Suresh Prabhu issues directions during Safety Awareness Month

Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu -indianbureaucracy

Ministry of Railways had accorded topmost priority to safety and a renewed effort is undertaken to attain the aspiration of ‘zero accidents’ indicated in the last budget speech of Minister of Railways. In pursuance of these objectives Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhu has underlined the need to revisit all safety related issues, reorient the working to address systemic lacunae and to identify and attend all potential vulnerable areas in a comprehensive month long drive so as to prevent further accidents . He has also directed that concrete measures should be undertaken by all the General Managers to bring about a significant improvement in the safety performance of Indian Railways. He emphasized that these measures should be implemented and monitored personally by the General Managers and other concerned officers during the month long special ‘Safety Awareness Campaign’ which is underway from 5^th January to 5^th February, 2017.

Accordingly, the following directions have been given:

SNo.	Item
1.	Focus on Vulnerable areas: Zonal Railways to launch one focused 15 days long safety drive from 10^th January to 25^th January, focusing on vulnerable areas. All departments directly concerned with train operations, like Traffic, Mechanical, Electrical, Signaling and Civil Engineering should undertake one drive each, during the period.
2.	Scheduled inspections and their compliance: It must be ensured by GMs that all the scheduled safety inspections prescribed for Sr. Supervisors and Officers are conducted and immediate action is taken on the deficiencies detected during these inspections. All Zonal Railways should circulate the standard schedules of safety inspections prescribed for all Sr. Supervisors and Officers and ensure that these safety inspections, including footplate inspections, night inspections and other scheduled inspections are undertaken by all concerned. Staff and officers failing to undertake these safety inspections should be taken up. Summary of these safety inspections undertaken should be incorporated in the summary of weekly safety performance to be sent by General Managers to ED/Safety (Coordination) (by email/fax) as per the annexed format.
3.	Fog precautions: In view of foggy weather all precautions as prescribed must be put in place to avoid any interruption and unsafe movement of trains. Detailed instructions, like very year, have already been issued by Railway Board.
4.	Field inspections by GMs and DRMs : All GMs must undertake thorough safety inspections of at least one section during safety campaign of their Zonal Railway. Similarly DRMs must also undertake safety inspection of one section, other than the section being inspected by the GMs. These safety inspections should be thorough and focused.
5.	Workshop/workplace inspections by Principal Head Of the Departments (PHOD): The concerned PHODs must inspect at least one workshop/depot/workplace of their respective area during the campaign.
6.	Night footplate inspections to cover all sections: All officers should be deputed to undertaken night footplate inspections by passenger/mail/express trains so as to cover all sections of the Division every night. HQ officers (SAGs and JAGs of all Departments) may also be given a target of at least two night time footplate inspections. Deficiencies noticed should be taken care of on the spot in coordination with the respective officers as far as possible.
7.	GMs weekly Safety Meetings: All General Managers to hold safety meetings every Monday to review the safety performance during the week with their PHODs and DRMs. Emphasis should be to identify major lacunae including resource availability (division wise) in the present system and tabulate potential areas requiring immediate intervention at the zonal and RB level. The details of action taken for rectification of defects, taking care of deficiencies and also the action taken against the defaulting staff should also be part of the weekly report of the GMs to be sent to ED/Safety (Coordination) for consideration of Board.
8.	DRMs weekly safety meetings : DRMs shall hold weekly safety meetings with their branch officers to review the safety performance and taking necessary action. Safety department at CSO & Sr. DSO level should conduct 15 ambush checks during the campaign to see the alertness and safety preparedness of the staff.
9.	Monitoring Accident related inquiries: All the accident inquiries and DAR cases arising out of safety inspections must be finalized within the specified time limit. GMs and DRMs to ensure that the punishment is deterrent for lapses endangering safety.
10.	Safety Seminars: A Safety Seminar should be organized by all the Zonal Railways involving Union office bearers and Safety category staff at GMs level on 15^th Jan and similar “Sanraksha Samvad” seminar by DRMs on their Division on 20^th Jan. Case studies of all major accidents that have taken place be discussed in these seminars. Seminars at Zonal levels shall be attended by Members/Additional Members of Railway Board and on Divisional by nominated EDs.
11.	Training and Medical examination: Scheduled training and periodical medical examination of staff must be ensured. Two day “Sanraksha Shivir” to be organized at all Training Centre in the Zone for Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, S&T and Traffic staff to refresh Divisional training in safety of Operations and Maintenance.
12.	Monthly Safety Bulletin : Monthly Safety Bulletin with case studies should be launched by all Zones. Best practices should be widely circulated amongst all staff
13.	Categorisation and monitored counseling of Safety staff: All running and safety category staff be categorized for monitoring and counseling. 100% safety category staff be counseled by Supervisor and officers during the drive and certification given by DRM
14.	Inspections by Railway Board EDs: Railway Board EDs shall undertake inspection of their nominated divisions as per list. All EDs should do two inspections of their nominated divisions in the period of safety campaign.
15.	Staff involvement: All GMs to ensure maximum participation of staff and unions in this campaign.
16.	Sanrasha Jagrukta Abhiyan at Production Units (PU): All GMs of PUs shall also organize month long “Sanrasha Jagrukta Abhiyan” and send a report on weekly basis. They will draw up their own program.