SAFETY DEPARTMENT
Safety Purpose
The Safety organization shares a common purpose in its drive towards increased reliability and availability of the rail system whilst seeking to continuously improve socially acceptable and reasonably practicable levels of safety. These are the very basic principles of sustainable development which seek to retain a holistic view and maintain risk in balance.
There can never be zero risk and Safety organization's work is about helping the railway to consistently achieve a tolerable level of risk.
About Safety Organisation
Safety Organization was created in Indian Railways working system arising out of the recommendations in reports of Inquiries into Serious Train Accidents by Kunzru and Sikri Committees. Initially the Safety Organization was functioning as one of the wings of Operating department. Based on the recommendations of Justice Khanna Committee (Railway Safety Review Committee), a broad-based Safety department was set up with officers and staff drawn from all disciplines concerned with safety in train operations, viz. Operating, Engineering, Mechanical, Electrical and Signal & Telecommunication departments manning the posts.
Levels of Safety Organisation
The Safety Organization functions at all the three levels of organizational structure of the Indian Railways i.e. Railway Board at apex level, Zonal Railways at middle level and Divisions at bottom level.
At the Railway Board level the Safety directorate is headed by an Adviser assisted by Directors, other officers and Inspectors drawn from various disciplines.
At the Zonal Railway level the Principal Chief Safety Officer (PCSO) heads the Safety department assisted by officers and supervisory staff from other departments connected with Safety.
At the Divisional level, Safety department is headed by Senior Divisional Safety Officers. An assistant officer is also available in some divisions. Supervisory level staff from all concerned departments is available for providing assistance at Divisional level.
The broad scope and functions of the Safety Department are:
*To sensitize all concerned involving with railway operations on Safety related issues
*To oversee all Safety matters
*To identify Safety related Susceptibilities and Vulnerabilities
*To enable the concerned departments to Deliver
The following activities are undertaken by the Safety Organisation
*Auditing the Safety awareness/consciousness of the Railway employees at all levels through normal and surprise inspections as well as super-checks. This will also include checks on availability and adequacy of rules and procedures laid down by various departments for ensuring safety in train operations and their compliance by various levels of staff.
*Reporting of accidents, conducting accident inquiries, analyze the causes leading to such situations and recommend corrective action so as to prevent such incidents in future.
*Monitoring of Disaster Management mechanism for providing effective response to untoward incidents on the Railways and also coordinating with State Government and other agencies in disaster management activities.
*Creating awareness amongst public for ensuring safety in Railway compartments and at level crossings.
*Creating safety awareness amongst Railway Staff through publication of bulletins, magazines, posters, calendars etc., and also
*Motivating Railway staff, who have acted in manner as to avoid an accident or untoward incident through cash awards and other schemes.
*Follow-up of implementation of recommendations made by the Railway Safety Review Committee, High level committee on Disaster management, and those by the Commissioners of Railway Safety as a result of inquiries into train accidents.
STEPS TAKEN TO PREVENT TRAIN ACCIDENTS
Safety Organization has been laying a lot of stress to create safety consciousness among the field staff engaged in train operation duties for improving safety environment to provide a reliable & safe service to the customers. Aiming to reduce any possibility of accidents high priority to safety has been accorded by the division. Safety organization is playing its unique role towards achieving this goal by consistently adopting a number of measures like
1. A no. of Safety drives at regular intervals are carried out by officers and supervisors to improve awareness among staff to prevent accidents. During the drive officers and supervisors travel extensively during night and day, by engines as well as in guard vans. They meet staff working in the field and explain finer aspects of safety.
2. A no. of Safety seminars are conducted on various safety sensitive subjects to improve awareness among Railway staff as accident prevention measure.
3. In House Safety bulletins are published, in which finer aspects of safety are discussed in detail.
4. Special drives are conducted to counsel, educate and improve awareness among general public regarding prevention of accidents at manned level crossings.
5. Printed hand outs/Pamphlets are distributed among road users near manned level crossings, petrol pumps and villages about manned level crossings.
6. Advertisements are regularly published in newspapers to educate and improve awareness among public on Rail Safety Issues.
7. Advertisements are also displayed in electronic media as well as in film theatres on Railway Safety Issues.
Improved safety in Train operations is one of the Mission areas of South Western Railway.
South Western Railway is committed for ‘Accident Free train services’.
Public can help us to achieve this goal by following acts of precautions which will save passengers from any accident.
FIRE ACCIDENTS
1.To prevent fire accidents do not carry inflammable/Combustible articles like petrol, kerosene oil, diesel, films, fireworks, gas cylinders etc.
2.Do not light a cigarette in trains. Smoking is prohibited in trains and stations.
3.Do not block the pathways in coaches with heavy luggage. In case of emergency like fire even you cannot come out of the coach quickly.
MANNED LEVEL CROSSINGS:
1.Do not try to cross the level crossing gate when it is closed.
2.Do not compel the gateman to open the gate when it is closed for train movement.
RUN OVER ACCIDENTS:
1.Do not travel on footboard. You can miss the train not your future.
2.Do not enter/get down from running trains.
Activities conducted for the year 2021-22 (as on 14.09.2021)
A. Safety Seminars
Safety Seminars are conducted on a regular basis at different stations in the Division wherever there is concentration of staff, identifying the subjects in which frequent failures on the part of the staff are noted. Field staffs are allowed to express their views and difficulties so that corrective steps are taken at appropriate level.
| Sl.No | Period | No. of Seminars | No.of staff Attended/counseled |
| 01 | April 2021 – August 2021 | 57 | 1088 |
B. Ambush checks
Ambush checks are conducted mainly to check the whistling habits and observance of speed restrictions of Loco Pilots at the approaches of unmanned LCs. Any deficiencies noticed are reported then and there for taking up with the erring staff. Following are the details of ambush checks conducted during 2020-21:
| Sl.No | Period | Total No. Conducted |
| 01 | April 2021 – August 2021 | 124 |
C. Safety Drives
Safety Drives are conducted as advised by the HQ/ Board from time to time and also issued by the Division. Reports received from the concerned Branches are consolidated and forwarded to HQ within the stipulated time. Following are the details of Safety Drives conducted over the Division during 2020-21.
HEADQUARTERS SAFETY DRIVES:
| SD No. | From-To | Subject |
| HD 01 | 01.06.21 to 15.06.21 | Securing of Vehicle at Station |
SPECIAL SAFETY DRIVE –– 01.04.2021 to 14.09.2021
| SD No. | From-To | Subject |
| SSD-1 | 01.04.21 to 07.04.21 | Control and Working of Stations |
| SSD-2 | 05.05.21 to 11.05.21 | Pruning/Trimming Trees in close proximity to Running Track |
| SSD-3 | 06.06.21 to 10.06.21 | Prevention of Accidents at Level Crossings” & Observing “International Level Crossing Awareness Day(10th June 2021) |
DIVISION SAFETY DRIVES – 01.04.2021 to 14.09.2021
SD No. | From-To | Subject |
DSD-01 | 01.04.21 to 15.04.21 | Summer Precautions |
DSD-02 | 22.04.21 to 21.05.21 | Monsoon Precautions & Preparedness |
DSD-03 | 13.05.21 to 27.05.21 | Safe Working at Manned Level Crossing Gates & Prevention of Accidents |
DSD-04 | 21.06.21 to 30.06.21 | Safety Audit of Emergency Crossover |
DSD-05 | 06.07.21 to 20.07.21 | Safe Working at Manned Level Crossing Gates & Prevention of Accidents |
DSD-06 | 12.08.21 to 26.08.21 | Cutting of Standalone Tree |
DSD-07 | 13.08.21 to 27.08.21 | Fire Extinguisher usage |
DSD-08 | 01.09.20 to 15.09.21 | Applying Emergency Brake by ALP |
DSD-09 | 01.09.20 to 15.09.21 | Strengthening of Tunnels & Major Bridges |
RB SAFETY DRIVE – 01.04.2021 to 14.09.2021
| SD No. | From-To | Subject |
| RB 01 | 29.04.21 to 13.05.21 | Summer Precautions |
| RB 02 | 25.05.21 to 08.06.21 | Maintenance of P&C in Station Yards and Freight Stock Inspection |
| RB 03 | 15.06.21 to 29.06.21 | Signal Passing at Danger Cases in Indian Railways |
| RB 04 | 16.07.21 to 30.07.21 | Inspections and Maintenance of Points & Crossings |
| RB 05 | 11.08.21 to 25.08.21 | Ensure Safe Train Operations |
D. Mobile Safety Propaganda
Safety Propagandas are conducted regularly by road at villages in the vicinities of manned LCs for the purpose of educating road users in safe passage at manned LCs. During these propagandas, Safety Team of the Division is visiting Village/Town/Taluk Panchayat Offices, Schools, RTO Offices etc. to disseminate the awareness in safe usage of unmanned LCs through counselling, distribution of posters, pamphlets, calendars, stickers etc. extracting relevant provisions of Indian Motor Vehicles Act and Railways Act.
| Sl.No | Period | Total Section conducted | Public and No. of Road users |
| 01 | April 2021 – August 2021. | 258 | 9635 |
