Emergency Services Rail Incident Protocol – BTP / Network ...

Emergency services rail incident protocol

Rail incident protocol Item Action

This protocol is an agreed framework of key 1 Emergency Service Control will immediately inform Network Rail Control of any Emergency Service Control
actions to be undertaken by the Emergency
Services and Network Rail, at the time of an attendance to the railway by the Emergency Service.
incident.
The principal purpose of this protocol is to 2 Network Rail Control will immediately advise Emergency Service Control of all Network Rail Control
ensure all players at accidents, incidents and
emergencies work together in a consistent incidents requiring the Emergency Services, giving details of the circumstances,
manner and achieve high levels of safety.
access location and known hazards e.g dangerous goods involved.

3 Network Rail Control will inform British Transport Police of all incidents involving Network Rail Control

the Emergency Services.

4 Network Rail Control and the Emergency Service Control will keep each other Network Rail Control
Emergency Service Control
updated of all relevant information and messages coming from the incident.

5 Network Rail will despatch a Rail Incident Officer (RIO) to all incidents where the Network Rail Control

Emergency Services are attending and give an estimated time of arrival for the RIO. Network Rail RIO

6 Network Rail Control and the Emergency Service Control will agree a site Network Rail Control
Emergency Service Control
identification name and an incident number of the incident at which the

Emergency Services are in attendance.

7 Upon arrival at the incident each Emergency Service will inform their respective Emergency Services on site

Controls of the rendezvous point location.

8 Where possible, the Emergency Services will await the arrival of the RIO before Emergency Services on site

entering the track area.

9 At all incidents the RIO will be the lead railway representative, co-ordinating the Emergency Services on site
Network Rail RIO
rail industry input and providing site specific information.

The RIO will be readily identifiable and make themselves known to the Emergency

Services Incident Commanders.

The Emergency Services referred to Item Action
in this protocol means:
Police Forces, Fire Brigades and Ambulance 10 Following an assessment of the situation on site all requests for: Emergency Services on site
Services in England, Wales & Scotland and
British Transport Police. ¥ trains to run at caution, or Network Rail control

The Rail Incident Officer (RIO) ¥ trains to be stopped, or Emergency Service Control
References to Rail Incident Officer (RIO) are
to a person competent to provide the ¥ traction electric power to be switched off and any subsequent isolation will only
Network rail response at incidents and to
liaise with the Emergency Services. be made by the Emergency Services to Network Rail Control via the Emergency

Services Control, unless the RIO is on site and assumes that responsibility.

11 Where a request has been made for: Network Rail Control

¥ trains to run at caution, or

¥ trains to be stopped, or

¥ traction electric power to be switched off and any subsequent isolation,

Network Rail Control will confirm to the Emergency Service Control when the

request has been implemented.

Note: until such time as confirmation is received it must be assumed that the

traction electric power remains live and lines remain open to the passage of trains.

12 Each Emergency Service will inform Network Rail, via their Control, that the Emergency Services on site
Emergency Service Control
incident is completed and all their personnel are at a place of safety.

13 The Emergency Services will inform Network Rail of any incident they are Emergency Services on site via
Emergency Service Control
attending which, although not on the railway, has potential, at some point during

operations, to impact on train movements or safety.

14 Emergency Services personnel will wear high visibility clothing when on Emergency Services on site

the railway.

15 Safety on the railway whilst dealing with incidents will be in accordance with Emergency Services on site
Network Rail RIO
the relevant aspects of one, or all, of the following:
¥ Railway Safety for the Emergency Services
¥ HM Fire Service Inspectorate Generic Risk Assessment No. 4.2
¥ ACPO Emergency Procedures Manual
¥ ACPO(S) Emergency Procedures Manual
¥ British Transport Police Major Incident Manual.

This Document has been produced in
consultation with the following organisations:

British Transport Police
Association of Chief Police Officers
(England, Wales & Northern Ireland)
Association of Chief Police Officers

(Scotland)
Ambulance Services Association
Chief & Assistant Chief Fire Officers

Association
Network Rail

For railway safety information please refer to
Railway Safety for the Emergency Services

RT/CM/SO/P/302

Network Rail 40 Melton Street London NW1 2EE
www.networkrail.co.uk

Network Rail Document RT/CM/SO/P/305 March 2004