Question NW2804 to the Minister of Transport

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23 October 2018 - NW2804

Profile picture: De Freitas, Mr MS

De Freitas, Mr MS to ask the Minister of Transport

With reference to injuries that were sustained (a) at railway stations and/or (b) on trains (i) in the past three financial years and (ii) since 1 April 2018, (aa) what number of injuries were sustained in each month, (bb) what were the reasons for the injuries in each case, (cc) how was each victim injured, (dd) where were the injuries sustained in each month, (ee) what steps has his department taken to reduce injuries at railway stations and on trains, (ff) how has each victim been compensated and (gg) what are the costs involved in each case?

Reply:

(a), (b) (i) & (ii) (aa) & (bb) See detail attached.

Reasons for Injuries are provided in terms of the categories of the Rail Safety Regulator.

Description of SANS 3000 -1 Categories

A

Collisions

B

Derailment

C

Train pass signal at danger without the necessary authority (SPAD)

D

Level crossing

E

Struck by train

F

Fell from the train in the section

G

Travelling outside the designated area of the train (staff rididng, surfing, travelling between train coaches, hanging outside the train,

H

Fell from stationary or moving train onto the platform

I

Infrastructure related incidents (fell in the manhole, slippery floor, )

J

Electrocutions

L

Operational train fires (HT explosions)

 

Hard coupling by MLPS trains.

(cc) The information on how each victim sustained injuries are volumes and extends over 7000 records. These records are available at PRASA for observation.

(dd) See detail attached.

(ee) Steps taken

Actions PRASA is taking to reduce the injuries at railway stations:

  1. Ongoing Safety Awareness Campaigns conducted at Stations and at high incident Level Crossings.
  2. Elimination of illegal crossings in the Rail environment mainly through fencing, including walling of the operational tunnel in the long term.
  3. Acceleration of the Fencing Programme is an area where PRASA is focusing on in terms of reduction of fatalities as well as improved security that will enable better train performance.
  4. Elimination of high risk level crossings in the medium to long term. Speed restrictions -enforcement of speed restriction on platforms.
  5. Provision of staff at high risk locations, specifically to watch for people loitering in the Operational areas.
  6. Speed restrictions - enforcement of speed restriction on platforms and in the operational tunnel.

Actions PRASA is taking to reduce the injuries on trains:

  1. Train Service Performance improvement to reduce overcrowding and the need to rush for a train.
  2. Introduction of new trains with open walkthrough between coaches - no doors between coaches.
  3. Redesign/rebuild Platform (Platform Alignment). For example, three Platforms on the Pienaarspoort Corridor in Gauteng aligned with the new train set height.
  4. Improve surfaces on platforms and footbridges through the station modernisation, station upgrades, station improvement and footbridge projects.
  5. Staff Training in Crowd Control Procedures.
  6. Return coaches to service to improve availability of train sets and reduce overcrowding.
  7. CCTV Cameras/Monitoring on Stations.
  8. Platform Marshalls and Safety Patrollers deployed in high capacity corridors and stations.
  9. Introduce replacement of door mechanism (design options) during routine maintenance of train sets.
  10. Improve Inspection, Testing and Maintenance regimes for doors prior to train release - Daily Train Inspections conducted by Train Crew and Technicians.

(ff) Compensation of injured in the PRASA environment is based on a claim submitted against the insurers. Claims can be submitted years after an incident and compensation are not directly linked to injuries in a specific year. See detail attached

Note for those incidents that are not as result of a major incident where there is a R0 value reflected, PRASA is still litigating on the merits and quantum that’s to be paid to the plaintiff. The files for the various major incidents over the past three years are also attached.

(gg) See detail attached.