RAIB, ORR, RSSB ANNUAL H&S REPORTS 2024/2025

Our ref: HSR

Head Office Circular: NP/142/25

2^nd September 2025

To: The Secretary

All branches and Regional Councils

 

Dear Colleague

 

RAIB, ORR, RSSB ANNUAL H&S REPORTS 2024/2025

 

I have received a summary paper from the Lead Officer on RSSB, ORR and RAIB annual reports for 2024/25 highlighting the issues most pertinent to RMT members. You can read the report here: https://rmtunion.org/3JL0eum

 

At its meeting on 19^th August 2025 your National Executive Committee noted and adopted the following report from its health and safety sub-committee:

 

We note the report from the Lead Officer and the trends the three reports highlight.

We instruct the General Secretary to write to:

• ORR/RAIB (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) to find out the underlying reason for the increase in signals passed at danger
• ORR to find out why they have not taken action to act on the safety recommendations made by RAIB into the fatal accident at Carmont - when over three years since the RAIB report was published, 8 out of the total 20 recommendations are still open
• ORR regarding their comment that NWR has ‘maintained good health and safety during the year’, when risks continue in relation to the increasing number of line blockages and failure to comply with Network Rail standard 019 standard
• RAIB re their investigations into Talerddig to ask whether their ongoing investigation will cover whether catch points could have prevented the accident, or indeed if there were catch points. 

Additionally, we instruct the General Secretary to raise these matters with a wider audience:

• write an article for RMT News based on the report
• share the report with all RMT safety reps highlighting main points
• share the report with all rail branches and regional councils 
• raise the main findings in Network Rail negotiations.

Branches and Regional Councils to be advised accordingly. 

 

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