At Omada Rail Systems, Safety is our number one priority, always. As such, we are proud to be collaborating with the TrackSAFE Foundation to highlight rail safety during the annual Rail Safety Week (RSW).
Each year, Rail Safety Week is held to engage community members in rail safe practices across Australia and New Zealand. On average, a member of the public is killed or injured on the Australian rail network every 2 and a half days, along with around 2000 near misses. Fatalities, incidents and near hits on the network can cause severe and lasting trauma to the rail employees involved, and the majority of these incidents can be avoided.
This year’s message to the public is to Stand back. Look Up. Stay Rail Safe. This message is relevant across a whole range of environments from platforms to level crossings to on track works.
In addition to the public focused messaging, TrackSAFE has developed additional messages, focused on the frontline rail workforce. These messages aim to remind workers of the importance of being aware of their surroundings, creating a safe working environment, and. encouraging workers to speak up if they are concerned about their own, or a workmates safety.
The campaign, STAND BACK. LOOK UP. STAY RAIL SAFE features Paralympian Vanessa Low sharing her own lived experience as a rail accident survivor. When Vanessa was 15, she fell from an overcrowded platform & into the path of an oncoming train. Vanessa lost both her legs in the accident.
Vanessa is training to compete at the Paralympics in August & will join TrackSAFE during a webinar on 11 August 2021 at 12noon (EST). Following the Paralympics, TrackSAFE will work with Vanessa on additional opportunities to share her story with RSW supporting organisations & the Australian community from November & into 2022.
For more information on Rail Safety Week and the TrackSAFE Foundation, head to their website at: