CPA Bulletin

48 CPA Bulletin > November 2022 www.cpa.uk.net rail plant association RAIL PLANT ASSOCIATION: 1 As we head into the shorter daylight hours and a changing weather front, we leave behind an incredible summer and we are left to seasonally adjust. I feel this time of year for me is very reflective. Massive changes have occurred in the last few days, recent months and throughout the pandemic years for all of us. In many ways these monumental events, have and will change the way we live and work. Reflecting for me, must bring positivity. There are always lessons learned, there are always opportunities borne from challenging and difficult times. I urge you to take time to reflect on what we as an association and wider rail community can improve upon. There are great efforts on many fronts being collaborated upon. But there is more we can achieve to improve our industry. Times are tough, and we must unite on many fronts to make our Great British Rail a true success. RPA Consultant Position Update An RPA Members meeting was held on the 10th August to discuss the vacant RPA Consultant position following David Simmons’ retirement from the role in September 2020. During the meeting there was a clear mandate from the RPA members present that there is a requirement for the Association to engage the services of an RPA Consultant, who would primarily be responsible to effectively represent the collective views/concerns of the RPA membership, at the highest possible level within Network Rail/GBR, Tier 1 Contractors and other industry stakeholders. Shortly after the meeting, a brief survey was sent out to all RPA members inviting their suggestions to help us identify the key issues and concerns that are negatively impacting the sector that an RPA Consultant could potentially assist the Association to resolve. The feedback from the membership has now been collated and the key strategic areas of concern have been identified for the Association to focus on. We look forward to updating the membership and readers of this article on the progress of this initiative in the next article in the CPA Bulletin. RAIB Report Ramsden Bellhouse Two of our valued members were directly involved in the Ramsden Bellhouse RRV collision back in May 2021. The RAIB report was keen to show that one of the RRV operators was likely to be fatigued at the time of the accident, which resulted in life- changing injuries for a MEWP operator. The RRV operator’s employer did undertake their fatigue management duties properly and thoroughly by completing the HSE fatigue risk calculator. The employer’s HSE calculator was completed for each day worked, dating back to the start of 2012. The RRV operator was a ‘zero hour’ worker who had full time employment, like most of the RRV operator community, outside the rail industry. To be as accurate as they could, the employer defaulted to including 10 hours per day Monday to Friday, to help them calculate fatigue effectively. Albeit the investigation found that the RRV operator’s ‘actual’ hours worked were less than 10 per day. For the weekend of the accident, using Google Maps, it was identified that a hotel was needed before and after the operator’s shift due to a travel time each way exceeding 2 hours (the shift planned was a 12 hour night shift). However, the RRV operator chose not to use the hotel before the shift started. Irrespective of the workload being very low during the shift, it could not be argued that fatigue played a significant part in this accident. What do we do? The latest version of the Network Rail Fatigue Management Standard is live from 29th October 2022. It’s a standard that details the ‘minimum’ requirements for employers managing their workers’ fatigue, but it is far more difficult to implement in a ‘zero-hour or sole trade’ community. Network Rail, for many years now, has shifted the work opportunities midweek (allowing its suppliers to employ full-time staff) to weekend only (thus forcing the supply chain to rely on agencies or zero- hour workers). By nature, workers want to earn. Who knows what hours the ‘zero- hour’ community are working outside the rail, or how intense that work is. Knowing the restrictions around working on the railway, are they inclined to be untruthful about their non-rail work in order to get shifts? These are important questions, and many of the RPA members are dealing with these additional challenges every week. Recommendations Ramsden Bellhouse RAIB has made three recommendations. Two of these are addressed to Network Rail and include the need to clarify the role of a machine controller when they are travelling with their vehicle, as well as the need to continue the development of obstacle detection for road-rail vehicles. A third recommendation is made to SPL Powerlines UK and Readypower Rail Services relating to the application of learning from previous accidents and incidents. RAIB has also identified four learning points. These alert operators to the need for bringing vehicles to a standstill when forward vision is lost, and the importance of judging and observing the correct safe distance between moving vehicles. It is also important that staff are fit and appropriately