SMS modules for T&H (& smaller less-complex) operators

A valuable resource document that will provide you with guidance on how to use the modules..

A Safety Policy is an overarching document that clearly and simply states the commitment to safety by the most senior body/person in the organisation.

Safety Culture is not easily defined but can be described as “The way that we do things around here” when we think about safety.

It is essential that the governing body of any operator has sufficient knowledge to manage their rail operations.

One of the key components of a safe workplace is that everyone who works there understands what they are required to do, how to do it, what they have authority to do, and what the roles and responsibilities of others are.

All operators must maintain an up to date awareness of the Rail Safety National Law (RSNL) and other relevant safety legislation such as Work Health and Safety laws for the location where they operate.

Policies and procedures that make up the components of a safety management system are usually created after risk assessments have been completed.

Every operator must review its safety management system on a regular basis to ensure that it still complies with the law and is working effectively.

KPIs are simply an agreed measure of something, and there are some principles that should be considered when deciding how to measure performance.

All operators are required to assess that their Safety Management System (SMS) remains appropriate and effective.

‘Corrective Action’ is the term given to any action that is identified as a weakness or deficiency in a Safety Management System.

Each operator is expected to have a component of their Safety Management System that describes how the operator manages change.

It is essential that once an SMS is established, changed or reviewed, a key group of people must be consulted.

The role that has the responsibility for the implementation of the SMS should ensure that internal communication procedures detailed in the SMS are followed.

This part of the SMS should describe how an operator provides training and awareness to rail safety workers on the content of the safety management system.

Managing risk is all about understanding what can go wrong when undertaking an activity, the consequences if something happens while doing that activity, the likelihood of something going wrong and what can be done to prevent or reduce the likelihood and consequence if something does go wrong.

‘Human Factors’ is the term that is used when we talk about what people do and why they do it.

It is essential that procurement and contract management procedures consider safety aspects.

The Safety Management System contains the technical engineering detail which describes the standards that railway infrastructure and rolling stock must meet to be considered safe for the railway operations

Process Control is the name for the processes and procedures that a rail operator has in place to inspect its infrastructure and rollingstock to make sure that these assets meet the standards set, and that they are fit for purpose.

Asset management is important because it is the approach used by a rail operator to ensure that physical assets remain safe, fit-for-purpose, and commercially viable through each stage of the life of the asset.

Safety Interface Coordination is the process by which the activities of two (or more) organisations at an identified location are managed to ensure the safety of railway operations.

Details on how to manage prescribed notifiable occurrences can be found in Regulation 57, and in Schedule 1 of the Regulations.

Anyone who performs rail safety work must be competent to do so.

Operators must be able to show how they have assessed the security level that applies to their operations.

The law requires all accredited operators to have a risk-based emergency management plan for their operations.

All operators must have a Health and Fitness program that fulfils the requirements of the National Transport Commission’s National Health Assessment Standard for rail safety workers.

All operators must prepare a Drug and Alcohol Management Plan (a DAMP), that describes the processes that they will follow to minimise the risk occurring from rail safety worker use of drugs and /or alcohol.

Every operator must be able to demonstrate that they are managing the risks associated with fatigue.

An accredited rail operator needs to have sufficient resources to run the railway safely.