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National Railway Safety Regulator Act, 2002 (Act No. 16 of 2002)

Regulations

Railway Safety and Security Regulations, 2022

Part B: Regulations regarding Safety of Persons

8. Compliance Requirements for Safety of Persons

 

(1)

(a) An operator must develop and implement a Safety of Persons Compliance Plan in order to ensure the safety of persons within the railway operational environment including passenger safety and the safety of persons with special needs.
(b) The requirements for a Safety of Persons Compliance Plan and the Security Compliance Plan may be integrated into one plan.

 

(2) An operator's Safety of Persons Compliance Plan must include measures to protect persons from harm or danger, injury, robbery, assault, terrorism and other criminal acts by other persons within the railway environment.

 

(3) The plan referred to in subregulation (1) must be based on the risk assessment conducted by the operator.

 

(4) The plan referred to in subregulation (1) must address the following matters, as far as they affect the safety of persons including commuters and persons with special needs within the railway environment, in accordance with the purpose of these Regulations:
(a) Safety of persons on board trains, including the train crew;
(b) safety of persons within the station precinct;
(c) passenger handling safety plans inclusive of special trains;
(d) passenger safety inspections;
(e) emergency plans, which also address train operation disruptions;
(f) emergency evacuation procedures;
(g) monitoring of implemented safety and security measures;
(h) evaluation and improvement of the effectiveness of safety and security measures;
(i) safety of  passengers, taking into account the risk profiles of operational areas such as stations, tunnels, subways, stairways, or other areas which passengers need to access; and
(j) punishable offences on trains.

 

(5) The emergency evacuation plan must be developed and implemented to cater for rolling stock and infrastructure failures especially in tunnels.

 

(6) An operator must conduct safety and security awareness programmes with the aim of improving the safety of persons within the railway environment.

 

(7) An operator must take reasonable measures to ensure that no passenger embarks or disembarks a moving train.

 

(8) An operator must take reasonable measures, informed by the risk assessment conducted by the operator, to ensure that all doors of a stationary train are closed prior to setting the train in motion.

 

(9) An operator must incorporate into his or her safety management system, a detailed plan on the operation of doors while a train is stationary.

 

(10) An operator must take reasonable measures to ensure that all persons are safely in, and safe inside, the train from the origin to the destination of the train trip.

 

(11) An operator may not commission and operate a train with broken windows and when its doors are dysfunctional.

 

(12) An operator must take reasonable and effective measures to prevent or avoid overcrowding on train platforms and on-board trains.

 

(13) An operator must ensure that all trains provide for adequate signage to communicate updated safety related messages to passengers.

 

(14) Audio and visual communication must be fitted on platforms and in trains to enable continuous communication with passengers regarding conditions prevailing on platforms and in the train.

 

(15) All trains must be fitted with applicable safety equipment and aids in accordance with the applicable standards, which must include fire extinguishers, harnesses, grab handles, poles and seats.

 

(16) All platforms and trains must have adequate lighting in accordance with the applicable standards.