Safety

Half a second from tradegy

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:33:00 GMT

Two families almost had a Christmas tragedy, following two separate near miss incidents at South East Queensland level crossings.

A school student narrowly avoided death from a speeding passenger train, running across a track to catch a bus, while an adult pedestrian was half a second from paying the ultimate price for her impatience, by trying to beat a train at a level crossing at another suburban train station.

QR has today released frightening surveillance camera footage of both incidents, to warn commuters and pedestrians they risk serious injury and death just to save a few seconds.

QR Passenger Executive General Manager, Paul Scurrah, said the actions of the pedestrians involved were extremely disappointing, with every near miss having a devastating impact on train drivers.

"It is unthinkable someone would deliberately endanger their lives, and the lives of others, by running in front of a moving train," Mr Scurrah said.

"These people are trying to outrun trains which travel quickly and quietly and weigh more than 400 tonnes. It is only luck these incidents didn't result in a more serious and tragic outcome.

"Obviously they leave the train driver shaken and, sadly, they happen all too often.

"Had either of these people slipped or fallen there is no way the train could have avoided hitting them.

"What is it going to take to get pedestrians and motorists to heed the warnings? If you try and beat a train you can't win."

QR recently launched a plea from their drivers via a DVD, urging road users to be patient and wait for trains at level crossings.

Similar patience was needed from pedestrians, Mr Scurrah said.

"Our DVD features confronting and emotional interviews and footage, but we make no apologies for taking whatever measures possible to try and reduce incidents at level crossings.

"Near misses are happening far too often and the message from our drivers is simple: 'We can't swerve, we can't stop, please just be patient'."

QR train driver, Michael Thornes, said he can't understand why anyone would want to run in front of a train, just to save a matter of seconds.

"When I am driving a train at 60 or 80 kilometres an hour, it can take me hundreds of metres to stop," Mr Thornes said.

"The worst part about a near miss is knowing there isn't much I can do but apply the emergency brakes and just wait for the bang.

Truck Driver Narrowly Avoids Serious Injury after Train Collision

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:50:00 GMT

A truck driver has come close to paying the ultimate price after ignoring a stop sign and colliding with a freight train near Charters Towers.

The collision came despite continuous QR campaigns on the importance of obeying signs and signals at level crossings.

In this latest incident, a freight train clipped the rear of a semi-trailer which failed to stop and give way to the approaching freight train.

The collision had the very real potential to cause serious injury or even death.

It also caused disruption to freight services and the Townsville-bound Inlander.

QR Network Executive General Manager, Mike Carter, said it was hard to believe a professional truck driver would take such a risk following the recent publicity.

"It's difficult to understand why motorists would risk their lives to save a few minutes on their journey," Mr Carter said.

"It's only luck this incident didn't result in a more serious outcome.

"Despite all the publicity surrounding level crossing incidents in the past few months, some people still don't understand the potential danger of failing to obey the road rules. This puts them, train drivers and potentially train passengers at risk.

"QR pleads with all road users to take care at crossings and obey the road rules not only for their own safety but for the effect an accident would have on their friends, neighbours and the wider community.

"Mr Carter said QR had stepped up its efforts to improve awareness of level crossing safety, including rolling out additional community education campaigns.

"QR takes every opportunity to reinforce the crucial safety message to prevent more tragedies occurring," he said.

"QR and the State and Federal Governments are investing more than $60 million in upgrading level crossings with improved signage and active protection such as flashing lights and boom gates.

"However, boom gates aren't the silver bullet solution to level crossing safety. Even where we have them we have seen near misses and collisions with our trains.

"In this instance the level crossing has a stop sign; motorists and truck drivers need to do just that.

QR vows to maintain safety push

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:08:54 GMT

QR has vowed to maintain its focus on "safety above all" after pleading guilty to a charge under the Workplace Health and Safety Act relating to the 2007 death of trackworkers Jamie Adams and Gary Watkins.

QR Services Executive General Manager Lindsay Cooper said the deaths of the two popular employees at Mindi on December 7, 2007, had rocked everyone who worked for QR.

"Despite our size, QR employees consider themselves a big family and the pain of this tragedy will continue for some time," he said.

"We owe it to Jamie and Gary and their loved ones to keep learning from this tragedy so it can never happen again.

"QR continues to support and provide heartfelt sympathy to Jamie's and Gary's loved ones.

"Our commitment is crystal clear - safety outranks production every time."

He said the tragedy had prompted the most wide-ranging changes to trackside work practices in QR's 144-year history.

QR has introduced new rules covering fatigue, the separation of people and machinery and the mandatory use of trained "lookouts" at all work sites. This is on top of the adoption of recommendations by Queensland Transport's Rail Safety Regulator, who investigated the tragedy.

QR is continuing to work constructively with the Division of Workplace Health and Safety on broader improvements to safety processes and systems.

"QR, staff and unions have worked hard to continually plan and implement potentially life-saving improvements to the way we work," Mr Cooper said.

"We will keep refining our practices until we achieve Zero Harm."

QR accepts recommendations of rail safety report

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:29:17 GMT

QR has accepted the recommendations of the independent rail safety report into the November 2008 tragedy at Rungoo in North Queensland, QR's Executive General Manager Passenger Paul Scurrah said today.

The report found the accident, in which QR train drivers Rick Wetherell and Mick Smithers died, happened when a truck driver did not respond to the flashing warning lights at the level crossing as the northbound Cairns Tilt Train approached. The train was carrying 81 passengers and seven staff.

The report was tabled in the State Parliament today. The investigation was undertaken by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and Queensland Transport's Rail Safety Regulator. http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/Safety/Rail/Safety_reports/

It also found that:

QR tilt trains were built to all relevant Australian safety standards and those in use in the US and Europe.
The Rungoo level crossing complied with safety standards.
Witnesses had confirmed that the level crossing's flashing lights were operating correctly before the accident.
The train was being driven within the speed limit, with its headlight on and had sounded its horn twice in the approach to the level crossing.
The response by QR staff in the wake of the accident was of "a very high calibre".

"Tragically, two good men have been lost in a needless and avoidable accident," Mr Scurrah said.

"Rick and Mick will be remembered by their workmates as excellent drivers who were devoted to their roles and the safety of their passengers."

Mr Scurrah said QR had accepted the four recommendations pertaining to QR in the report and work was already under way to address them.

"QR is pleased that the report confirms the Cairns Tilt Train was designed and constructed to the required standard and met all safety requirements for staff and passengers," he said.

Train in near miss with 4WD at Rocklea

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:35:00 GMT

The driver of a four-wheel-drive has come close to paying the ultimate price for being impatient at a level crossing in Rocklea.

The motorist risked their own life and that of a train driver, despite continuous QR campaigns on the importance of obeying signs and signals at level crossings.

In this latest incident, the motorist drove around lowered boom gates and over the level crossing at Beaudesert Road just 10 metres in front of a train.

QR Network Executive General Manager, Mike Carter, said it was hard to believe a motorist would take such a risk following the recent publicity.

"It's difficult to understand why motorists would risk their lives to save a few minutes on their journey," Mr Carter said.

"It's only luck this incident didn't result in a more serious outcome.

"Our train driver was also traumatised by this incident. Regrettably near misses happen all too often.

"Despite all the publicity surrounding level crossing incidents in the past few months, some people still don't understand the potential danger of failing to obey the road rules. This puts themselves, train drivers and potentially train passengers at risk."

"QR is pleading with all road users to take care at crossings and obey the road rules not only for their own safety but for the effect an accident would have on their friends, neighbours and the wider community.

Mr Carter said QR had stepped up its efforts to improve awareness of level crossing safety, including rolling out additional community education campaigns.

"QR takes every opportunity to reinforce the crucial safety message to prevent more tragedies occurring," he said.

"QR and the State and Federal Governments are investing more than $60 million in upgrading level crossings with improved signage and active protection such as flashing lights and boom gates."

"However, boom gates aren't the silver bullet solution to level crossing safety.

"This is a clear example where we have boom gates, and a motorist chose to ignore them.