A national priority has been defined as a rail safety area of regulatory focus that applies to multiple jurisdictions and operators and warrants a sustained period of regulatory attention.
The National Priorities detailed here were developed and delivered under the ONRSR Corporate Plan 2022-2025.
The ONRSR Corporate Plan 2024-2025 details ONRSR's intent to create an overarching Safety Strategy that will identify priority safety issues. This page will be updated in the first half of 2025 as the Safety Strategy is developed.
How are national priorities developed?
A structured, evidence-based risk assessment process is used to ensure we are able to successfully identify the five national priority areas of regulatory focus.
Certain defining characteristics are identified using a process of analysis, nominations, scoring and final review.
Assuming the priority area meets each of the characteristics, it is selected as a national priority.
Throughout early 2022, ONRSR conducted a comprehensive review of its national priorities. This structured, evidence-based risk assessment has resulted in the identification of some new national priorities and the refining and refocusing of some existing priorities such as track worker safety and level crossing safety.
How are we tackling them?
ONRSR typically targets its national priorities through operator-centric national compliance projects or industry-wide, education-focused safety improvement projects under the guidance of a nominated National Operations General Manager.
Those areas that do not meet each of the defined characteristics are recommended for consideration as a local priority at office level, and/or the subject of further analysis to gain a deeper understanding of the breadth and depth of the issue.
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