Railway authorities propose uniform verbal signals to improve safety
This follows numerous fatal accidents recently which were found to be caused by miscommunication
Amid an increase in communication-related incidents on SA’s tracks, railway authorities have proposed a regulated standard for verbal communication between train operators. SA has seen numerous serious train incidents in recent years, most recently a fatal crash in Pretoria in January, which a preliminary investigation by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) found was caused by miscommunication. Despite this, train operators are not required to follow specific communication protocols and can still determine their own practices. It also means that different operators, when necessary, are unable to effectively communicate with each other. This is where the draft Protocol for Verbal Safety-Critical Communication (VSCC) is crucial to ensuring safe railway operations. “Non adherence to VSCC has contributed to numerous railway occurrences, including collisions and signals passed at danger,” the regulator said in the Government Gazette on Friday. The uniform signals will include, among other...
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