As a rail consultancy ‘run by railway people for railway people,’ we pride ourselves on the quality of our work and, most importantly, the results achieved for our clients. This applies equally across all of the four main service areas we support, but for the purposes of this latest blog, we’re going to focus on Safety and Assurance and in particular, our most recent assignment for Network Rail and its System Operator function.
Thanks to our Transport Systems and HSQE Specialist Liz Parkes, we’re no strangers to Network Rail and its health and safety requirements, with Liz, supported by Paul Hodgson (Asset Management) and Alan Brookes (Peer Review), having helped it to successfully remodel its overarching health and safety management systems into an accessible tool for continuous improvement in risk management last year. So, when the System Operator needed support with the production of a new Health and Safety Guide, it turned to AARC and Liz, who was this time supported by Change Consultant Emma Somers.
For context, the System Operator itself makes sure ‘the network operates as one seamless and high performing organisation,’ with responsibility for strategic future planning, provision of high-quality analysis and advice, production of the timetable and management of industry wide relationships.
For this particular workstream and in direct support of its continuing commitment to health, safety and wellbeing, the System Operator set out to produce a dedicated Health and Safety Guide, aligned to Network Rail’s lifesaving rules and covering all business activities which could potentially affect its workforce, suppliers, passengers, the public and freight customers. Against this backdrop, Liz and Emma took on the task of helping the client to successfully communicate its health and safety processes, standards and interfaces, with a focus on the ‘what to dos’, ‘how-to dos’ and systems for continuous improvement. This is turn served to support Network Rail’s broader health and safety management system, as well as meeting the System Operator’s strategic business objectives and safety strategy.
To help bring the guide to life, Liz and Emma also sought the input of those working directly within the System Operator function. This involved liaison with over 25 members of the organisation across a series of individual interviews, working groups and consultations, resulting in a ‘one-stop-shop’ for readily accessible information.
Now complete, the finished product serves to highlight the relationship between the System Operator and health, safety and wellbeing, emphasising how, from an individual and activity perspective, all those involved work together to manage the issues, prevent accidents and improve the collective safety and wellbeing of the organisation. To be reviewed annually, the intention is to also develop the guide into an actual plan.
Most importantly from an AARC perspective, the finished product has been welcomed by the client, with project sponsor Richard Weatherstone, Operations Safety Manager for the System Operator, praising us for our ‘extremely professional’ approach and for ‘playing an integral part in managing and developing what has been a challenging project through to its conclusion.’ For an organisation motivated to provide clients with outstanding outcomes, we really couldn’t ask for anything more.
