• Objective

The EU Agency for Railways (ERA) and experts from the railway sector have been challenging the perception and behaviours associated with safety culture within railway organisations. The promotion of a good “Safety culture” in the rail sector aims at encouraging awareness of safety risks (and solutions) by changing the mindset and behaviour during all rail operations. ERA manages this through a dedicated “Human and Organisational Factors Network” (HOF). The HOF network is developing several tools targeting the management of rail sector companies. Part of this is the European Railway Safety Culture Declaration of April 2018.

• Involvement of Infrastructure Managers

The change of behaviour towards a mature safety culture is fully endorsed by the Infrastructure Managers (IMs), who are engaged in risk awareness activities with their own staff at all levels

• EIM in action

EIM and its members signed the European Railway Safety Culture Declaration and are committed to an enhanced safety culture;

Through PRIME, EIM is involved in the subgroup on Safety Culture;

EIM participates in the HOF network

Opportunities

• Ensuring a high level of safety and raising awareness will reduce accidents or injuries.

Challenges

• Since the Safety Culture and HOF depends on the cultural evolution of society, the requirements for their implementation may also change over time;
• The wider railway sector should embrace the Safety Culture