23 participants were present at the UIC Safety Platform Steering Committee meeting kindly hosted by SBB/CFF/FFS in Geneva on 21 June 2018.
Safety is one of the fundamental values of UIC, shared by all members and railways in the world.
The UIC Safety Platform is a place to share ideas where the UIC core values “Unity, Solidarity and Universality” are reflected through information on the latest news and safety events presented by its members.
During this meeting several innovative and promising ideas were formalised under the dynamism of its Chairman, Frédéric Delorme, SNCF Safety Director:
- An increasing global dimension of the UIC Safety database. New entrants such as Iran and Turkey are already actively participating in this extension policy
- The peer-review notion took place through audits carried out by safety experts of member companies
- The development of training sessions based on the principles of safety culture and occupational health and safety
The meeting included many valuable presentations:
Mr Mario Werren, Director General, Lémanis SA and Mr Philippe Serrano presented “Factors of success and Challenges in cross-border transport France/Switzerland with CEVA as an example; e.g. with regard to train safety, operational differences, rolling stock approval, equipment, communication”
SNCF/CFF Cross-border project called Leman Express http://lemanexpress.ch/
The future LEMAN Express will be a great boost for mobility, whether it’s used for work, study or tourism. It will connect 45 stations across 230 km of lines on both sides of the French-Swiss border.
You can consult the following press releases:
Platform members then had the opportunity to present innovations, accidents and incidents in their respective countries.
Chairpersons of the UIC Safety Platform working groups gave an overview of their activities:
- System Safety Management Group (SSMG)/SSC - CER Safety Support
- Group with monthly meetings: Jean-François Meunier (SNCF)
- Human Factors including safety culture: Christian Neveu, SNCF plus Bernard Penners, Manager of the UIC Safety Unit
On this occasion Christian Neveu informed members of the publication of volumes 1 and 2 of the UIC Study on Safety Culture (available for Members of the UIC Safety Platform)
- International Railway Safety Network (IRSN): Doris Horvath (CFL)
- European Level Crossing Forum (ELCF): Isabelle Fonverne reported on behalf of Jeroen Nederlof (ProRail) on the most innovative ideas presented at the ILCAD launch conference held in Zagreb on 7 June and gave a summary of level crossing safety activities carried out in the world during ILCAD. She also announced that the ILCAD 2019 launch conference shall be hosted by ProRail in the Netherlands, exact date to be communicated later: for more information please read https://www.uic.org/com/uic-e-news/603
Grégory Rolina, from the European Railway Agency (ERA) presented the Safety culture issue and gave feedback on the ERA Dubrovnik Summit and Safety culture declaration, April 2018.
Information on the topic “UIC safety database/ ERA COR” (B Hoogcarspel/ JF Meunier): issue which is still ongoing, particularly discussed in SSMG group.
Finally UIC reported on the replies to the questionnaire on automated trains jointly developed by the UIC Safety Unit and the RSF Department and that was sent early May to the UIC Safety Platform members. The deadline for responding will be postponed to enable more members to complete it. Automation surely represents after the high speed trains the innovation of the future in the railway domain.
Next meetings:
- 14 November 2018: Safety Platform Steering Group at UIC HQ
- 15 November 2018: Safety Platform Plenary at UIC HQ
