§ Hugh BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions at what intervals train crew and other safety critical railway 287W workers have to attend a safety briefing; and what records railway companies are required to keep about such briefings. [52068]
§ Mr. JamiesonThis information is not readily available. Railway companies are required to set out their arrangements for communicating information in a detailed safety case, which must be formally accepted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). HSE seeks compliance with health and safety duties through inspection and enforcement activities of HM Railway Inspectorate.
§ Hugh BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what policies and targets to reduce the number of fatal accidents and major injuries to railway workers the Health and Safety Executive has set. [52066]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does not itself set specific safety targets but it encourages the rail industry to do so. However, HSE is pursuing a number of initiatives aimed at reducing railway staff injuries, including initiatives aimed at reducing the exposure of trackside workers to the risk of being struck by a train. The Health and Safety Commission will shortly publish a strategy for improving health and safety on the railways. This identifies a number of key areas for improvement on which the HSE will focus in its contacts with employers, including trackside worker safety. HSE encourages the setting of health and safety targets in the railway industry. The Railway Group Safety Plan for 2001–02 sets out a number of detailed targets, including targets for reducing risks to railway staff working on Railtrack's infrastructure.
§ Hugh BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2002,Official Report, column 571W, on rail safety, which organisation is responsible for auditing whether railway employers keep adequate records of assessments for safety critical work; and on how many occasions in the last five years someone without a personal track safety certificate has been found to be working on safety critical work. [52041]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Health and Safety Executive (HSE) seeks to secure compliance with health and safety duties, including those in the Railways (Safety Critical Work) Regulations 1994, through the inspection and enforcement activities of HM Railway Inspectorate.
The HSE does not hold this information. Railtrack conducts random checks of personal track safety certificates. These show that about 2 per cent. of certificates are expired or are otherwise invalid.
§ Hugh BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2002,Official Report, column 1169W, on railway worker fatalities, what records Railway Safety Ltd. holds on the number of accidents affecting (a) employees and (b) contractors; and whether it intends to collect this information separately for employees and contractors in future. [52040]
§ Mr. JamiesonRailway Safety holds records for all fatalities on railway infrastructure. The Safety Management Information System (SMIS) is a national database available to all Railway Group members, which288W provides detail on the number of accidents affecting employees, contractors, passengers and members of the public. This information is also provided in the Railway Group safety performance report, which is produced by Railway Safety on a quarterly basis and is available on their website at www. railwaysafety.org.uk. The statistics relating to accidents affecting employees and contractors are collected separately and will continue to be in the future.
§ Hugh BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what categories of railway workers have to possess(a) a safety critical work identification card, and (b) a personal track safety card; (c) how frequently railway workers have to re-apply for these cards; (d) what skills, experience and training they have to possess to qualify for these cards; (e) which organisations are permitted to issue them; and (f) how many railway workers possess each type of card. [52067]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has advised the following
(a) and (b) All railway staff undertaking safety critical work (as defined by the Railway (Safety Critical Work) Regulations 1994) are required to carry a means of identification. This includes drivers, guards, signallers and trackside workers.(c) Railway workers have to re-apply for cards every two years.(d) and (e) Cards are issued by National Competency Control Agency (NCCA), following confirmation from training providers that the applicant has successfully completed the appropriate training course. No other skills or qualifications are needed to qualify for personal track safety (PTS) certification.(f) Railtrack have reported to HSE that, as of 18 February 2002, there were 118,975 PTS card holders.