Monday, August 5, 2024

It’s Rail Safety Week – ONRSR Spreading the Message

The TrackSAFE Foundation is the rail industry’s harm prevention charity focused on reducing fatalities and injuries on the rail network while also working to improve the wellbeing of the rail workforce.

Rail Safety Week is TrackSAFE’s annual community awareness week held in Australia and New Zealand, designed to engage the community in safe rail practices. This year’s Rail Safety Week is the 19th of its kind and will see more than 100 organisations unite to remind the community to act responsibility on and around the rail network.

The week features two tailored information campaigns – one regional and one metropolitan – that cover the unique nature of potential interactions with the rail network that can occur in the city and the country.

The metro focussed campaign re-enforces to the specific behaviours required to stay safe around rail, including limiting device distractions and standing behind the safety line on platforms. It features a range of key messages including:

• Pause your tunes. Look and listen for trains.
• Phone Down. Look up. Let’s stay rail safe.
• Stay Safe. Stand behind the line.

Meantime, the message to Expect the Unexpected. Watch out for Trains reminds locals and travellers in regional areas that trains can come any time of day or night, including when they are least expecting them.

As well as participating in a range of events and marking Rail Safety Week in 2024, ONRSR is also using the occasion to further publicise the recent development of its new strategic directions covering the period 2024-2027.

The work includes a renewed organisational purpose, to enhance rail safety for the Australian community through targeted, risk-based regulation, and by proactively sharing insights and information arising from our work, and five new strategic priorities:

1. Leverage data and intelligence to enhance our approach to risk-based regulation
2. Ensure our people are valued, skilled and engaged
3. Cultivate strong and collaborative relationships with key stakeholders
4. Position ONRSR as a future-focused and sustainable regulator
5. Influence safety practices and build safety knowledge among Rail Transport Operators

So remember, every day and particularly this Rail Safety Week, regardless of where we live, it’s crucial we know how to be safe on and around rail. Fatalities, incidents and near hits on the network can cause severe and lasting trauma to individuals and families along with the rail employees involved. Soberingly, most of these incidents can be avoided.

For more information on Rail Safety Week visit TrackSAFE online and you can access ONRSR’s range of safety essentials on our website.