The railway maintenance industry involves complex human machine interactions and safety critical operations with considerable risks for health and safety of its employees.
This can include maintenance of railway track, overhead lines, signalling systems, power supplies, security systems and inspection of rail assets (e.g., stations and bridges). Despite a downward trend in injury rates in UK workplaces, accident occurrence in the rail industry remains an on-going issue. Results from the RSSB Annual Safety Performance Report for 2016/17, show that there were 164 major injuries to members of the UK rail workforce during this period.
Pressure in the marketplace and from industry bodies (e.g. RSSB, ORR) for companies to evidence their behavioural safety capability has increased markedly. However, companies lack the necessary psychological/behavioural knowledge and skills.