Recommendation Date
Recipient Name
NZTA
Text
Communication between members of work gangs in noisy environments can be seriously hampered by noise and the ear defenders worn by crew to protect against that noise, often making visual contact the sole method available for communicating. The uptake by the rail industry of technological advances such as radio equipment integrated into safety equipment has been progressed but has been slow.
Reply Text
New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) acknowledges receipt of the letter from your Chief Commissioner dated 6 October 2008 that outlines the list of safety issues that you have asked NZTA to address, and requests a timeframe for the implementation of these issues.
In relation to the tragedy that occurred at Ohinewai, the NZTA will need to liaise closely with, in particular, ONTRACK, to fully understand the necessary and practicable actions that are required to help ensure that such an accident will not happen again. The TAIC investigation is one of several reports on this accident that will inform the response required from NZTA.
Until that work is carried out, NZTA is not in a position to advise how, or when, the safety issues raised in your report can be closed out. NZTA will keep TAIC informed of progress.
In relation to the tragedy that occurred at Ohinewai, the NZTA will need to liaise closely with, in particular, ONTRACK, to fully understand the necessary and practicable actions that are required to help ensure that such an accident will not happen again. The TAIC investigation is one of several reports on this accident that will inform the response required from NZTA.
Until that work is carried out, NZTA is not in a position to advise how, or when, the safety issues raised in your report can be closed out. NZTA will keep TAIC informed of progress.
Related Investigation(s)