We provide excellent value, with high-quality services that typically result in significant cost savings for our customers.
Highly motivated, professional and widely respected both as an organisation and as individuals, we are totally committed to the rail industry and to investing back in its future success. We believe in 'working smarter' rather than clinging to outmoded traditions and are at the forefront of developments, working closely with key organisations such as HM Railway Inspectorate and many train operators, as well as infrastructure companies.
Our unique and much-praised approach has repeatedly shown itself capable of transforming individual attitudes and providing real, measurable benefits both in safety and in business performance.
We are able to provide individuals to support your organisation in a variety of functional areas:
Please refer to our brochure for further information on courses.
There are many hazards that can be encountered by traincrew on an operational railway, for example level crossings, multi-SPAD signals, and low adhesion areas. Each of these hazards needs to be assessed to determine their relative risk (how likely it is that the hazard will be encountered and the consequences if it is).
The process of mapping the route often identifies hazards and the output of the process (the maps) provides an invaluable tool for training and competence assessment. There is also a direct link between the risk assessment and staff development; training and competence assessment:
Our approach to route risk assessment includes hazard identification, risk assessment, mapping, and recommendations for training and ongoing competence assessment.
Our operational experience means we are well-placed to conduct robust safety systems and depot management audits that can make a real difference to your operation and how your staff work.
As well as conducting safety, quality, engineering and depot management audits most of our consultants have been on the receiving end of an audit and as such recognise the value of providing a supportive, proactive approach to auditing. A process that works with people to build relationships encourages development and improves the quality of staff and system performance is what we strive for.
Our audit activities stretch beyond just compliance checking; we drill down into the quality of the work being undertaken and provide on-the-spot help, guidance, support and advice on current best practice.
We can also you develop your own internal audit protocols that will be simple and easy to apply.
Typical audit services available include:
Our consultants have been performing Traincrew and depot audits now for well over 15 years. Initially as part of a major Freight Organisations operational standards team, then as within the SPAD management project and more recently under the RPD consultancy banner.
Our operational specialists are fully conversant with the requirements now placed on organisations through the ROGS, RSPG and more specifically the Railway Group Standard requirements and ATOC guidance.
All of our auditors have front line rail operational management experience and therefore can unpack any issues and concerns within depot management and provide realistic advice and support for improvement.
A key safety and performance risk, and ultimately a business risk, is the impact that personal accidents and operational incidents have. Clearly, there are sound financial reasons for reducing accidents and ill health, as well as the suffering and distress caused to workers and their families. We will help you to learn from each and every incident and apply recommendations that prevent recurrence.
We have trained over 500 investigators within the rail industry, using a modular approach to investigation that will enable you to select the most appropriate level of investigator training for your staff. All our training is aimed at identifying levels of causation and preventing recurrence without apportioning blame.
Our modular approach provides a range of courses which allow investigator competence to be built progressively over time, minimising the amount of time each trainee spends away from the workplace. Our development programme ranges from Response Investigator through to Professional Root Cause Investigator levels.
The benefit of this approach is that the key skills at each level are honed to ensure that all evidence and information is accurately identified, immediate, underlying and root causes clearly established, with SMART recommendations produced to mitigate against recurrence.
All our staff are widely experienced in accident and incident investigation and feedback from trainees suggests that this is a vital ingredient in the success of their learning.
Depending on circumstances, sometimes the quality of investigation does not always achieve the desired outcomes and accidents and incidents continue to occur. Human beings will always make mistakes; the key is to prevent recurrence.
The quality of the investigation and the accuracy of the causes are crucial to unearthing the real root causes of incidents. Occasionally, some company investigators find it difficult to obtain the crucial facts when interviewing staff involved. We can provide an independent, impartial and unbiased view. This can be especially useful when investigating similar or recurring incidents.
The benefits of this approach is that we have no preconceived ideas and our focus will be on identifying immediate, underlying and root causes of an accident or incident and making recommendations aimed at improving performance and reducing risk.
Our programmes cover all aspects of accident investigation from initial response, incident management, root cause analysis, human factor recognition and effective reporting, including RIDDOR.
Our root cause accident investigator development framework encompasses a number of modules built around the safety critical incident learning cycle
Many of the problems are obvious, others much less so, but all are significant. We are specialists in identifying the operational risks, enabling them to be controlled effectively. The best time to overcome a problem is before it materialises. For equipment designers and builders, it's essential to consider how the new equipment will be used in an operational environment. For operators of train services there are multiple aspects to consider including project management, resources, risks, testing/commissioning, operator training and manuals – any of which can present significant challenges. We have the operational skills, experience and resource to provide real support and advice throughout planning and implementation.
Our services include:
What is 'simulation'?
'Simulation' is often associated with full replicas of real equipment – computer systems, motion systems, and high-quality graphics. This is not the case, as simulation in broadest sense can include:
We have been using simulation as a key part of our approach to competence management for many years and have developed several unique resources and approaches to assist rail industry organisations, including:
Tabletop simulation exercises are a valuable tool for developing and maintaining the competence of staff carrying out safety critical activities. They can be used as a standalone resource or used to supplement other learning methods - including high-technology driving cab simulators.
Please click onto the SIMKIT logo on our Home page for further training information
RPD, Cranes House, 5 Paycocke Road
Basildon, Essex, SS14 3DP
01268 822842