Safety issue

Safety issue description

ARTC could not reliably determine the risk of flooding along the Telarah to Acacia Ridge corridor or the risks associated with inadequate capacity cross drainage systems.

Issue number RO-2021-004-SI-07
Issue owner Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC)
Transport function Rail: Infrastructure
Issue status Closed – Adequately addressed
Date issue released 06/06/2023
Issue status justification

The ATSB is satisfied that the safety actions taken by ARTC addresses the safety issue.

Issue finalisation date 26/02/2025

Safety action

Action type Proactive action
Action number RO-2021-004-PSA-71
Organisation Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC)
Action description

In response to the draft report ARTC advised the following proactive safety action has been completed or is on-going:

  • ARTC advised that they have developed and implemented a work instruction for flooding and special locations management. The work instruction has been communicated to all field staff to assist with monitoring of special locations. Additionally, ARTC advised that they have developed an enterprise-wide special locations register (that is to capture infrastructure such as non-standard culverts) which is maintained through their asset management system.
  • The locations of flooding special locations have been included in the weather monitoring contract to provide warning when rainfall is occurring near a flooding special location.
  • Planning the installation of additional weather monitoring stations or stream flow monitors at some special locations (see RO-2021-004-SI-03), as well as reviewing the use of closed‑circuit television cameras at a few special locations.
  • Finally, as detailed in response to safety issue RO-2021-004-SI-03 a consultant has been engaged to undertake a hydrology review of the ARTC network which will assist in determining the risk of flooding.
ATSB response

The ATSB acknowledges that some proactive safety actions have been completed and anticipates that once all safety actions have been completed then the safety issue will be addressed. ATSB will monitor progress of their implementation.

Action status Closed

Organisation response

Date received 13/09/2023
Organisation Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC)
Response text

ARTC provided an update on the progress of their safety actions with all actions completed