On this page: Rail resource management at the individual and team level | Rail resource management (RRM) training | What is the project timeline? | Who do I contact for more information?
This page provides information and guidelines on rail resource management for the rail industry. Effective resource management helps to reduce human error.
It is well recognised that human error plays a significant role in incidents and accidents.
Human error is inevitable, a normal characteristic of human behaviour. However, such errors are manageable. This knowledge has lead to the development of programs to train operators in the use of 'error countermeasures', that is, they are trained to use behaviours that help them to:
- avoid error
- respond to error before it gets out of control
- minimise the consequences of the error.
This type of human factors training has been responsible for a reduction in errors and their consequences in industries such as aviation.
Rail resource management at the individual and team level
Error management needs to be applied at different levels of the organisation in order to be effective. This includes the:
- individual and team level
- systems level (e.g. design, procedures)
- organisation level (e.g. reporting systems, incident analysis, risk management)
Many safety occurrences in the transport industry could have been potentially prevented by people making better use of available resources such as team members, other people they are interacting with, equipment, information and procedures.
Effective 'resource management' not only helps to reduce human error but enables operators to deal with those errors that have occurred so that they can be contained and their consequences mitigated.
Rail resource management (RRM) training
PTSV, jointly with the New South Wales Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator (ITSRR), is working with the rail industry and the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) to develop a national program for rail resource management (RRM) training for rail safety workers.
The RRM training program aims to provide support and guidance for the rail industry. There are no mandatory requirements for rail operators, however, the program provides access to best-practice methodology in applied human factors and is endorsed by the Rail Safety Regulators Panel (RSRP).
What is the project timeline?
The RRM training project was launched on 10 December 2007. The Guidelines for Rail Resource Management are available to download from this page. The associated training materials are now available for accredited rail operators and/or organisations conducting rail safety work in Australia and New Zealand.
Who do I contact for more information?
More information about the RRM training program can be obtained by contacting PTSV in Victoria, or ITSRR, in New South Wales.