East Suffolk Line – Improve Safety Arrangements

Our Ref: HSR/2/25

Head Office Circular: NP/024/18

6th February 2018

To: The Secretary

ALL BRANCHES

ALL SHIPPING BRANCHES

REGIONAL COUNCILS

 

Dear Colleague,

 

EAST SUFFOLK LINE – IMPROVE SAFETY ARRANGEMENTS

 

Norwich Branch submitted a resolution to the National Executive Committee (NEC) raising their concerns following a number of accidents, near misses and other occurrences which they believe jeopardise the safety of the line and put RMT members in compromising and stressful situations. The Branch have concerns over a volatile and unpredictable work load in relation to User Worked Crossings with Telephones (UWC+T). In addition to raising the concerns of our members the resolution also identifies steps the company could take to address the risks identified by the Branch.

 

Following consideration of the resolution the NEC have noted and adopted the following report of their Midlands Sub-committee:

 

This National Executive Committee commends the RMT Norwich Branch for raising this matter and we note their legitimate safety concerns around the workload of the Saxmundham Signaller, the signalling system in that area and the high call volumes the signaller has to deal with at the numerous User Worked Crossings with Telephones (UWC+T).

 

Accordingly, we instruct the General Secretary to raise these serious concerns with Network Rail management through the agreed machinery and to raise this for the specific attention of our National Operations Council to place on their next agenda, if the local machinery is already exhausted.

 

Furthermore, given that this Executive has received verbal concerns that this is a “ticking timebomb” where “signaller error by our members could easily have fatal repercussions” we instruct the General Secretary to raise this matter with our Network Rail National Safety Council for their urgent attention and to bring this issue to the attention of our local, area and lead, health and safety reps that cover this location.

 

All Branches and Regional Councils to be advised.

 

I am acting in accordance with these instructions. Please make the contents of this circular available to all appropriate members.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Mick Cash

General Secretary