Severn Valley Railway has been hit with a £40,000 fine after an employee suffered serious injuries from a fall during a routine painting job. The incident took place at the company’s Bridgnorth Locomotive Works in February 2021 and has highlighted the critical importance of adhering to work-at-height safety regulations including the provision of adequate training and supervision.
Painter Falls During Routine Maintenance
The accident involved a full-time locomotive and carriage painter who was repainting a Mark 1 carriage at the Bridgnorth site. The worker had been operating alone and without a safety harness, and subsequently fell from a height of around 13 feet and struck a metal storage cabinet before hitting the concrete floor. He sustained six broken bones in his lower back and suffered additional neck injuries.
An investigation into the incident was carried out by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the industry regulator.
Failures in Safety Measures
The ORR investigation revealed that Severn Valley Railway had failed to meet recognised safety standards when it came to working at height. The absence of a safety harness was just one of several safety failings identified, with a lack of safe systems of work and inadequate planning also contributing factors to the accident. The ORR also emphasised that the worker had received insufficient instruction and was poorly supervised.
After overseeing the case, District Judge Strongman commented that Severn Valley Railway had “fallen woefully below the standards expected,” with this criticism reflecting the widespread view that proper safety measures and protocols are not optional, especially with regard to sufficient instruction and training along with suitable supervision.
An Avoidable Incident
HM Chief Inspector of Railways, Richard Hines, expressed his disappointment at yet another preventable accident occurring in the heritage railway sector. He noted that these types of incidents remain all too common, with safety failures leading to serious injuries or even fatalities.
“This is yet another avoidable working-at-height incident at a heritage railway which resulted in very serious injuries,” Hines said. “My thoughts are with the individual concerned. Our inspectors have recently met with heritage operators across the sector to reinforce expectations around the proportionate safety arrangements that must be followed to carry out such maintenance tasks. Poor standards are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
Reinforcing Safety in the Sector
Working at height remains one of the most hazardous tasks in many sectors, including rail and heritage operations, and employers are expected to take all necessary precautions to protect their workers. As safety standards continue to be enforced, it is hoped that the heritage railway sector will take note of this incident and ensure that workers are not put at unnecessary risk.
Most of these cases involve insufficient supervision, or staff that either haven’t been trained properly or haven’t been retrained in the last five years. The Health and Safety Executive recommends retraining every five years as standards and best practices change over time, plus it helps avoid complacency. Such proper supervision, safety training, and the use of appropriate equipment should always be non-negotiable, especially when the lives and well-being of employees are at stake.
To learn more about safe working practices and compliance with work-at-height regulations including the provision of proper training and supervision, get in touch with the team at Ability International today.
