Rail Safety National Law passed
Establishment of the National Rail Safety Regulator became a step closer to reality when the Rail Safety National Law was passed by the South Australian Legislative council on 2 May 2012.
The NRSR Project Office team would like to thank everyone who has been involved in achieving this significant milestone.
The joint media release from Minister Anthony Albanese & Minister Patrick Conlon is attached here
Newsletter
A copy of the April 2012 newsletter is now available. Remember to let the Project Office know if there are any issues you would like included in future newsletters.
Fatigue Risk Management
Regulatory Impact Statement
A draft Regulatory Impact Statement on Fatigue Risk Management - Hours of Work and Rest was released by the National Transport Commission on 27 February. The date for submissions has now closed. The final RIS will be considered by Ministers in May.
A brief synopsis of key queries and themes discussed at consultation forums and a copy of the presentation provided is available on the NTC's website.
Progressing fatigue risk management under the Rail Safety National Law
The Rail Safety National Law (RSNL) was approved by Standing Committee on Transport and Infrastructure members on 4 November 2011. This provides for legal requirements rail transport operators to assess the risks associated with their railway operations and establish a safety management system to manage them. The RSNL also places legislated requirements on rail transport operators in relation to fatigue risk management; the hierarchy of duties on rail transport operators is depicted in the attached diagram.
The RSNL contains consistent minimum requirements to prompt operators to take into account the variety of risks for managing fatigue. In addition an operator must establish and maintain documented procedures to manage fatigue-related risks, including:
· specified work scheduling practices that provide for safe hours of work, safe periods of time between shifts and suitable staffing arrangements for relief work
· procedures for monitoring the actual hours worked by rail safety workers (as opposed to those rostered), and monitoring the impact of changes to rosters
· providing information and education to rail safety workers.
The National Rail Safety Regulator Project Office and National Transport Commission are working with all stakeholders to ensure that fatigue‑related risks are addressed and managed so far as is reasonably practicable.
Further information on what is being developed in relation to fatigue management is provided in the attached document.
Project Office Projects
There are a broad range of issues being addressed in order to establish the National Rail Safety Regulator which will be finalised during 2012 to ensure the NRSR is operational from January 2013.
The attached document provides an overview of the sub-projects shown by work stream that are being undertaken by the NRSR Project Office.
A further diagram is attached which provides an indication of when key sub-projects are expected to commence and finish over the coming year.
Also attached is the NRSR Project Office - Key Dates and Milestones as at March 2012.
Service Level Agreements
Transport Ministers have agreed that jurisdictions may opt to deliver regulatory services to support the operation of the Rail Safety National Law by service level agreement (SLA). Drafting of these documents will be guided by the agreed guiding principles.
The outcomes of the April 2012 Project Board meetings are now available on the Publications page.