Media centre

Tuesday 29 Nov 2011

SLIP, TRIPS AND FALLS TARGETED TO MAKE THE RAILWAY A SAFER PLACE TO WORK

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National

Network Rail has launched its latest initiative to improve safety amongst its workforce as it aims to reduce the number of slips, trips and falls.

More than 40% of all serious reportable accidents within Network Rail involve a slip, trip or fall and this latest Safety 365 campaign highlights the importance of staying safe and the consequences of failing to do so.

Designed to encourage staff to always put safety first and consider some of the potential consequences, it includes a powerful poster showing a skeleton made up of x-rays of fractures and breakages caused by slips, trips or falls.

The poster and leaflets have been sent to 200 depots and site offices across the country to encourage employees to always think safety before they start work.

Justin Page, Network Rail’s head of safety and compliance in infrastructure maintenance, said: “With so many of our staff regularly working in environments which include uneven and hazardous surfaces, it’s important to highlight the need to always stay safe. This campaign shows the consequences of not doing so and is designed to encourage our staff to keep the hazards at the forefront of their minds. This latest initiative, as part of our ongoing Safety 365 campaign, reinforces the fact that safety is at the heart of everything we do and aims to reduce the number of slips, trips and falls on the railway.”

Safety 365 is an industry-wide safety campaign launched in 2005 which covers all aspects of staying safe in the workplace. As part of it, Network Rail has carried out a number of initiatives to highlight how to stay safe at work including working safely in the sun and staying safe around road rail vehicles (RRVs).

For further information visit www.safety.networkrail.co.uk