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HSE Press Release: E030:05 - 28 February 2005
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published a web based revised guide on the Railway and Other Transport Systems (Approval of Works, Plant and Equipment) Regulations 1994 (ROTS) which incorporates a new dispensation in the form of a General Notice (GN) under the regulations. The document is available on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/railways/approval/approval.pdf
The new ROTS guide provides more detailed advice on the ROTS process and the type of evidence that the Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) needs in order to assess schemes, whilst the new GN will benefit industry by dispensing with the requirement for HMRI to approve schemes that the regulator determines are lower risk (such as bridges under four spans or internal cosmetic refurbishments of vehicles).
Commenting on the guide Derek Hill of HMRI’s technical division said:
“This new guide provides industry with an assurance that HMRI’s decision making process is consistent, transparent and accountable. In addition to the new GN, the guide combines all the other GNs into one consolidated document with extra information on specific submission requirements including types of evidence required and a handy reference section to enable relevant sections to be found easily. We have redrawn the process diagrams to give more detail to all parts of the process and include a new diagram on testing and trials. HSE consulted our industry partners on the format of the guide following comments that the document could be improved. Industry now has one document that details from start to finish all the requirements to achieve approval of new and altered works.”
Industry should review the guide and assess whether any proposed schemes now come within the dispensation under the new GN. Schemes that are already in the system but not yet approved may also be covered and formal approval by HMRI may no longer be needed. In such cases, the onus is on industry to alert HMRI to any cases that they believe are now covered by the GN. If this is the case HMRI will remove them from the system.
The new ROTS guide is available on the HSE website at: www.hse.gov.uk/railways/approval/approval.pdf
1. HMRI has been involved in
approvals work on the railways since 1840, as an independent authority
aiming to ensure public confidence in rail transport systems. The
introduction of ROTS included, for the first time, approval of railway
rolling stock as well as lowering the baseline for approvals. These
regulations mean that railway operators must gain approval from the
Secretary of State for Transport, delegated to HMRI, before bringing
any new and altered railway works, plant and equipment into use. This
includes locomotives and rolling stock and certain other transport
systems such as tramways, trolley vehicle systems, light railways,
light rapid transit systems and guided bus ways. HMRI also enforces the
provisions of two other different legal processes that control new and
modified works on transport systems. These are, level crossings in
accordance with the Level Crossings Act 1983 as amended by the Level
Crossings Regulations 1997, or under ROTS and parts of the network
defined as high speed under the Railways (Interoperability)(High Speed)
Regulations 2002. Further information on approvals can be found on the
HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/railways/approvals.htm
Call HSE's Infoline, tel: 0845 345 0055, visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact or write to: HSE InfoLine, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG
Paul Clements 020 7717 6915
Out of hours 020 7928 8382