It would be easy to think our railways are getting safer. The latest ORR statistics show the year ending March 2024 was the first with no workforce fatalities since 2016.
However, those same statistics show injuries are increasing and it would seem one particular area remains a concern – depots. If you look back over a five-year period, a third of all fatalities have occurred in maintenance facilities. RSSB data indicates a consistent level of accidents and incidents, with an average of one fatality every two and a half years across the last decade.
Depots continue to account for a substantial percentage of workforce harm, and it is clear more needs to be done to prioritise the safety of staff. At the forefront of efforts to improve working conditions is Sheffield-based Zonegreen, part of the Sentric Safety Group. Zonegreen is the rail safety solution brand for the entire group, offering a range of technically advanced systems that reduce risks in these inherently dangerous environments.
Christian Fletcher, head of engineering for Zonegreen, said: “Rail depots are undeniably complex places to work, combining the triple threat of high-speed vehicles, high voltage electricity, and powerful machinery. These latest statistics demonstrate there is still a need to focus on safety and adopt a collaborative approach to eliminating risk. That starts with regular assessments to identify hazards but should also include the adoption of technology that can mitigate the margin for human error.”
Protecting people and equipment
Zonegreen rail safety solutions are the result of more than a century’s railway experience and expertise. These innovative solutions are already protecting maintenance workers and infrastructure in the UK and France and can be found in depots as far afield as Australia and the UAE.
Zonegreen Electronic Interlocking Solution (EIS), is the latest state-of-the-art addition to an already impressive catalogue of safety solutions.
A modern interlocking system, Zonegreen EIS authorises the operation of multiple types of machinery and access to hazardous areas using a Safety Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), instead of traditional mechanical keys. The PLC authorises the control of third-party equipment (gantry gates, cranes, etc.) via a volt-free contact and can enable/disable them as required.
HMI monitors placed in strategic locations display the status of equipment to operators. Hardwire sensors send signals back to system to ensure operation of equipment is only permitted when it is safe to do so. Rail maintenance facilities in France are among the first to benefit from this state-of-the-art technology, including the Joncherolles and Vaugirard depots in Paris.
A configurable solution that accommodates individual rail depot requirements, the benefits of Zonegreen EIS are impressive. Flexible, programmable, and highly reliable, the safety solution can handle multiple interlocking zones without adding more physical locks and keys, not only making it easier to scale, but also simplifying operations by removing the necessity for staff to carry keys long distances and risk the potential of losing them. Zonegreen EIS intelligent technology offers full traceability and visualisation of the system, allowing it to feed into depot SCADA systems. Remote diagnosis allows status monitoring and troubleshooting to be carried out remotely.
Zonegreen rail safety solutions continue to supply manual Trapped Key Interlocking (TKI), using the best of the best trapped key interlocking systems to suit client’s local preferences. The solutions are modular and can be expanded and adapted to grow with any maintenance facility, allowing existing systems to be updated when required.
Tried and tested
The Zonegreen Depot Personnel Protection System (DPPS) is renowned globally and installed in some of the most advanced maintenance facilities around the world, protecting people from plant and vehicle movements.
Personnel are issued with contactless RFID cards that can be programmed with various levels of authorisation, depending on the individual’s role. When beginning work in an area of risk, they log on to road end panels that prevent Network Rail-approved derailers from being lowered, providing physical protection by stopping trains entering the occupied road.
Access permission must be given to a train by a supervisor, via the controlling road end panel, which is positioned at a convenient location. This is usually next to depot doors, giving the operator a clear view of incoming and outgoing vehicles. Only after the derailer has been lowered will the shunt signal change to ‘proceed’. Audible and visual warnings are then activated to alert staff to imminent vehicle movement.
Zonegreen DPPS is one of the safest systems on the market, boasting independent certification to prove its compliance with both the hardware and software integrity requirements of SIL 2 – a reliability assessment of the relative risk reduction provided by a safety system. It is also the most thoroughly tested and proven in use, offering a low-risk option to depots looking to improve their working environment.
In addition, the Zonegreen third generation DPPS RFID panel has been independently certified by Eurofins to be compliant with the EN 300 330-V2.1.1 radio emissions standard.
Included within the DPPS package is the Zonegreen Depot Manager – advanced SCADA software which offers an overview of the entire protection system and complete traceability. It displays the location of personnel and the status of plant and equipment, whilst providing key information to make operations easier and quicker to implement.
Pointing in the right direction
Another area of focus for Zonegreen solutions is the improvement of safety for staff operating manual hand points. Zonegreen Points Converter technology is designed to automate traditional points and allow them to be operated remotely, reducing the risk of injuries and falls on uneven surfaces.
Points Converters are attached to existing hand switches to minimise installation costs and can stand alone or be linked together with routing. They are controlled via a handset that is either portable, installed in a cab, or mounted on a post, so the points can be switched from a position of safety.
To mark Zonegreen’s rapid progress, it has recently launched a new logo and updated its website to reflect its expanded product range and standing as the rail safety brand for the Sentric Safety Group.
To find out more about Zonegreen’s depot safety systems, telephone (0114) 230 0822, visit www.zonegreen.com or follow on LinkedIn: Zonegreen Ltd.
Image credit: Zonegreen
