Span of control in supervision of rail track work

Abstract

The supervision of engineering work on the railways has received relatively little examination despite being both safety-critical in its own right and having wider implications for the successful running of the railways. The present paper is concerned with understanding the factors that make different engineering works perceived as easier or harder to manage. We describe an approach building on notions of 'span of control', through which we developed the TOECAP inventory (Team, Organisation, Environment, Communication, Activity and Personal). This tool was validated through both interviews and questionnaires. As well as identifying the physical factors involved, the work also emphasised the importance of collaborative and attitudinal factors. We conclude by discussing limitations of the present work and future directions for development.

Personnel's perceptions of occupational safety in rail transport work

“…One way to communicate OS issues to employees is in an OS meeting (also known as a safety talk, a toolbox meeting or a crew safety meeting), which is a concept involving regular meetings where OS-related matters are discussed and shared by the relevant stakeholders (Reese, 2001;Reese, 2015;Simola, 2005). Houghton et al (2016) and Schock et al (2010) encouraged to continue the utilisation of participatory approaches that concentrate on human factors and ergonomics in complex railway settings. This study aims to continue that discussion by providing an in-depth analysis of personnel's views on OS development needs in a large-scale railway business.…”

Personnel's perceptions of occupational safety in rail transport work

“…One way to communicate OS issues to employees is in an OS meeting (also known as a safety talk, a toolbox meeting or a crew safety meeting), which is a concept involving regular meetings where OS-related matters are discussed and shared by the relevant stakeholders (Reese, 2001;Reese, 2015;Simola, 2005). Houghton et al (2016) and Schock et al (2010) encouraged to continue the utilisation of participatory approaches that concentrate on human factors and ergonomics in complex railway settings. This study aims to continue that discussion by providing an in-depth analysis of personnel's views on OS development needs in a large-scale railway business.…”