Track Safety

By Trevor Dobbyn, Victorian Branch Secretary

Trevor Dobbyn

On Friday October 22, 2004, three Works Infrastructure on-track vehicles were struck by a V/Line train.
This follows an earlier incident in March 2004 at Elphinstone, also involving Works Infrastructure, in which a HiRail Vehicle was struck by a locomotive. On this occasion our members were forced to jump clear of the vehicle to avoid being seriously injured or killed.

These and other similar events have highlighted the need for an urgent review of current work practices and procedures for track protection.

This review should aim to ensure that our infrastructure members are offered proper protection when working on track.
As a result of action by the union we now have agreement with the Director of Public Transport and the Public Transport Regulator to commence discussion with Freight Australia Limited (Pacific National) and Works Infrastructure Pty Ltd, the infrastructure provider, to examine safe working practices. The training of safeworking staff to improve overall safety performance of the regional rail network will also be reviewed.

These discussions will focus on track protection rules and procedures and examine their application in the field. Training packages can then be adjusted accordingly. The importance of this issue has at least been recognised and we expect that the matter will be worked through without delay.

We have also requested that the Victorian Public Safety Regulator conducts, as a minimum, an annual audit of Infrastructure Safety Procedures and that this should include random field testing and inspections.

The RTBU will be taking steps to ensuring that the other Infrastructure companies operating in Victoria are also reviewed to ensure that they are fully compliant with their safe working obligations and that our members are offered the protection of a safe working environment while on track.