Pacific National's Freight Loading Manual did not require the use of radial unitising straps to prevent telescoping on jumbo coils where the thickness of the steel was greater than 2 mm.
Pacific National did not demonstrate that the load restraint system provided by demountable cradles carrying jumbo coils was safe and fit for purpose.
Pacific National's Freight Loading Manual did not require a combination of radial unitising straps on jumbo coils positioned such that a strap was always free from contact with the cradle. The provision of straps in this configuration would have reduced the risk of the coil telescoping in the event of strap breakage due to contact with the cradle.
Pacific National's Freight Loading Manual, specific to the loading and unitising of jumbo coils, did not require the use of rubber load mat on cradles. Consequently, there was no requirement to consider the condition of load mat during inspection and maintenance. This allowed the continued use of cradles without load mat, which decreased their effectiveness at restraining loads.
Neither Alstom’s validation processes nor fault monitoring processes were sufficient to detect the overcharging of batteries prior to the event.
Inspection records for the December 2010 wheelset maintenance activity and wheel change on wheelset number 7E5S 831444 were not available. It is a requirement specified in Pacific National's Wagon Maintenance Manual that records be retained for a period of 12 years.
Axle testing on wheelset number 7E5S 831444 was not carried out during the two most recent wheelset maintenance events in January 2016 and November 2016. It is likely the axle crack existed at the time of these maintenance activities.
Elements of the safety and environment management system are reliant on procedures being followed to manage safety risks. There is little scope for the system to recover when there has been a human error or other procedural error.
The system of placing protection flags on both ends of a train set does not provide a positive isolation of energy to ensure a train cannot be moved while it is being worked on.
The Skitube system for managing access to track did not detect the conflict of the rail maintenance worker under the train at the same time the train was being shunted.
VicTrack’s contractor, UGL Engineering Limited, did not provide signalling testers with specific instructions detailing the scope of work to be conducted at each stage of a project, but rather, only provided packaged isolation plans for the entire project. The absence of these instructions increased the risk of the works being incorrectly implemented.
Aurizon did not provide drivers with ready access to Queensland Rail’s procedures for driver only operations and overhead line equipment emergencies when they were operating on the Queensland Rail network. In addition, Aurizon did not have procedures for driver only operations that applied to its own network.
Aurizon did not have an effective system in place for ensuring personnel required to check the securing of unusual loads (such as empty flat racks) prior to departure had sufficient knowledge of their responsibilities, and had ready access to relevant procedures, guidance and checklists.
Aurizon’s procedures and guidance for two-driver operation during situations such as a condition affecting the network (CAN) did not facilitate the effective sharing of duties and teamwork to minimise the potential effects of degraded conditions on driver workload and fatigue.
Queensland Rail did not have any restrictions on the distance or time that controlled speed could be used as a risk control for safe train operation in situations such as a condition affecting the network (CAN). The effectiveness of controlled speed has the significant potential to deteriorate over extended time periods due to its effect on driver workload, vigilance, fatigue and risk perception.
Queensland Rail did not have procedures that required network control personnel to actively search for information about track conditions ahead of a train during situations such as a condition affecting the network (CAN), when conditions had the realistic potential to have deteriorated since the last patrol or train had run over the relevant sections.
Queensland Rail did not have an effective means of ensuring that, during situations such as a condition affecting the network (CAN), network control personnel were aware of the relevant weather monitoring systems that were unserviceable.
Sydney Trains' control of the access and egress to the project worksite did not ensure that all workers entering the worksite were identified and received an induction.
Queensland Rail did not have a procedure in place to cross-check a master circuit diagram with the existing configuration of the in-field equipment before using the diagram for safety critical work. This removed an opportunity to detect any error in master circuit diagrams.
There were track defects identified in the vicinity of the derailment site prior to the derailment. The maintenance of defects in this section of track was not successful in preventing the defects from re-occurring.
