A new free e-learning course, “Taking Safe Decisions,” has been launched by RSSB, aimed at promoting a consistent approach to proactive safety practices across the rail industry. Developed with the support of the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the course provides practical guidance on crucial topics including legal duties to ensure safety, how to conduct effective risk assessments, and how to implement changes and improvements safely.
The launch comes after the ORR recently identified inconsistencies across the industry in how decisions regarding safety-related costs and benefits are made. While evidence showed that most duty holders do assess ‘reasonable practicability’ before implementing health and safety measures, there was a recognised need for more consistent decision-making processes.
This new e-learning course is designed to address these inconsistencies, aiming to embed a deeper understanding of proactive safety practices throughout the industry, particularly at senior leadership levels. The course offers a robust framework for navigating complex operational challenges and strategic choices. By exploring real-world scenarios and best practice examples, it helps participants to identify potential weaknesses, challenge assumptions, and foster a culture where safety considerations are intrinsically linked to every strategic move.
Ben Gilmartin, Principal System Safety Engineer, said: ‘Duty holders have a legal responsibility to ensure health and safety “so far as is reasonably practicable”. In practice, this means they must make sound decisions around safety-related costs and benefits. Our new free e-learning course, “Taking Safe Decisions”, aims to assist the rail industry in adopting a more consistent approach to evaluating reasonable practicability in health and safety management. The course represents a significant step forward in the ongoing pursuit of excellence in railway safety and operational resilience. By committing to this training, the rail industry can ensure a safer, more resilient railway for all.’
Richard Hines, HM Chief Inspector of Railways, welcomed the new initiative: ‘We really welcome this new e-learning tool to improve awareness and to also bring it to the attention of people on the frontline, who are making health and safety-related decisions. The [ORR] recently conducted work looking at the cost and benefits of health and safety interventions and looked at how companies assess reasonable practicability. Many businesses rely on following good practice in making their decisions, but they also use more technical processes sometimes, involving cost-benefit analysis and other tools, where the health and safety challenge may be novel or unique or particularly challenging. As part of this work, we found that there was greater room for consistency in how people approach making health and safety decisions. RSSB’s new e-learning tool provides just that information, and I hope industry colleagues find it helpful.’
