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ARTC flood risk and inadequate drainage systems
Date issue released
Issue number
RO-2021-004-SI-07
Issue Status
Open – Safety action pending
Transport Function
Rail: Infrastructure
Issue Owner
Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC)
Mode of Transport
Rail
Safety Issue Description

ARTC could not reliably determine the risk of flooding along the Telarah to Acacia Ridge corridor or the risks associated with inadequate capacity cross drainage systems.

Proactive action
Action number
RO-2021-004-PSA-71
Organisation
Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC)
Action Status
Monitor
Action description

In response to the draft report ARTC advised the following proactive safety action has been completed or is on-going:

  • ARTC advised that they have developed and implemented a work instruction for flooding and special locations management. The work instruction has been communicated to all field staff to assist with monitoring of special locations. Additionally, ARTC advised that they have developed an enterprise-wide special locations register (that is to capture infrastructure such as non-standard culverts) which is maintained through their asset management system.
  • The locations of flooding special locations have been included in the weather monitoring contract to provide warning when rainfall is occurring near a flooding special location.
  • Planning the installation of additional weather monitoring stations or stream flow monitors at some special locations (see RO-2021-004-SI-03), as well as reviewing the use of closed‑circuit television cameras at a few special locations.
  • Finally, as detailed in response to safety issue RO-2021-004-SI-03 a consultant has been engaged to undertake a hydrology review of the ARTC network which will assist in determining the risk of flooding.
ATSB Response

The ATSB acknowledges that some proactive safety actions have been completed and anticipates that once all safety actions have been completed then the safety issue will be addressed. ATSB will monitor progress of their implementation.