Multiple rail safety incidents reported to Transport Accident Investigation Commission

By Nick James of RNZ

Nine incidents similar to one in which workers were nearly hit by a train have been reported to the transport watchdog since it put rail safety on its watchlist.

In March, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) added rail worker safety to its list of systemic issues it has with the sector.

It came after an investigation into an incident where two track workers had to run for their lives when a train nearly hit them on Wellington’s Johnsonville line in May last year.

Official Information Act documents released by KiwiRail show three weeks after the April 10 announcement, a rail worker was spotted on the main trunk line 3.4km from the Wellington station with a train approaching them.

The documents state the worker moved off the tracks safely when the train was 300m away from them.

It was one of 13 rail worker safety incidents notified to TAIC since the beginning of this year. Nine occurred after the issue was added to the agency’s watchlist in March.

KiwiRail said the event occurred because the worker was using individual track detection (ITD) in a location clearly marked as one where it should not be used.

ITDs are the minimum qualification that allows workers on parts of the rail lines unsupervised.

KiwiRail has a map of where this qualification can be used:

Image/ KiwiRail

KiwiRail said in a post-incident interview, staff members acknowledged that ITD was not the suitable protection method for the task and location.

TAIC was notified of the incident, but decided not to open an inquiry into it.

KiwiRail spokeswoman Sacha Montgomery told RNZ any incident on its network was concerning and would be investigated.

“The safety of our staff will always be our first priority.”

KiwiRail has been under fire over the past few days after its Interislander ferry Aratere ran aground north of Picton.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown said the Government had been “incredibly disappointed” at the state of KiwiRail’s asset management.

TAIC has also confirmed it is investigating the Aratere running aground.