Queensland Rail

On August 2004 a Queensland Rail worker was attempting to separate carriages of a train.  The automated system failed to operate and he had to resort to a manual process.  During this process the worker suffered an injury resulting in internal soft tissue damage which constituted a serious bodily injury.

s.24(1) and s.28(1) Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995

• develop and implement nationally, a mandatory Permit to Work Policy.
• implement a series of occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS) audits using AS/NZ 4801:2001.
• establish an information service to industry on working safely at height, including
  • implement a series of third party audits of the OHSMS, consistent with AS/NZ 4801:2001
  • implement the recommendations resulting from the audits of the OHSMS.
• Queensland Rail will install a series of raised platforms in the Mayne Yard and other train stabling yards across the Citytrain Network to assist drivers and other personnel accessing the stabled units, minimising risk of strains associated with the manual task of accessing and egressing stabled trains. 
• Queensland Rail will contribute to a university research group for the completion of research that is aligned with the Queensland Rail’s Passenger Services Group Prevention and Management of Trauma Strategy.

The approximate value of the EU (including departmental recoverable costs) is $1,585,535.

View/download the enforceable undertaking (PDF, 484kB)