NETWORK RAIL – ENERPAC STRESSING KIT

Our ref: HSR/2/6

Head Office Circular: NP/208/24

16^th August 2024

 

To: The Secretary

All branches and Regional Councils

All Network Rail members

 

Dear Colleague,

NETWORK RAIL – ENERPAC STRESSING KIT

 

I write further to head office circulars of April 2024, NP/103/24 and NP/107/24, both issued following an incident in the East Midlands area - and also because of concerns being raised in other areas regarding the Enerpac Stressing Kit not being fit for purpose

 

RMT met recently with Network Rail senior management team to discuss the Enerpac stressing kits, but unfortunately the issues listed as follows have not been resolved satisfactorily:

1)    Training/Competence

2)    Exclusion Zone clarification

3)    Task Risk Control Sheets

 

Without satisfactory resolution of the above, any RMT members working with the kit would be exposed to unreasonable risk and would also be in breach of the company’s Life Saving Rules.

 

We have met with the company several times to try and resolve these issues - and intend to meet with them again as a matter of urgency. RMT are awaiting a reply from NR as regards the outstanding items as listed above, with a view to setting up a demonstration of the kit with RMT subject matter experts in attendance.

 

In the meantime, given the failure of Network Rail to satisfactorily address these issues, I am writing to re-issue my previous advice to you (as per the April circulars) - which is for all Network Rail members to invoke the Work Safe Procedure if they are asked to use this kit prior to any subsequent investigation.

 

I am notifying Network Rail that RMT continues to withdraw its support for the use of this kit.

 

Please bring this circular to the urgent attention of all relevant members.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Michael Lynch,

General Secretary