The rail industry’s accident investigator, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), has published its annual report that covers the period 1 January to 31 December 2024.
In addition to summarising operational and investigative activity undertaken by RAIB during the year, it also highlights the six themes which have run through the organisation’s work during 2024 – track-worker safety, platform safety, asset integrity, safety of the line after engineering work, safe operation of plant in possessions and the management of trees.
Over the course of 2024, 431 notifications were received by the RAIB, from which 56 events were identified as requiring a preliminary examination to determine the most appropriate response. From these preliminary examinations, 11 full investigations, 12 safety digests and eight industry investigation reviews were started.
During 2024, RAIB published 13 full investigation reports, many of which referred to incidents that occurred in 2023. It also released 10 safety digests, three letters to coroners and issued one notice of urgent safety advice.
RAIB made 41 safety recommendations to 41 different organisations across the rail industry including infrastructure owners, train operators, manufacturers, and other authorities.
Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents Andrew Hall said: “It has been almost universally accepted for many years that learning from accidents and incidents improves safety. UK health and safety law requires employers to learn lessons from accidents, and governments around the world have, and continue to, set up independent accident investigation bodies to investigate and learn from transport accidents and incidents.
“On 17 October 2005, RAIB started investigating railway accidents, making the 2024 Annual Report the twentieth to be published.
“By the end of 2024, we had deployed to accidents 752 times and published 419 full reports and 134 safety digests or bulletins. These included 1873 recommendations, and 700 safety messages and learning points, all intended to improve railway safety.
“Over that period, UK railways have become much safer, thanks to the combined efforts of the industry, its safety regulators and RAIB. This, and the difference our work can make to those who have the misfortune to be involved in accidents, makes it particularly important and worthwhile.”
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