Rostering of the driver inconsistent with rostering principles

Sydney Trains accept recommendation

Sydney Trains accepts the safety issue contained in the report. Sydney Trains will accomplish activities that ensure existing procedures regarding adequate rest breaks between shift cycles and start time rotations are reinforced to safeguard against fatigue impairment of train crew. Completion of these activities is envisaged by the end of June 2020.

Sydney Trains updated procedures

Sydney Trains provided the following information about the action they have taken regarding this safety issue:

• Train Crew rosters are designed in accordance with SMS Rostering Principles as detailed in SMS-08-OP-3128 Managing Shift Work and Rostering at master Roster level with controls in place at period roster level. Where there is departure from the rostering principles owing to operational requirements, Fatigue risk control measures are identified and implemented as part of a risk management approach which includes consultation with affected workers.
• Train Crew specific procedures such as STOTC-14-005 Train Crew Fatigue Management Procedure (which references Sydney Trains’ fatigue management systems), the Guards Rostering and Working Arrangements document (GRWA) and Drivers Working and Rostering Arrangements (DRWA) documents provide a level of operational and employee flexibility and control. Train Crew manage potential fatigue and other lifestyle issues primarily to the intent of these documents.
• The offer of overtime that creates a deviation from the rostering principles is facilitated in these procedures and arrangements and requires acknowledgement by the Train Crew to the Rostering Officer that they are OK to work the offered shift.
• The Sydney Trains Fatigue Risk Management Improvement Program (FRMIP) Phase 1 (Technical Development) provided for, among other things, developing a revised & improved Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS). Phase 2 (Change Management), involves communication of the improved FRMS to all relevant business areas within Sydney Trains. The business units are expected to resource and workshop the FRMS in order to effectively enable, and sustain, its implementation for their specific needs.
• Strategy, Portfolio & Investment Directorate (SPID) have been tasked by Sydney Trains Executive to establish a governance framework and a governance lead to manage the second phase (Change Management) of the FRMIP.
• As part of the change management process, the Fatigue Management Control System (FMCS) is in the final stages of deployment with a target of end of 2020. As part of the deployment, integration plans for a number of nominated business areas are being developed to integrate the FMCS into their specific rostering practices. This will inform the progressive rollout of the FMCS across the organisation which will enhance the ability for the relevant business areas to more readily identify the possibility of a rostering principle deviation and provide improved opportunities for the business areas to respond and manage the situation. Starting initially with ‘Shift Length’ and ‘Rest Between Shifts’ the FMCS will eventually cover all of the revised rostering principles detailed in the FRMIP.

The ATSB is satisfied that the action taken by Sydney Trains addresses this safety issue.