explore sponsorship or exhibition opportunities or find a list of confirmed speakers.

Rail Safety Investigation Course (NSW) 17-20 February 2020

Have you registered to attend RISSB's Rail Safety Investigation Course?

The Rail Safety Investigation Course is an engaging and interactive foundation training course that provides participants with an understanding of the principles, methods, processes and legal requirements for investigating rail safety.

The course covers:
• Legal Requirements to Investigate
• Rail Safety Investigation Principles
• Investigations Processes
• Severity and Planning the Investigation
• Evidence Collection
• Evidence Analysis
• How to Structure/Present an Investigation Report.

Upon successful completion of the Rail Safety Investigation Course, participants will receive a Statement of Attainment for the nationally accredited unit of competence for TLIF5017 – Investigate Rail Safety Incidents.

For more information about this course, click on this link.

To book a place in this course, click on the 'Book Now' button in the purple Training and Events box.

Current Public Consultations

AS 7724 Unauthorized movement protection – Operational requirements

Rail Cyber Security for Rolling Stock Train Control Systems Code of Practice

AS 7703 Railway signalling – Power supplies

AS 7704 Train control systems change management & AS 1085.21 Railway track material Part 21: Turnouts, switches and crossings

AS 7511 Onboard Train Protection Systems

Security Handbook Volumes 1 & 2 Guideline 

This review is currently underway and the next meeting of the Development Group will be in Sydney in February.  The main changes to the handbook are updates to the Risk Management Standard and to the National Threat Advisory System.  It is hoped to have a final draft after that meeting.

AS 7473 Complex System Integration in Railways

Feedback received is now being considered by the Development Group.  It is hoped that the Development Group will meet and review the latest draft in February.  It is hoped to have the document finalised in the first half of this year.

AS 7474 Systems Safety Assurance

This has been a slightly different Standard, with a Guideline prepared by a Development Group in 2018 informing the development of this Standard.  

An initial draft Standard has been prepared and is currently being reviewed by the Development Group who will meet next month.  Luckily, many members of the Guideline Development Group are now working with RISSB to develop the Standard, thus ensuring a consistent approach.

Network Operations and Performance Guideline

This Development Group is working diligently to develop a Guideline to assist industry with consistent and SMART key performance indicators.  The group will meet at the end of January with the intent of having a robust draft for final review at the end of that session.

Welcome New Members

A warm welcome to Rail Confidence Pty Ltd who officially became a RISSB member last Friday.

About Rail Confidence Pty Ltd
Rail Confidence is an independent rolling stock specific engineering consultancy.
We are project managers, consultants, engineers and technical specialists who offer a broad range of services to the rail industry. Rail Confidence is firmly grounded in the expertise of our staff.

Our experience includes technical analysis, rollingstock assurance, feasibility studies, project management, and design services.

Our consulting approach is distinguished by a combination of industry expertise, strategic specialisation, analytical rigour, and proven implementation that is customised to each client engagement.

Become a member of RISSB today and gain access to more than 200 products and discounts on courses and events. 

Visit https://www.rissb.com.au/membership/ for more information.

Rail Safety Investigation Course 
17 - 20 February 2020

Location: Chullora, NSW

RISSB's Rail Safety Conference 2020 
31 March - 1 April 2020

Location: Sydney, NSW

Every week we'll be introducing our new Horizons 2 participants to you. This week say hello to Khin H Lwin, Stephen Bragg and Joel Mann.

My name is Khin H Lwin, a Senior Systems Engineer working for Transport of NSW.

My job involves implementing Systems Engineering principles and practices to enable the successful delivery of rail projects. I’ve always loved working in the rail industry as it not only connects people and support businesses but also contributes to our country’s economy success.

I’d like to be in the position to influence the strategic development of the multi-modal and integrated transport system for Sydney using systems thinking, and system engineering processes and practices. 

My Name is Stephen Bragg, I’m a civil engineer working for Aurecon (engineering consultancy) in Brisbane in the Rail Infrastructure Unit.

My role within Aurecon is to assist with the design of rail infrastructure such as stabling yards, rail maintence centres and new rail alignments.

The rail industry interest me because rail transport can provide better connected communities and cities while having a smaller physical footprint compared against other transport modes such as road networks. 

Five years from now I would like to have an extended technical knowledge of the rail industry and would like to be working on the design of either a major freight rail project or major passenger rail project.  

I’m Joel Mann and I work as a Senior Policy Analyst at the National Transport Commission.

In my role I am responsible for operating pricing models in the roads sector for heavy vehicles, as well as assisting other areas of the organisation with economic modelling or other quantitative analysis.

I am interested in learning more about rail as part of the Horizons program, since my past work experience has been in other network infrastructure sectors such as roads and telecommunications.