Identify places of safety and refuge

Some parts of rail infrastructures have designated ‘authorised walking routes’, providing safe access to or from a place of work. These are normally found near depots, siding or stations. Once control measures are implemented, using these facilities will assist operations. At larger incidents, designating agreed temporary walking routes will assist safety management. These will normally highlight avoidable hazards, such as walking on lineside cable trunking, which is not intended to be used as a pathway. On some parts of the railway, the space between the track and the nearest wall or structure is very narrow. These are areas of limited clearance.

The red signs shown above indicate that there is no position of safety on this side of the railway for the length of structure beyond it.

The blue sign above indicates there are no refuges on this side of the railway, but there are on the other side. Again, this example of signage clearly indicates that the area beyond is too dangerous for personnel while rail vehicles are running on the side that does not have refuges.