Rail Accident Statistics are collected on the number of passengers, employees and others killed or injured, and then categorised into those resulting from collisions, derailments, accidents involving level crossings, accidents caused by rolling stock in motion, fires in rolling stock and ‘other’. These categories do not appear to include fatalities and injuries incurred as a consequence of ‘slips, trips and falls’ (STFs) on trains or on stations.

EPF, at the last meeting of the UNECE Rail Safety working group in Geneva (25-27. November) drew attention to the limited availability of data on STFs within the UNECE area. That which is in the public domain suggests that STFs may account for a significant share of total rail passenger fatalities and injuries.

EPF’s new position paper on Railway safety data (click here to download) therefore:

• Outlines the possible significance of STFs in the context of railway passenger safety;
• Argues that understanding of the significance of STFs in railway passenger safety is hampered by the lack of publicly available comparative data with the results that STFs may receive inadequate attention;
• Suggests that the Inland Transport Committee and its Working Parties, as appropriate, should seek to identify any insufficiency of data collection and availability, leading to the consequential hampering of efforts to facilitate a safer passenger railway environment.