scope:

This Special Instruction Notice covers :-

• all machinery used in NR owned and operated depots and training facilities across Route Services, Regions and Routes, Technical Authority and Network Services that has the potential to cause   harm   through entrapment, burns, electric shock or crushing injuries to staff/contractors authorised to use or maintain that equipment e.g.    drilling machines, grinding machines, welding equipment, overhead cranes.

• On- Track Machines (Ballast Cleaners, Tampers, etc) operated by Route Services

• All transportable and mobile equipment that has not been subjected to the formal product acceptance process which have the potential to cause harm to members of staff/contractors through entrapment, burns,   electric shock or crushing injuries.

The scope includes a visual inspection of the machinery and a review of the associated Work Activity Risk Assessments and procedures for safe isolation and locking off when maintenance activities are undertaken.

Where the machinery forms part of a wider production process then the inspection and review should include the overall process specifically the arrangements for any machinery combined as a linear process.

The scope includes the provision of a priority driven action plan to address deficiencies identified.

On-track-Plant, products that have been formally Product approved and fixed infrastructure plant are excluded from the scope of this SIN

Purpose

This Special Instruction Notice has been produced in response to a recent incident at Eastleigh Long Welded Rail Depot, where a member of staff received fatal injuries whilst undertaking machinery maintenance activities.

It is a requirement under health and safety legislation that all work equipment is safe to use and that risks to those who use or maintain the equipment have been identified and appropriate control measures implemented.

A systematic review of all NR owned and operated depots and training faciliities across Route Services, Regions and Routes, Technical Authority and Network Services is required so appropriate engineering controls including, guarding, interlocking, isolation and lock off arrangements are in place for all installations that present a similar hazard and where control measures are found to be deficient, action plans developed to address those deficiencies.