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 on-track plant (OTP) and on-track machinery (OTM) operating outside of limits.
OTP and OTM are essential for helping to maintain and upgrade railway infrastructure, but they also pose significant safety risks, particularly if operated outside of designated worksites or areas of work. There are many factors that might cause this to happen, including human error, unclear briefings, miscommunication, or even environmental conditions like poor visibility.
Plant and machinery operating outside of worksite limits may lead to:
- Potential collisions with other rail traffic
- Damage to the infrastructure
- Operational delays
- Non-compliance and penalties
- Increased risk to track workers and the public
Reducing the likelihood of these incidents is crucial for organisations working on railway maintenance and upgrades.
How geofencing can reduce the risk of OTP and OTM operating outside of limits
Attaching geofencing devices to plant and machinery can help keep them within safe working limits and mitigate the outcomes above.
1. On an online Dashboard, geofences can map out a digital version of the possession, worksite, and/or area(s) of work.
2. Small geofencing devices are then assigned to this worksite, and attached to physical moving equipment onsite such as RRVs, trolleys and MEWPs.
3. This gives the ES real-time visibility of their location onsite, and they will be able to see on the Dashboard their proximity to the safe limits of the worksite.
4. The Red Amber Green (RAG) view on the Dashboard also displays an alert for any unsafe events such as speeding or exiting the worksite, and it also shows the exact distance OTP or OTM is away from the limits.
5. Therefore, if plant or machinery gets too close or exits the limits, the ES will instantly be made aware and can intervene.
6. For vehicles, devices can be attached to the inside of the cab, so that the machine Controller (MC) can hear the device alerts.
7. Upon entering the site access point for the first time, the geofencing devices emit a confirmatory alert, letting MCs know that they have accessed the site in the correct location and can get on with their work.
8. Similarly, if a vehicle exits the safe boundaries of a worksite, the device would emit a loud warning to instantly notify the MC of their unsafe position so they could move back inside the safe working limits.
As rail operations continue to evolve through digital innovation, geofencing offers a practical solution to one of the industry’s longstanding safety challenges. By leveraging this technology, organisations can help reduce the risk of OTP/OTM moving outside of limits, enhancing safety and helping to avoid preventable incidents.
Learn more here.
