NR NR/L2/RSE/100/08 ISSUE 1 PDF

Overview

The scope of this module is that detailed in NR/L2/RSE/100/02 Section 2.1.

CSM-RA Application and Non-Railway Specific Legislation 

A change may impact on other interfaces in relation to the railway system, which are not covered by ROGS, but by non-railway specific health and safety legislation (e.g.,sidings and depots). In such cases, NR has to consider its obligations under these pieces of legislation, such as Management of Health and Safety Regulations (MHSWR) 1999. 

The ORR’s view is that there is no conflict between the requirements for a suitable and sufficient risk assessment set out in non-railway specific health and safety legislation and the level of risk assessment set out in the CSM-RA. 

Therefore, in such cases a single broadly scoped risk assessment in accordance with the requirements of the CSM-RA can be adopted. 

The CSM-RA risk management process as defined in this module can also be used by the Principal Designer to discharge their duties under Regulation 9 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. 

NOTE: If a large number of ‘construction phase’ hazards are identified as part of the CSM-RA assessment which have no impact on the operational railway but are placed in the Hazard Record for management (Section 5.6), the Hazard Record may become very large and unwieldly. Hence, where a high number of construction phase hazards exist, it is more effective to manage the these separately and a hazard management transfer activity is undertaken to facilitate this.

Purpose

General 

The purpose of this module is to provide an acceptable means of compliance to Network Rail’s (NR’S) Level 2 Standard NR/L2/RSE/100/02. 

This module complements rather than negates the need to consult the guidance developed by the Office of Road and Rail (ORR) and the Railway Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). 

Background 

Regulation 5(1) (b) of the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 (ROGS) states that a mainline duty holder must apply the relevant parts of the Common Safety Methods (CSMs) as part of its Safety Management System (SMS). 

Regulation 19 of ROGS places a duty on transport operators to carry out risk assessments and put in place measures necessary to make sure the transport system is run safely and that mainline transport operators (Railway Undertakings (RUs) or Infrastructure Managers (IMs)) must apply the CSM-RA to discharge this duty. 

NOTE: The CSM-RA is still valid in the UK. However, to apply to a UK-only context, it has been amended by the Rail Safety (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 [S.I. 2019/837] (as amended by the Railways (Safety, Access, Management and Interoperability) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Transitional Provision) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 [S.I. 2019/1310]). 

The CSM-RA applies when any technical, operational or organisational change is being proposed to the railway system. 

If the change has an impact on safety, the person making the change (known as the ‘Proposer') decides on whether it is significant or not by using criteria detailed in the CSM-RA. 

If the change is significant the Proposer applies the CSM-RA risk management process, and an assessment body (AsBo) carries out an independent assessment of how the risk management process is applied and of the results obtained.If the change is not significant, the Proposer keeps a record of how it arrived at its decision and risk management is carried out under the requirements of its Safety Management System (SMS). 

NR’s Health and Safety Management System (HSMS) and NR/L2/RSE/100/02 requires the application of the risk management process defined in the CSM-RA forany change proposed to the railway system (technical, operational and organisational)that affects safety, whether it is significant or not. 

The only difference being is that for non-significant changes an independent assessment of how the risk management process is applied and of the results obtained is not required.

Structure of the module

The structure of this module is aligned to the objectives of the CSM-RA which are to:

a) Assess the significance of the change using a preliminary version of the System Definition as the basis for the assessment; 

b) Plan for the application of the CSM-RA risk management process; 

c) As required, further describe in the System Definition what is to be changed and how it is going to be changed; 

d) Identify and classify all of the reasonably foreseeable hazards associated with the change; 

e) Evaluate and accept the risk associated with the change through the application of risk acceptance principles; 

f) Formulate a complete set of safety requirements to be included in the specification of the change and demonstrate that the safety requirements have been correctly implemented; 

g) Undertake hazard management and use a Hazard Record to detail all of the hazards that have been identified and show how they have been closed; 

h) Undertake the appropriate quality management activities to support the risk management process; 

i) Undertake an independent assessment of the application the CSM-RA risk management process and of the results obtained (applicable for significant changes only).