GCRT5203 Iss 3
GCRT5203 Iss 3
GCRT5203 Iss 3
Infrastructure
Requirements for
Personal Safety in
Respect of
Clearances and
Access
Synopsis
This document sets out the design,
construction and maintenance
requirements for means of access
onto, along or across running lines
that are provided for authorised
people. It specifies the requirements
for physical measures for the control
of risks to authorised people from
moving rail vehicles and from tripping
hazards.
Contents
Section Description Page
Part A
Issue Record 2
Technical Content 2
Responsibilities 2
Compliance 2
Health and Safety Responsibilities 3
Supply 3
Part B
1 Purpose 4
2 Scope 4
3 Definitions 4
4 Principles 5
5 Access to the Railway 5
6 Access Along the Railway 7
7 Authorised Walking Routes 10
8 Access to Individual Railway Structures and Installations 11
9 Provision of Warning Signs 11
References 14
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Part A
Issue Record
This document will be updated when necessary by distribution of a complete
replacement.
Revisions have not been marked by a vertical black line in this issue because
the document has been revised throughout.
Technical Content
Approved by:
Enquiries to be directed to the Industry Safety Liaison Dept – Tel: 020 7904 7518
Responsibilities
Railway Group Standards are mandatory on all members of the Railway Group *
and apply to all relevant activities that fall into the scope of each individual’s
Railway Safety Case. If any of those activities are performed by a contractor, the
contractor’s obligation in respect of Railway Group Standards is determined by
the terms of the contract between the respective parties. Where a contractor is
a duty holder of a Railway Safety Case then Railway Group Standards apply
directly to the activities described in the Safety Case.
* 'The railway group comprises Railtrack PLC, Railway Safety, and the train and
station operators who hold railway safety cases for operation on or related to
infrastructure controlled by Railtrack PLC.
Compliance
The provisions in this document are to be complied with from 07 April 2001
unless otherwise noted.
Sections 5.2, 6.2 and 7.2 (on records to be kept) apply to existing locations and
are to be complied with from 06 April 2002.
Sections 5.8, 6.12, 7.4 and 8.4 (on inspection and maintenance) apply to existing
locations. The procedures required by these sections are to be in place by
06 April 2002.
Section 6.11 (Special requirements for tunnels) applies to existing locations and
is to be complied with from 03 April 2004.
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Any Railway Group member deviating from the requirements set out in this
document shall ensure that the situation is regularised in accordance with the
requirements of GA/RT6001, GA/RT6004, or GA/RT6006.
Supply
Controlled and uncontrolled copies of this document may be obtained from the
Industry Safety Liaison Dept, Railway Safety, Evergreen House,
160 Euston Road, London NW1 2DX.
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Part B
1 Purpose
This document sets out the design, construction and maintenance requirements
for means of access onto, along or across running lines that are provided for
authorised people. It specifies the requirements for physical measures for the
control of risks to authorised people from moving rail vehicles and from tripping
hazards.
2 Scope
The overall scope of Railway Group Standards is specified in Appendix A of
GA/RT6001.
This document contains requirements which are applicable to the duty holders of
the Infrastructure Controller category of Railway Safety Case.
This document applies to all facilities providing access onto and about Railtrack
controlled infrastructure for authorised people, including authorised walking
routes.
This document does not include requirements for facilities providing access
between sidings or requirements for the spacing of sidings.
This document does not include requirements for the control of risks from
electrification systems, which are set out in other Railway Group Standards.
The circumstances under which access along the railway is permitted whilst
trains are running are set out in GO/RT3000.
3 Definitions
Access Point
A designated point where authorised people may gain access to the railway,
usually by means of a lockable gate in the railway boundary fence.
Cess
The space adjacent to a running line but not the space between running lines.
Cess Walkway
A designated walkway along the cess where people certificated as competent in
personal track safety may walk safely while trains pass.
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Immediate Access
Cess walkways and positions of safety are considered to have ‘immediate
access’ from running lines if all the following conditions are met:
b) They are not more than 0.5m above or below the top of adjacent sleepers.
c) There are no intervening obstacles between them and the running lines.
Lineside
The area between the railway boundary fence and the area defined as on or
near the line. See ‘on or near the line’.
Position of Safety
A place where people may stand safely while trains pass. This can be
continuous or discrete. Positions of safety are not for use when trains are
running at permissible or enhanced permissible speeds greater than 125 mph.
See also ‘continuous position of safety’ and ‘refuge’.
Refuge
A specially constructed recess providing a discrete position of safety where a
continuous position of safety is not provided. See ‘position of safety’.
4 Principles
This document supports HMRI Railway Safety Principle 3:
b) the need for access to running lines for maintenance staff and equipment.
a) the name of the access point, with the road name or number if applicable.
c) the route, mileage and the side of the railway on which the access point is
located (indicated, for example, by the designation of the nearest track).
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The infrastructure controller shall make the records of access points available to
those requiring the information.
Pathways shall be designed to help prevent people using them from falling or
slipping. Handrails shall be provided where they would assist in meeting this
objective.
Where steps or ramps lead directly to the lineside, a place of safety with a hard
level surface shall be provided at the lineside end of the steps or ramp.
Barriers shall be provided on bends and at parking and turning areas where
there is a risk that road vehicles could accidentally compromise clearances to
trains. The barriers shall be sufficient to prevent the accidental overrun of road
vehicles onto the track.
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A temporary access that is required for longer than three months shall be treated
as a permanent access.
Requirements for temporary vehicular level crossings are set out in GO/RT3204.
It is permissible for the location of the cess walkway to change from one side of
the running lines to the other where required. Points where the cess walkway
changes sides shall be located where train sighting distances provide adequate
time to cross the track. The location of points where the cess walkway changes
sides shall be identified on site.
Points where the cess walkway changes sides shall not be located where the
permissible or enhanced permissible speed exceeds 125 mph.
The infrastructure controller shall make the records of cess walkways available
to those requiring the information.
Where there are more than two running lines and it is reasonably practicable to
do so, a continuous position of safety shall be provided between the running
lines such that a continuous position of safety or refuge is accessible from
anywhere by crossing only one running line.
Where refuges are provided on both sides of the running lines, they shall be
staggered to provide an effective interval not exceeding 20m.
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Where refuges are provided on one side only, they shall be spaced at intervals
not exceeding 20m.
Where there are more than two running lines and refuges are provided, the
refuges shall be spaced at intervals not exceeding 20m if a continuous position
of safety between the running lines is not available.
The distance between the nearest edge of cess walkways and the running edge
of the nearest rail of any running line open to traffic shall be at least:
The distance between the nearest edge of continuous positions of safety and the
running edge of the nearest rail of any running line open to traffic shall be at
least:
Positions of safety are only for use when trains are running at speeds no greater
than 125 mph.
The barrier shall be 1m high, measured from the surface of the walkway, and at
least 2m from the running edge of the nearest rail of the running line.
The design of the barrier shall take the following into account:
b) Access to and from running lines for maintenance staff and emergency
services.
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Where there is insufficient space for cess paths between the track and signal
posts, overhead line equipment masts and other individual structures or items of
fixed equipment not exceeding 2m in length, the path shall pass behind the
structure where practicable.
a) Height 2m.
b) Width 1.4m.
c) Depth 0.7m.
Refuges shall provide immediate access (as defined in section 3) from the
running line.
Access ramps or steps from the side of the running line shall be provided where
the vertical position of refuges is outside the limit specified in the definition of
‘immediate access’ given in section 3.
The floor of the refuge shall be a hard level surface capable of withstanding a
2
load of at least 5kN/m .
Handholds shall be provided to help people keep their balance during the
passage of trains where aerodynamic effects are a hazard.
a) Electric lighting.
c) Whitewashed edges.
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Management requirements for the control of risks which arise due to the
presence of vegetation are set out in GC/RT5202. Hazards to be considered
include encroachment of vegetation into, and obstruction of, positions of safety
and refuges.
7 Authorised Walking
Routes
7.1 Provision of authorised walking routes
The preferred means of access to or egress from a place of work (including a
booking on point or stabling point) on Railtrack controlled infrastructure shall be
by footpaths, roadways or other means designated for use by members of the
public or railway passengers. Where this is not practicable, an authorised
walking route shall be provided which minimises the risk to users from moving
trains, for example by fencing the walking route.
The infrastructure controller shall make the records of authorised walking routes
available to those requiring the information.
Where the ballast shoulder is high, steps or ramps shall be provided to give
access to the crossing surface. The surface shall be made up to rail level if
there is heavy regular use of the crossing. Elsewhere it is permissible for the
crossing to be at sleeper level. Where the crossing surface is made up to rail
level, the design of the crossing surface shall ensure flangeway gaps are
maintained.
The surfaces of crossings shall be free from abrupt changes of level and tripping
hazards and provide a firm footing for pedestrians.
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8 Access to Individual
Railway Structures and
Installations
8.1 Access to individual railway structures and installations
Accesses shall be designed so that people using them are not at risk from
moving trains. Where this is not possible, the use of the access points shall be
prohibited when trains are running.
Where there is a significant likelihood of people stepping foul of the running line
when accessing lineside premises or equipment, permanent safety barriers 1m
high shall be provided where practicable between the lineside premises or
equipment and the adjacent running line. The barriers shall be a minimum 2m
from the nearest running edge of the nearest rail.
Where practicable, doors shall not open out onto the cess. Where doors do
open out onto the cess, consideration shall be given to providing a means of
securing the door in the open position where risks may otherwise arise from the
aerodynamic effects of passing trains.
8.2 Access for train crew to signal post telephones and other locations on
or near the line
A walkway shall be provided on the approach to signal post telephones. The
walkway shall be long enough to cover the positions of cab doors of all trains
stopping at the signal post telephone, but shall not be less than 8m long.
The walkway shall have a hard level surface not less than 0.5m wide. The
surface of the walkway shall be no lower than the top of the adjacent sleepers
and no higher than the top of the adjacent rail. Where practicable, the
clearances to the walkway shall meet the requirements for cess walkways set
out in section 6.5.
Similar provision shall be made at other locations where train crews regularly
need to go on or near the line, having alighted from trains.
9 Provision of Warning
Signs
The continuous positions of safety, refuges and cess walkways referred to in this
section are those meeting the requirements of section 6.
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The warning signs shall be at eye height above walkway level wherever
practicable.
Only one of the types of the warning signs described in sections 9.2, 9.3 and 9.4
is to be provided at any one location.
Warning signs shall not be provided where the obstruction is a station platform.
The signs are illustrated, and their meanings explained, in GO/RT3000. Details
of the signs, including the readability requirements, are set out in GK/RT0033.
a) Continuous positions of safety or refuges are not provided on the side of the
running line in question.
c) The criteria for ‘prohibition’ warning signs in section 9.4 are not applicable.
b) Where it is not possible to set up a safe system of work while trains are
running.
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Only one type of reminder shall be defined, for use at all locations.
They shall be orientated to face people walking along the running lines, at each
end of the section of track where trains may run at permissible or enhanced
permissible speed greater than 125 mph and any intermediate access points to
the running lines, including the ends of platforms.
The warning signs shall be at eye height above walkway level wherever
practicable.
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References
Railway Group Standards
GA/RT6001 Railway Group Standards Change Procedures
GA/RT6004 Temporary Non-Compliance with Railway Group Standards
GA/RT6006 Derogations from Railway Group Standards
GC/RT5201 Lineside Security
GC/RT5202 Vegetation - Managing the Risk
GE/RT8025 Electrical Protective Provisions for Electrified Lines
[Publication planned for June 2001]
GK/RT0033 Lineside Signs
GK/RT0037 Signal Sighting
GO/RT3000 Master Rule Book
GO/RT3204 Protection of Temporary Vehicular Level Crossings
The Catalogue of Railway Group Standards and the Railway Group Standards
CD-ROM give the current issue number and status of documents published by
Railway Safety.
Other References
HS(G)153/1 Railway Safety Principles and Guidance Part 1
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