The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has issued its 2023 Health and Safety Report, which says that Network Rail must ensure it delivers the changes needed to address the risks of climate change, and together with the rest of the rail industry continue to improve managing the health of its workers.

According to the report, Network Rail has been formulating the action plans needed to improve the management of earthworks and drainage, following recommendations made after an accident at Carmont in 2020.

Although progress has been made, such as in improved weather forecasting, Network Rail still needs to do more to drive change across its regions.

While the regions are committed to maintaining inventories of their drainage, the work required to find ‘lost’ drainage assets has been challenging. In some cases, drainage inspections were not being carried out with sufficient rigour, and dedicated drainage inspection teams would ensure better quality and consistency.

Until now, a lack of staff has affected Network Rail’s planning for drainage management, but it has assured the regulator that the infrastructure manager is committed to ensuring the drainage teams are fully resourced by the end of March 2024.

The regulator found that across three of the regions inspected, Vegetation Management Plans, which are the first step in effective vegetation control, were either absent or incomplete. Network Rail has therefore been instructed to improve the management of vegetation on its buildings and structures,

Another key theme of the report is the industry’s responsibilities for looking after its workforce, which in turn will support the drive for a safer railway. However, during the past year, Network Rail has taken a number of positive steps, including improving the safety of track workers employed in lookout roles and those working on overhead lines.

A particular concern for the regulator was managing the fatigue of workers but was encouraged that Network Rail recognised its own fatigue controls needed improvement. The regulator added that revised guidance would be issued to the sector that sets out its clear expectations and understanding of the law.

It was noted that Network Rail is moving forward in developing state-of-the-art occupational health services, and for the first time these will provide centralised services to all of the mainline railway. However, the regulator affirmed that it is unacceptable for the industry to fail to provide adequate toilet facilities for staff, which is a legal requirement, and added that operators should allow shared access to their own facilities.

Ian Prosser, HM chief inspector of railways, said: “Financial challenges, changes to travelling and working patterns, weather extremes and industrial action have brought uncertainty to the rail industry, but Great Britain’s railways consistently perform as one of the safest in Europe.

“To keep it in that position, the industry must redouble its efforts of managing its assets and the environment around them because of the threat of extreme and variable weather conditions on the network.

“A safe railway also relies on its workers to be at optimum performance, so it is of paramount importance that industry reduces fatigue levels.”