ONRSR incident investigations have identified poor safety critical communications as a contributing factor to an increasing number of extremely serious occurrences across all sectors of the industry, ranging from authority irregularities to conflicting train movements, runaways and near-hits.
Safety critical communications include both verbal and written communication and are essential to ensuring safe railway operations. Of particular concern is the use of casual or informal language - creating confusion and misunderstandings that lead to poor decision making that can have serious consequences.
A new national priority for ONRSR, its importance to the safe operation of all railway operations is reflected in its relevance to the full spectrum of rail safety workers including train drivers, network controllers, protection officers and track workers. ONRSR will work closely with rail transport operators to ensure they have properly designed, tested and executed processes, procedures and protocols in relation to operational communications.