Happening the same week that COVID restrictions are, hopefully, lifted in England, Rail Safety Week (RSW) is back on the events calendar this year in an effort to help make the railway network safer for everyone.
No matter who you are, rail safety is vitally important. Whether you’re a commuter using trains on a regular basis, a maintenance and construction worker operating trackside or simply a pedestrian in the street, knowing how to stay safe around trains, tracks and crossings can save lives.
The week-long event, happening this year 21st – 27th of June, was founded by Alan Tarrant and will this year put a focus on health and wellbeing. This is due to more of us set to return to our usual routines moving forward, be it for work or education.
The Key Aims of Rail Safety Week
There are several things that Rail Safety Week organisers are aiming to achieve overall, including:
- Raising the profile for the importance of rail safety in the UK
- Collaborating with leading names to make the week successful
- Uniting the industry to spread the same message all week
- Preventing accidents and deaths when it comes to infrastructure
How You Can Get Involved in RSW
There are lots of ways people are encouraged to get involved, from small gestures such as retweeting messages on social media and adding a RSW signature to your email, to assigning dedicated company ambassadors and running colouring competitions for children.
Many people will remember seeing rail safety videos as a child growing up, all of which warned about the dangers of railways. Those messages have stuck with generations, which is why the RSW team believes that teaching kids from a young age about how to stay safe will help future generations. Sammy the Safety Bear might be spotted in schools and at train stations up and down the country.
There are some big names involved with the steering committee too, including members from Network Rail and the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). This goes to show the strength of backing the campaign has within the industry itself as they hope for another successful year.
If you’d like to get involved this year and lend your support to the cause, whether you’re a school looking to educate pupils or someone planning to create a conference where rail safety is important, you can take a look at the variety of resources on the RSW website. You can also contact key members of the RSW team via the website if you need more details or would like to host an event.
Safety Trackside
At Triptex, we’re committed to helping the rail industry carry out construction and maintenance work alongside tracks safely. That’s why we supply the leading Vortok rail safety barriers for hire anywhere in the UK, with free delivery within 48 hours. We’ve also covered more on why you need rail safety barriers and the importance of PPE for those working in rail construction in previous posts.
Contact us today from our team for safety barriers or our lighting options to ensure your site is operating safely. You can either call us or fill in our quick quote form at the top of the page.