EU funded rail project promotes how to optimise human performance and safe operation

In the scope of its EUMedRail project, the EU Agency for railways (ERA) organised a two-day online training seminar on how to integrate human and organisational factors (HOF) of railway operators in the EuroMed region. The event gathered close to 100 officials from national authorities and experts from railway organisations from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Morocco.

Building on previous project workshops, the event was divided into two main parts. First, an overview of the EU legal requirements in relation to the integration of HOF and safety culture in safety management systems. Main discussions focused on roles and responsibilities of railway actors, in particular how to develop a comprehensive HOF strategy, how to increase safety leadership at all levels & how to establish a competence management system related to safety critical tasks such as driving trains or authorising train movements. 

In addition, the event highlighted methods to integrate HOF during critical railway activities such as operational planning and control or the management of physical assets (equipment, vehicles, and infrastructure), but also when evaluating safety performance in the course of monitoring, internal auditing and management reviews. The event also helped putting forward some of the main temporary or lasting characteristics that can cause or contribute to safety occurrences, with an emphasis on socio-interactional factors influencing perceptions, behaviors, actions and decisions – also described in the HOF railway taxonomy. 

Participants also had the opportunity to exchange views and best practice with experts from a European infrastructure manager (Infrabel) and the International Union of Railways.

For further information, please contact: EUMedRail@era.europa.eu