Rail sub-contractors are 'cutting corners' on safety
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.RAIL PASSENGERS could be at risk from engineering sub- contractors "cutting corners" to finish projects on time, it was disclosed yesterday. The fear was expressed after a survey of health and safety professionals in the rail industry.
The survey also found that more than one in four of these professionals felt there was less commitment to health and safety in the rail industry than there was five years ago.
"These findings cause us considerable concern," said Stephen Fulwell, head of technical affairs at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, which conducted the survey.
It also discovered that almost one third of rail health and safety professionals considered their status to be lower than it was five years ago. "We have found that sharper commercial focus in the privatised rail sector, combined with an increase in the outsourcing of engineering projects, may be encouraging some sub-contractors to 'cut corners' under the pressure of delivering to tight deadlines and budgets," it said.
Mr Fulwell said that his organisation, which represents 23,000 health and safety professionals, was also concerned that certain proposed safety measures for the industry, such as the withdrawal of old Mark 1 trains, which have limited crash- survivability, were first put forward 10 years ago. "We want to make sure, given the feedback from our members and the upward trend in rail accidents, that rail companies and the franchising directorate are putting health and safety high enough up the corporate agenda," he added.
Last week, the Health and Safety Executive said that, excluding suicides and trespassers, 47 people died on the rail- ways in 1997-98 - nearly double the figure of the previous year.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments