Why is there a desperate need to
improve health and safety procedures in the rail industry?
Every employer wants their staff
and contractors to make it home safe, every day. To ensure this happens, there
are stringent Health & Safety protocols in place that must be followed
during the planning and execution of any type of work. Nevertheless, near
misses, accidents and fatalities still occur and even one of these is one too
many. If there is any process that can be implemented in order to reduce any
kind of incident, it should be explored and always considered or implemented as
an alternative to putting ‘boots on ballast’.
What are the main safety
challenges for railway workers as well as for railway companies?
The primary concern for all
stakeholders involved with the execution of works on the rail network is to
keep everyone safe. The railway infrastructure can be a daunting and confusing
environment to work in and around at times and this applies as much to those
new to the industry and those who have worked within the sector for multiple
years.
There are a number of safety
challenges to overcome, such as complacency, the fear of speaking up in front
of a group to changes in the weather and the physical infrastructure. The most
important things anyone working on the rail infrastructure can do is ensure
they get a briefing, understand the briefing, take 5 and consider their
surroundings and speak up if they haven’t understood a briefing or instruction
and to notify the relevant parties if they see something that appears unsafe.
What are the risks facing rail
companies should a worker be harmed during work?
Rail companies implement rigorous
health and safety procedures in order to protect both their workforce and
themselves - and at a great financial cost. Theoretically, if the processes are
followed throughout, there should be minimal to no risk, but things can and do
go wrong.
Companies can be faced with huge
time consuming investigations that could result in costly court proceedings,
financial payouts or fines and negative publicity. It can take years to build
up trust and a good reputation, and companies want to maintain that as much as
they can - not only for public perception but for tender consideration and
winning business.
How can safety be improved by
taking a proactive approach towards it?
A proactive approach is critical
to enhancing safety in the rail industry. There are over 10,000 miles of
railway track in the UK, and with the unpredictability of nature, anything can
happen at any time. Whether problems arise from fallen trees, landslips or
extreme temperature changes, there is potential for something to go wrong.
In the areas that are at highest
risk, we need to be proactive. For example, wirelessly monitoring movement on
rail lines, as well as the embankments around them using
tilt sensors, can be
used to predict the onset - or actuality - of landslip failure before it
happens. As a result, rail lines can be closed before any trains come anywhere
near them. Remedial works can be carried out and not a single person is put at
risk in the process.
A key example of this occurred
back in February - when a landslip fell on the Bexleyheath line near
Barnehurst. On-site wireless tilt measurement sensors, supplied by Senceive
Ltd, detected the slip at 3:30am on Monday February 11th and alerted a rail
surveying and monitoring engineer. This allowed the staff on the ground to act
quickly and close the line, preventing any potential danger to the public.
How can technology be implemented
to increase safety?
Technology is continuing to
evolve and new forms of automation are being implemented throughout rail. It’s
not about replacing people with technology, it’s about keeping the workforce,
public and passengers safe alongside the implementation of fail-safe systems.
If the use of technology can be used to reduce workers physically being on site
the less risk there will be.
In the last 20 years alone we’ve
broken so much ground with technological innovation, and one particular
development - the Internet of Things (IOT) - has allowed us to create near
real-time wireless monitoring of train lines, embankments, OLEs and more with
immense precision.
Today, we can place
wireless tilt sensor nodes and other wireless sensors in and around rail infrastructure,
connected to create a wireless mesh network. For example; a number of tilt
sensor nodes communicate to create a mesh of information that can measure with
precision to within a hundredth of a millimeter. This kind of data is
impossible to recreate manually, and these systems can last up to 15 years
without having to change batteries, eliminating the requirement for ongoing
maintenance. Operating 24/7 in the harsh rail environment and in remote
locations, they offer the ability to report data every few seconds. It allows
workers to predict potential problems along rail lines, meaning they can close
lines before anyone is at risk of danger.
Why and how are intelligent
monitoring solutions revolutionising the rail industry through IoT to enhance
health and safety?
IoT is the basis for any wireless
remote monitoring solution and is pivotal to its success. We’ve witnessed some
incredible technological innovation in recent years, and we are now able to
take measurements, such as changes in cant, twist, rail temperature, settlement
and more, wirelessly and automatically without the need for wired power and
communications and without having to step on or near the line. Measurements can
be transmitted using low frequency radio signal to communication hubs or
gateways, with data then sent through cellular networks to the cloud for data
review and visualisation software on any smart phone, tablet or PC.
Intelligent monitoring solutions
can give an asset owner an insight into the behavior of a particular asset
through monitoring trends over time. In the event movements occur, measurement
frequencies can automatically increase once certain trigger levels have been
breached, and can trigger cameras to take photos of the environment, helping to
predict failure and make observations of the environment remotely.
In addition, measurement
frequencies can be increased manually, if required, all remotely through the
internet. All of these factors give an end user confidence and reduce the
requirement to send personnel out into an environment that is potentially dangerous
and difficult to access.
Network Rail has launched a
worker safety task force but is that enough to tackle the safety problems?
Network Rail has launched a worker
safety task force but is that enough to tackle the safety problems?
Network Rail already does so much
regarding safety, and the protocols and procedures for working on the network
are in-depth and very concise. Launching a dedicated worker safety team will
only help to bolster an already stringent system, it is without a doubt a step
in the right direction and should be applauded.
No matter what industry, there are always accidents and negligence, but to have a team of dedicated people whose sole focus is worker safety is refreshing to hear and can only lead to good and positive outcomes. With regards to automation, there is often a short-term cost implication to be considered, but also a significant cost reduction over the long-term. Automation can assist in the reduction of accidents and fatalities, so if rail companies are truly dedicated to reducing these, can we really put a price on automation?
More Information on Senceive’s Triaxial Tilt Sensor Range
Flexible, reliable and robust. Senceive's triaxial wireless tilt sensor range offers a resolution of 0.0001° (0.0018mm/m) and repeatability of ±0.0005° (±0.009mm/m). With a battery life of up to 15 years and an extremely durable and waterproof enclosure. It truly is best-in-class and an ideal choice for the challenging Rail and Construction environment.
The wide range of mounting options mean the triaxial tilt sensor is perfect for wireless Remote Condition Monitoring across a wide range of applications in even the most hazardous environments.
