Headlines

  • RailSCC to be integrated with Opsweb
    13 October 2008
    After 4 successful years www.railscc.co.uk will no longer have a dedicated website.
  • Time running out for training
    10 September 2008
    There are just six months left for frontline staff to attend the free Network Rail Voice Communications Training.
  • March deadline for managers
    10 September 2008
    More than 700 frontline managers have completed the Network Rail Advanced Voice Communications Training and hundreds more are expected to do the same by the end of March 2009.
  • Film has firm message
    10 September 2008
    A new film clip of a near miss at Welshpool is delivering a no nonsense message around safety critical communications.
  • Voice recording goes digital
    10 September 2008
    Four hundred digital voice recorders have now been installed across the rail network.
  • Re-writing the rules: your feedback counts
    20 August 2008
    Thank you to everyone who took part in the six-month study led by the Rail Safety and Standards Board which got to the bottom of why signallers and drivers don’t use standard words and phrases – this is the largest survey of its kind ever conducted.
  • OPSWEB registered users breaks through 5000 mark
    20 August 2008
    OPSWEB has gone from strength to strength since its launch in November 2007; its registered users figure has now broken through the 5000 mark.
  • Last chance for training
    04 August 2008
    Fantastic feedback, strong safety messaging and only eight months to go – the Network Rail Advanced Communications training course is still open to all Network Rail and Train Operating Company frontline managers who do not want to miss out.
  • New manual, new standards
    04 August 2008
    Network Rail staff will be expected to meet a higher standard of voice communications from December when changes are introduced to the Operations Manual.
  • Competencies on track
    04 August 2008
    A framework is now in place for the launch of a professionally recognised Communication Competencies qualification – due for launch in July 2009.
  • Managers say yes to messaging
    02 July 2008
    Managers across Network Rail want to lead by example – and their response to tougher Advanced Communications training is proof.
  • Manual raises bar
    02 July 2008
    A change to Network Rail’s Operations Manual could be in force as early as December – setting a higher standard of voice communications for employees.
  • ATOC on board with competencies
    02 July 2008
    The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) has expressed its interest in a Network Rail proposal to introduce a Communication Competency.
  • Training gets tough
    02 June 2008
    Stronger messaging behind Network Rail’s Advanced Voice Communications training will remind managers that it is their role to lead by example.
  • Taking the cue from you
    02 June 2008
    Your response to the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) survey on the use of standard words and phrases is spelling out new ways to boost safety critical communications.
  • Get on board with advanced training
    01 May 2008
    Network Rail’s Advanced Voice Communications Workshops are proving to be such a hit, that all trainers and briefers are now invited to attend.
  • Licence promises to lead the way
    01 May 2008
    A proposed voice communications qualification could mark a first for the rail industry.
  • Red alert for DVD
    01 May 2008
    The latest DVD in the RED series is now available.
  • Dealing with a distress call
    01 May 2008
    April sees the launch of a new briefing designed to help signallers handle distress calls correctly.
  • Call for contractors to communicate
    01 May 2008
    Contractors are asked to get involved with their local Communications Review Groups (CRG) following a recent audit that showed poor attendance.
  • Advanced training off to flying start
    03 April 2008
    April welcomes the start of the advanced voice communications training for frontline managers – all places were taken on the first one-day workshop held in Larbert, Scotland.
  • The results are in
    03 April 2008
    Your feedback on standard words and phrases is now being considered.
  • Go local
    03 April 2008
    Your feedback on standard words and phrases is now being considered.
  • Leading the way in safety communications
    12 March 2008
    The 2008 Railway Communications Conference hosted by Network Rail brought together representatives from across the industry on 4 March to discuss issues around safety-critical communications. Speakers included representatives from passenger and freight operators, contractors, and Network Rail’s maintenance and operations functions.
  • Calling all managers
    12 March 2008
    Network Rail invites frontline managers to sign up to the Advanced Voice Communications Workshop free of charge starting in April.
  • EWS signs up to GSM-R
    26 February 2008
    Inspired by the success of the Strathclyde trials, freight operator EWS will be taking part in the pilot from March. Network Rail has so far trained 30 EWS drivers.
  • Australia gives SAF6 thumbs up
    25 February 2008
    Talk of Network Rail’s initiative to improve safety critical communications is not only spreading across the network but also down under where it’s setting the standard as a world leader.
  • Advanced training motivates managers
    25 February 2008
    Frontline managers will step up to advanced communications training this spring led by Network Rail.
  • Training is right on cue
    25 February 2008
    Cue cards are providing a simple but effective boost to voice communications in West Wales and West Scotland.
  • Gearing Up for GSM-R Success Nationwide
    14 January 2008
    Four months on and the GSM-R trials in Strathclyde are proving to be such a success that plans for an accompanying national voice system are at proposal stage.
  • Have Your Say
    14 January 2008
    Now is your chance to tell us what you think of standard words and phrases and how you use them.
  • Speakers Step Up
    14 January 2008
    High profile speakers from the military and airline industry will join rail representatives at a Network Rail communications conference this spring.
  • GSM-R Triumphs During Trial
    22 December 2007
    Two months into trials at Strathclyde and GSM-R is proving to be a hit with its clear reception, reliability and simplicity.
  • Talking the talk: what do you think of the rules?
    20 December 2007
    An online survey launched this month will ask all frontline staff and management across England what they think of standard words and phrases and how they use them.
  • EWS Takes Tough Stance for Safety
    05 December 2007
    EWS has launched a zero tolerance communications monitoring system to cut serious incidents involving shunters.
  • GSM-R: A radio revolution
    05 December 2007
    October marked the start of a new age of communication between drivers, controllers and signallers – a six-month trial in the Strathclyde area is setting a precedent for the future of safety critical communications on the rail network.
  • Research Asks: Is Repetition Effective?
    01 November 2007
    New research is set to lift the lid on how we communicate on the network by asking the all-important question: why are standard words and phrases not being used?
  • Get your voice heard
    02 October 2007
    Network Rail is calling on contractors to share in the success of its one-day communication training courses.
  • Calling all speakers who want to make a difference...
    02 October 2007
    A communications conference to be hosted by Network Rail in spring 2008 will bring together key industry players to discuss the future of safety on the rail network.
  • When seconds count, clear communication comes into its own
    02 October 2007
    This is the key message in a short film recently introduced as part of the enhanced communications module in all training courses.
  • Shift changeover: Good communication starts here
    02 October 2007
    The New Year will bring the first ever shift changeover briefing pack to the rail industry.
  • Conference says it again for SCC
    25 July 2007
    Safety critical communications (SCC) remain at the forefront of proactive risk reduction - a key focus for the eleventh and most successful Operational Risk and SPAD conference to date.
  • Test steps up standards
    08 May 2007
    New Network Rail recruits will have their reading, listening and speaking skills put to the test thanks to a new scheme launched in May.
  • We are the champions
    08 May 2007
    Fifty first-class communicators gathered in Birmingham in April for Network Rail’s Communications Champions event – the first of its kind in the UK.
  • Digital systems are go
    11 April 2007
    Forty digital voice recording boxes have now been installed as part of a network-wide initiative to drastically improve incident investigation reporting.
  • Safety training needs YOU
    11 April 2007
    Over 20,000 staff have now completed Network Rail's safety critical communication training. If you're not one of them, sign up and make sure you don't miss out.
  • Award-winning DVD takes safety in new direction
    11 April 2007
    With over 1500 copies in circulation and an award for best direction in a health and safety film, the Say Again DVD is having a big impact.
  • National scores not yet premier league
    16 March 2007
    New figures reveal that small changes could take frontline staff to the top of the league in safety communications despite nearly a third of employees scoring poor or very poor during assessments.
  • Success of Assessing Safety Critical Communications CD-ROM
    21 February 2007
    Demand for the training CD for assessing signallers' safety critical communications has seen it literally flying off the shelves in the past few months. A recent request for a third print run is evidence of its continuing success.
  • Test proposals get tough with recruitment
    02 February 2007
    Citing communication as key to rail safety, Network Rail is developing a language test as part of its recruitment process.
  • Improved training strengthens voice of safety
    02 February 2007
    Voice communications assessment is being embraced across the industry in many guises.
  • Thousands sing praises for training with proven success rate
    02 February 2007
    Some say they've seen nothing like it during 40 years of service. Up to 600 people are doing it each week, and 15,000 of you have already done it. What's more, you can do it any time, anywhere and it's free for everyone in the industry.
  • Safety briefing DVD tells drivers to consider communications
    27 November 2006
    A new London Lines safety briefing DVD is helping drivers, conductors and Network Rail staff to consider communications carefully.
  • New DVD says it loud and clear
    27 November 2006
    A new hard-hitting Network Rail DVD is tackling the issue of miscommunication on the network.
  • Safety Communication Enters New League
    03 October 2006
    A new league table is set to revolutionise the way safety critical communication is monitored across the UK network.
  • Digital Systems Spell Safer Future for East Midlands
    12 September 2006
    Digital voice recording boxes are set to revolutionise incident investigation and vastly improve safety on the East Midlands network.
  • TACT Takes Training to New Level
    12 September 2006
    Sophisticated new technology introduced this summer will help standardise safety communications across the rail industry.
  • Valuable Communications Training for TOCs/FOCs/Contractor Personnel
    09 September 2006
    Standardised voice communications training is one of the components of the three-year industry wide communications safety plan known as SAF6, led by Network Rail.
  • Communications Plan Targets Safety
    08 August 2006
    Six months after its launch, an industry-wide communications plan is on track to improve safety and cut costs by up to £20 million a year.
  • Conference Puts Emphasis on Communication
    01 August 2006
    The importance of safety critical communications was highlighted at the National SPAD and Operational Risk Conference held at the Institute of Civil Engineers in July.
  • New Study Reveals the Role of Miscommunication in Incidents
    26 June 2006
    Communications errors contribute to at least one third of incidents on the rail network, recent research commissioned by the Rail Safety and Standards Board reveals.
  • New Project Manager for Focus Group
    16 May 2006
    The Safety Critical Communications Focus Group (SCCFG) welcomed a new project manager, Colin McNicol, in spring.
  • Rule Book Changes Make Sense for Communications
    01 December 2005
    A set of Rule Book changes that come into effect 3 December 2005 simplify the safety critical communications protocols and clarify a number of rules that many people have found confusing.
  • European Conference on Rail Human Factors
    26 November 2005
    The second European Conference on Rail Human Factors was held in London 21 - 23 November 2005, and safety critical communications was firmly on the agenda.
  • SCCFG Project Manager Change
    14 October 2005
    The project manager for SCCFG is changing this month. Susan Cassidy who has been coordinating the cross-industry group's activities will be stepping in to act as Project Manager for the National SPAD Focus Group (NSFG) to cover Gaynor Anderson's maternity leave.
  • Online Survey Results Published
    14 October 2005
    We recently ran an online survey on this website to find out what YOU think of the various aspects of safety critical communications. The results are out!
  • Innovation in Safety Award for SCCFG
    22 March 2005
    The SCC Focus group was the recipient of the Innovation in Safety Award at the recent Railway Industry Innovation Awards
  • SCCFG one year on
    08 December 2004
    Chairman Steve Bence talks about the Group's first year and plans for 2005
  • Keen response to new e-learning tool
    16 November 2004
    Our interactive training CD on safety critical communications is receiving an enthusiastic response across the industry.
  • Network Rail takes action on SCC
    06 October 2004
    Network Rail has put in place a Safety Critical Communications Implementation Group
  • New e-learning tool out now
    02 October 2004
    The RSSB Safety Critical Communications Focus Group has produced a new interactive learning tool for improving SCC on the railway.