NETWORK RAIL: WELFARE PROVISIONS AND SAFE ACCESS TO SANITARY FACILITIES FOR NEWCASTLE OVERHEAD LINE (OHL) PATROL WORKERS

Our ref: HSR

Head Office Circular NP/189/25

6^th November 2025

 

To: ALL NETWORK RAIL MEMBERS

 

 

Dear Colleague

 

NETWORK RAIL: WELFARE PROVISIONS AND SAFE ACCESS TO SANITARY FACILITIES FOR NEWCASTLE OVERHEAD LINE (OHL) PATROL WORKERS 

 

I received a report from the lead officer concerning the use of Initiate for Line blockages, following discussions amongst members on the East Coast route, the main points of which were:

 

• Welfare is not being provided consistently across routes
• The EC Route not complying with minimum welfare standards
• The matter came to a head at Newcastle, but issue has been evident for some time within the industry
• Unacceptable practices such as staff being forced, through no other option, to conduct personal welfare on track, which was deemed wholly inappropriate in 2025 

 

Your National Executive Committee, at its meeting on 14^th October 2025, noted and adopted the following report from its health and safety subcommittee:

 

We note the report on file from lead safety representative Bro. Pezzulo and also Bro. Gray for which they are thanked.

                        

We note that this issue has been evident for some time within the industry and agree that to conduct personal welfare on the track is indeed wholly inappropriate.

 

We believe the company is non-compliant, and the General Secretary is instructed to seek any further reports from the lead safety representatives on any issues involving welfare facilities before seeking legal advice on a potential test case on non-compliance, what enforcement measures could be, and why the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, apply to works delivery bur not to maintenance, following which this matter to be placed back before this NEC.

 

The General Secretary is also instructed to write to Network Rail and demand that appropriate welfare facilities are provided with consistency across all routes. Failure to do so will lead this union to take up the matter with the regulatory authority.

 

The General Secretary is further instructed to continue to table this matter at meetings of the National Safety Council.

 

Branches and Regional Councils to be informed; relevant members to be informed via email and text message.

 

I am acting in line with these instructions. Please bring this circular to the attention of all relevant members.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Eddie Dempsey

General Secretary