Recommendation Date
Recipient Name
NRSS Executive
Text
The Commission recommends that the National Rail Safety System Executive adopt or develop a New Zealand Fire Standard that incorporates, but is not limited to:
- minimising sources of fire ignition
- restricting fire propagation
- the use of fire-resistant materials
- the provision of appropriate firefighting equipment
- ventilation systems to protect crew and passengers from harmful smoke and gases
- the installation of fixed fire protection systems
- the ability to self-rescue or relocate the train in the event of a fire in a tunnel or similar hazardous location.
- minimising sources of fire ignition
- restricting fire propagation
- the use of fire-resistant materials
- the provision of appropriate firefighting equipment
- ventilation systems to protect crew and passengers from harmful smoke and gases
- the installation of fixed fire protection systems
- the ability to self-rescue or relocate the train in the event of a fire in a tunnel or similar hazardous location.
Reply Text
The NRSS Executive noted that the request to ‘adopt or develop’ would not be within the scope of the NRSS Executive to undertake, but does recognise that such matters are required to be considered for the operating environment. Therefore the NRSS Executive can propose, through relevant NRSS documentation, the consideration of relevant international standards for the interoperability environment.
These standards would also incorporate, but not be limited to those specific areas as identified by the Commission, due to the systems approaches that will be required to sustain the Commission’s recommendations. The NRSS Executive noted in particular, that rail fire safety is a complex issue and one that requires a system’s approach across all aspects including infrastructure, rolling stock and operations to achieve and sustain safe outcomes.
These standards would also incorporate, but not be limited to those specific areas as identified by the Commission, due to the systems approaches that will be required to sustain the Commission’s recommendations. The NRSS Executive noted in particular, that rail fire safety is a complex issue and one that requires a system’s approach across all aspects including infrastructure, rolling stock and operations to achieve and sustain safe outcomes.
Related Investigation(s)