TasRail’s processes for ensuring immediate network control actions in response to emergencies (such as runaway and authority exceedance) fundamentally relied on the experience and knowledge of network control officers and did not include the provision of procedures, tools and checklists detailed enough to support the effective management of specific types of incidents that require a time-critical response.
The ATSB is satisfied that TasRail’s emergency management checklists (for runaway, derailment, and overrun of limits authority) adequately address the safety issue.
In February 2021, TasRail implemented 3 checklists to assist in ensuring consistent and sound decisions by network control officers during time-critical emergency responses. These were:
