Where a signalling design has implicit safety requirements that need to be validated onsite, field testers should be provided with comprehensive check notes and/or clearly annotated information that ensures specific testing requirements are not omitted.
Action taken by the ARTC has adequately addressed this issue.
The Australian Rail Track Corporation has advised that the following actions will be taken with respect to future signal design work. Checking of Clearance Points between Design and field, by Checking Engineers to be formalized.
This to be included in the Principles Test verification. The Track Insulation Plan to be verified as part of the Principles Test.
The Commissioning work Instruction and ITF 13/5 to be amended to explicitly indicate when a Clearance Point commissioning test is required. The use of a plate to permanently identify the location of the fouling point be considered.
The Track Maintenance Standards, Examination Standards and Work Schedules be amended to include verification of the clearance at appropriate time intervals or after specific maintenance activities or events.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is satisfied that the action taken by the Australian Rail Track Corporation adequately addresses the safety issue.
