06 Sep 2023
RISSB announces 2023/24 Work Plan
The Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB) has released details of its 2023/ 24 work plan which includes a number of projects that will assist the industry to be safer, more productive and more sustainable.
This year’s Work Plan has been developed with a number of key changes being introduced into the development process, that have been informed by extensive engagement with industry and government.
Whilst there’s been many improvements introduced into the Australian rail industry through the development and adoption of RISSB’s standards and other products over a number of years, continued innovation is required in order for rail to improve its safety, productivity and sustainability outcomes.
Key changes to the development of RISSB’s 2023/24 Work Plan include;
- Identifying industry safety risks informed by the Australian Rail Industry Risk Model (the rail industry’s only quantified risk tool)
- Informed by engagement with industry leaders and governments
- Inclusion of national priorities relating to rail inter-operability and harmonisation
- ONRSR’s national priorities
- Major incident investigations
- A focus on adoption and benefit realisation.
Another significant change, informed through engagement with industry leaders and governments, is an increased focus on product adoption and benefit realisation. The work that RISSB undertakes is valuable, and we know we can add further value by having a greater emphasis on helping industry realise the benefits of RISSB products.
Barriers to adoption are now being identified during the Work Plan development process, and benefit realisation opportunities are being identified for RISSB to assist members during the implementation process. These opportunities can include undertaking a gap analysis of the old standard compared to the requirements of the new standard, the provision of targeted training, and the development of procedures and work instructions to assist members imbed RISSB products into their operations.
The 2023/24 Work Plan can be found here, and as always, we invite feedback on their Work Plan (info@rissb.com.au), particularly ideas that can assist in improving product adoption and benefit realisation.