Recommendation Date
Recipient Name
NZTA
Text
The rules-based system adopted by the rail industry in New Zealand is overly complex and relies heavily on employees’ knowledge of it. The training and assessment programme for ensuring compliance did not in this case result in a safe operation. The lessons about rule complexity learned from the Glenbrook inquiry, and the similarities to the New Zealand railway rules system, suggest that the rule complexity issue might be widespread throughout the New Zealand rail system.
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)