Our monthly risk reduction series explores how geofencing technology can help mitigate specific safety incidents in the railway industry, offering practical insights and strategies for creating safer and more efficient work environments. In this edition, we cover how geofencing can help reduce the risk of incorrect or unsafe access points being used.
Teams accessing the infrastructure safely is critical to preventing accidents and ensuring the smooth operation of railway maintenance. However, the use of incorrect or unsafe access points, such as entering via unauthorised locations or before a possession has been taken, remains a recurring safety issue.
Recent examples of this include at Llandegai Tunnel in 2021 where a team entered a tunnel on the incorrect line, or at Teignmouth Boat Yard in 2023 where a line block was accessed too early.
Such mistakes can lead to:
- Workers exposed to open lines and moving trains
- Increased risk of near misses or accidents
- Delays to work starting due to workers being in the wrong place
- Costly and time-consuming investigations due to compliance failures
Fortunately, geofencing technology offers a solution to help teams confirm that they are entering their worksite at the correct access point.
How geofencing can reduce the risk of incorrect or unsafe access points being used
Geofencing helps ensure that teams are accessing site via pre-approved site access points.
1. On an online Dashboard, geofences can map out a digital version of the worksite, using key information from the Safe Work Pack (SWP). This includes a geofenced area around the approved site access and egress point(s).
2. Teams are then given small wearable geofencing devices to attach to their PPE.
3. Upon entering the site access point for the first time, the geofencing devices emit a confirmatory alert, letting workers know that they have accessed site in the correct location and can get on with their work.
4. If a worker were to exit the safe boundaries of the access point and/or worksite, the device would emit an alert, providing a clear warning that they may no longer be in a position of safety and to check with their COSS or supervisor.
5. For possessions and line blocks, the site access point may be mapped out separately on the Dashboard. This allows for worksites and their access points to be ‘set live’ at different times on the Dashboard, allowing for geofences to be switched on and off.
6. In instances where teams are at the site access point before the possession or line block has been taken and the site set live, the device would instantly alert the wearer of their unsafe position, indicating that they had accessed the worksite too early.
7. Similarly, if a site were to be stopped on the Dashboard for handback, the geofencing device would provide an alert to anyone still on the line to notify them to immediately move to a position of safety.
Incorrect or unsafe access to infrastructure remains a safety challenge for the railway industry, contributing to delays, disruption, and, most importantly, avoidable risks to trackside teams.
Geofencing offers a proactive solution for helping to reduce this risk. Using real-time alerts for workers, the technology provides clear, instant feedback about their access location and timing, enhancing situational awareness. As the railway industry continues to evolve and embrace innovative ways of working, geofencing stands out as a powerful tool that can transform how we manage site access.
Learn more here.
