RISSB Connect Edition 66, June 2024

Edition 66 June 2024 

INSIDE THIS EDITION

+ CEO message
+ Campaigns helping improve level crossing safety in Australia
+ An update of AS 7505 Signal Detection & Interface
+ A bulk review of AS 1085 Railway Track Materials
+ Melbourne Investigate Rail Safety Course open for registration 
+ Member Spotlight

CEO MESSAGE

This week we begin the communications process with industry for the introduction of the revised National Standard for Health Assessment of Rail Safety Workers and the associated Authorised Health Professional (AHP) Program.

The new AHP Program has been developed in consultation with the National Transport Commission to address issues raised in the recent review of the Standard. It has also drawn on input from Rail Transport Operators and the Chief Medical Officers Council to ensure the program meets the needs of AHPs and industry.

A new AHP Program will be introduced in parallel with the new Standard. The new Program is designed to further improve the support to Authorised Health Professionals and to industry, while also facilitating access to suitably trained and experienced AHPs for Rail Transport Operators and rail safety workers.

These changes are designed to ensure that the rail industry’s approach to rail worker safety remains contemporary, and supports the highest levels of safety for industry.

Keep an eye out on our channels this week for more information.

Damien White
RISSB CEO

GENERAL NEWS

Campaigns helping improve level crossing safety in Australia

Last Thursday was International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD), a worldwide initiative to improve awareness of level crossing safety. This week, we want to highlight some of the important campaigns currently helping improve level crossing safety in Australia.

Last week, Aurizon launched a major national level crossing community education and awareness campaign, Respect the sign. Lives are on the line. The campaign is told through the eyes of those directly impacted by level crossing events, with a goal to raise awareness about the importance of level crossing safety, among motorists, truck drivers, pedestrians and local communities.

Also in recent weeks, the Australian Government launched their own Regional Railway Crossing Safety Campaign as part of its commitment to improve safety around regional railway crossings. The campaign raises awareness of the importance of being cautious around regional railway crossings, emphasising the message to ‘Slow down. Look. Listen for trains.’

"It's great to see all the recent work being undertaken within the rail industry with broader road safety efforts in mind. It serves as an important reminder that level crossing safety is multifaceted, and that everyone, including road and rail, need to come together to enact change." - Damien White, RISSB CEO.

At RISSB, we will continue to support important level crossing safety campaigns like these, as we continue our own work towards optimizing the safety benchmark for level crossings in Australia through the development of our supporting Standards, Codes, and Guidelines.

Find out more about ILCAD here.

TRAINING AND EVENTS

Melbourne Investigate Rail Safety Course open for registration 

Our next Investigate Rail Safety Course is being held in Melbourne on 18-21 Jun.

This is an engaging course that teaches participants how to conduct and document any investigation into a railway safety incident. It builds on industry best practice and promotes a just culture approach for investigations. The course will benefit anyone in the rail industry who is involved in, or likely to be involved in, the investigation of rail safety occurrences.

To enroll for our course in Melbourne on 18-21 Jun 2024, please click here.

RISSB courses are designed to drive technical innovation and industry improvements for a safer, more productive and more sustainable Australian and New Zealand rail industry. For more information about the courses we offer, you can visit the RISSB training website here.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ON
Parallel Systems

Parallel Systems enables railroads to serve new markets by converting freight from trucking to rail. They build automated, battery-electric, freight rail vehicles and the tools to integrate this service into railroad operations.

Parallel Systems has been a participating member of RISSB since 2022.

Recently, Parallel Systems has been working on developing Green Autonomous Vehicles on Railroad Tracks. They aim to achieve this by combining autonomous battery-powered rail vehicle technology with a new, less expensive terminal concept and flexible operating model.

Find out more here.