Engineering, Freight Rail

TasRail’s electrical safety strategy wins business award

Photo: TasRail

Tasmania’s state-owned rail operator, TasRail, has received a business award for its innovative approach to reducing unauthorised access and damage of electrical systems along the state’s railway network.

The Launceston Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award recognising TasRail’s excellence in electrical safety was presented to the operator at the Chamber’s annual awards dinner night last weekend.

The award-winning strategy was developed after TasRail conducted an assessment of level crossings across the state, identifying their levels of risk and potential danger.

TasRail’s signals and safety team then developed solutions such as alarm installation on electrical equipment at high risk crossings, utilisation of CCTV to capture footage of incidents at crossings, and installation of static cameras at level crossings in an attempt to deter offenders and capture footage of incidents.

The implementation of these solutions reportedly led to a 258 per cent reduction in failed safe incidents at level crossings in five years, dropping from 61 incidents in 2011/12 to 2016/17.

Damien White, TasRail’s CEO, said that electrical safety was a key priority on the rail network, due to the dire consequences that can follow electrical faults at level crossings across the state.

“If someone breaks in and tampers with one of these electrical systems, the crossing is ‘dark’, meaning no signal lights will operate when trains approach. As well as placing the public and the train driver at serious risk, the offender can receive an electrical shock,” Mr White said.

“It takes a locomotive travelling at 70 kilometres an hour at least 1000 metres to stop, so functioning level crossing signals are vital in keeping our community, locomotive drivers and our customers’ freight safe every day.”

KiwiRail also reports that, after the various safety measures were communicated to the public, there were no further incidents involving signal box tampering for the rest of the recent financial year.

“There is no doubt that the development and implementation of TasRail’s safety management plans, and in particular the alarms for electrical signal boxes in the rail corridor, have had a significant impact in boosting Tasmanian rail safety and improving health and safety within the TasRail workforce,” Mr White concluded.