This report examines 3 derailments due to washouts and slips (occurrences 02-101, 02-102 and 02-103) caused by inclement weather in the South Island during January 2002. No serious injuries were sustained but the opportunity existed in each case for more serious and potentially life threatening injuries to have occurred.
Safety issues identified by these incidents included:
• the lack of a formalised early warning river flow level notification process for the Rangitata River
• the lack of staff available to respond to operating contingencies during the holiday period
• the lack of adequate relief arrangements to cover track staff annual leave programmes
• the lack of a defined process for implementing special track inspections during inclement weather
• the length of time between special track inspections and the arrival of the first train
Three safety recommendations were made to the operator to address these safety issues.
