Over the course of this year, the UIC Taskforce on Safety Barriers has made progress in its work by developing a classification system for railway safety barriers. Building on previously established definitions, this initiative seeks to improve safety and interoperability in the railway sector by introducing a structured, universally applicable framework. The work included examining various safety management systems, barrier models, and operational practices while maintaining flexibility to allow integration with diverse risk management frameworks worldwide.

The resulting white paper introduces a three-tier classification system comprising safety management systems, their associated business processes, and the safety barriers themselves. This hierarchy is designed to harmonise practices globally, facilitate knowledge sharing, and enhance the quality of safety measures. By aligning barriers with overarching safety objectives and enabling machine-readable descriptions, this classification aims to foster a shared understanding among stakeholders and pave the way for future improvements in railway safety.

Read the paper here: