Establish proportionate control over the railway infrastructure

It is important that the rail industry recovers from incidents quickly, but in a planned and co-ordinated way. Engagement with railway infrastructure representatives can enhance the response for incidents, which can reduce the impact on business continuity.

Emergency switch off of traction power and train stoppages should only be requested by incident commanders when it is considered essential to protect life, property, personnel and other emergency responders.

Fire and rescue services should gather and maintain knowledge about the railway infrastructure service providers in their area and how to establish proportionate control over the railway infrastructure if required.

Establishing proportionate control over the railway should be a priority if personnel have to go within 3m of any rail track or rail traction power. Incident commanders should brief personnel and other emergency responders about the level of proportionate control over the railway infrastructure, and provide updates if the level of proportionate control changes.

The decision for rail vehicles needing to run at caution or stopped, or for the emergency switch off of traction power, should be based on a risk assessment and the requirements of the incident. If a level of proportionate control is required, the incident commander should provide the following information to fire control:

• Reason for the request
• Nature of the incident
• What level of control is required, such as:
  • Rail vehicles running at caution – this is an instruction for train drivers to proceed at a reduced speed, being prepared to stop short of any obstruction or hazard, although stopping is not guaranteed. It is still not safe to access the railway infrastructure.
  • Rail vehicles being stopped – train drivers have been told to stop. Personnel should check their surroundings as trains could still be running or slowing down.
  • Emergency switch off of traction power (overhead line equipment (OLE), third rail or fourth rail) – successful emergency switch off may need to be confirmed and there may be potentially dangerous residual voltage. Therefore, after an emergency switch off, OLE, third rail or fourth rail are safe to approach but not to touch, unless told otherwise by the railway infrastructure service provider, Network Rail Route Control or a rail incident officer (RIO).
  • Traction power supply isolated and earthed – electrical power is off and earthing devices have been applied, removing any potentially dangerous residual voltage.
• Use M/ETHANE messages, including a precise ‘exact location’, to ensure fire control, personnel and other emergency responders have an accurate shared understanding of the railway infrastructure incident. The exact location can be clarified by using information such as:
  • what3words address
  • Milepost
  • Signal number
  • Bridge or gantry number
  • Railway structure identifiers
  • Identifying feature
  • Nearest access point

Note that in some cases, a postcode or other location details might not be precise enough to identify a specific railway infrastructure location, particularly if it is near or could be confused with other railway infrastructure, or is not near identifiable roads or landmarks.

Inform the railway infrastructure manager of an incident on or near the railway

It may be sufficient to notify the railway infrastructure manager of some types of incidents, such as:

• Where a small fire can be safely monitored until it is extinguished
• A ‘bridge strike’ where a lorry has wedged under a rail bridge, but with no obvious damage to the rail lines

Rail vehicles running at caution

This approach can be used when there is a need to slow rail vehicle movements, by notifying drivers that there are people on or near the railway infrastructure. In these circumstances the driver will adjust their speed to ensure that the vehicle can be brought safely to a halt, if required. An example would be if personnel are extinguishing a trackside fire more than 3m from the nearest running rail. This request would not be appropriate for systems using driverless rail vehicles.

Rail vehicles being stopped

The request to stop rail vehicles should be made if there is a risk of personnel being injured by train movements but where they will not be in contact with a live traction power supply. As this request can take time to implement, personnel should not assume that all rail vehicles have been stopped. Due to what can be extensive stopping distances, it may not be possible to bring the rail vehicle to a stop before reaching the scene of operations.

Depending on the nature of the incident, the railway infrastructure service provider may decide to invoke a ‘line blocked’ approach. This is used if the line is unsafe for rail vehicles to run.

Emergency switch off of traction power

This request should be made if there is a significant risk of personnel coming into contact with a live traction power supply. However, this will not necessarily stop all rail vehicle movements, as diesel, alternative fuel or hybrid powered rail vehicles will be unaffected.

If personnel need to work within 3m of any traction power supply, incident commanders should request emergency switch off of the relevant track sections. If the incident involves OLE, there is a risk that residual current may remain, or nearby high voltage power cables may induce an electrical charge into the OLE. If personnel need to work closer than 1m from OLE, incident commanders should promptly request that the relevant OLE sections are earthed, in addition to being isolated. This can only be carried out by the railway infrastructure service provider and confirmed by railway infrastructure managers, Network Rail Route Control or the RIO; until confirmation is received all OLE should be assumed to be live.

Translink/NI Railways

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service personnel should not enter onto any railway infrastructure until all trains have been stopped, which should be checked with Translink/NI Railways Railway Control.

Incident resolution

Following the resolution of any incident, the incident commander should notify fire control that personnel and equipment are clear of the railway infrastructure, and request that they notify the appropriate railway infrastructure service provider so that they can reopen the line.