Track Worker Safety – An Ongoing Focus

Track worker safety has been a long-standing focus for the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator with the safety of workers, on or near tracks, one of the critical risk areas identified through regulatory activity.

ONRSR works with rail transport operators to reduce these risks to track workers. While progress has been made, track worker safety remains a core regulatory priority requiring continued collaboration, improved data, and targeted oversight to deliver safer outcomes for rail workers.

Track work often occurs in live rail environments, under time pressure, with multiple parties involved and limited margin for error. Failures in planning, communication or protection can result in serious injury or fatality.

ONRSR maintains a sustained regulatory focus on track worker safety, and while safety improvements are being made, occurrence data and regulatory activity continue to demonstrate that the risks associated require ongoing attention.

Understanding What Works: Commissioned Research

To strengthen the evidence base for regulatory and industry decision-making on track worker safety, ONRSR partnered with Australasian Railway Industry Safety and Standards (ARISO) and the Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation (ACRI) now part of the National Transport Research Organisation (NRTO) to commission national research into track worker protection.

The subsequent report was the culmination of extensive research to identify applicable technologies, and comprehensive engagement with stakeholders, to first characterise the technology and ultimately examine a path to adoption that is both effective and commercially viable.

The project identified five types of controls (‘Option Typologies’):

1. Vehicle installed sensors and devices that give warnings to train crew.
   
   
2. Worksite installed sensors and devices that give warnings to track workers.
   
   
3. Sensors and devices that give targeted alerts to both vehicle crew and track workers.
   
   
4. Infrastructure systems, methods and devices that remove the need for workers on tracks to undertake work.
   
   
5. Infrastructure systems and devices that automatically prevent vehicles from entering a worksite.

The research does not prescribe a single solution. Instead, it highlights the importance of balanced, layered controls that reflect the specific risks of each worksite and operating environment.

For full details of the option typologies and the commissioned research – access the interactive PDF below

How ONRSR Uses This Research

ONRSR uses these research findings to:

• Inform regulatory priorities and targeted compliance activities

• Assess whether operators are relying too heavily on higher-risk controls

• Support industry discussions about strengthening layered protection

• Encourage innovation where technology can reduce risk exposure.

Ongoing Regulatory Focus

Track worker safety remains a core focus of ONRSR’s regulatory work. Through a combination of data analysis, field activity, engagement and research-informed oversight, ONRSR continues to monitor how effectively risks to track workers are being managed across the rail industry.

While improvements are evident, continued effort is required to ensure controls remain effective, well-understood and consistently applied. See the information contained within the ONRSR Rail Safety Report 2024-2025