Track Safety Alliance Meeting

Mark Carne was yesterday (Wednesday 22 August) presented with a Safety Sword of Honour in recognition of his contribution to improved safety at Network Rail during his time as chief executive. 

The award is one of five Safety Swords of Honour given to Infrastructure Projects (IP) Track and its supply chain by the British Safety Council. The team presented Mark with the sword at yesterday’s Track Safety Alliance meeting to recognise the part he played in their achievements. 

‘Beacon of safety’

Steve Featherstone, programme director, IP Track, said: “When Mark arrived at Network Rail in early 2014, he said that the oil and gas industry were streets ahead in terms of safety, with a lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) of 0.1. This was deemed world-class for workforce safety.”

At the time, the LTIFR in IP Track was 0.468, with colleagues delivering approximately £800m of renewals and enhancements works each year and managing high-hazard tasks.

As Mark leaves Network Rail, the LTIFR in IP Track stands at 0.085 – better than that oil and gas industry benchmark. Across the company, LTIFR is at 0.352 for the year to date.

Steve explained: “Mark was looking for an area of the business to become a beacon of safety and invited me to take up the challenge in IP Track and the supply chain of becoming the first part of Network Rail to be awarded a Safety Sword of Honour.

“He understood that to win a Safety Sword you have to demonstrate on many levels that you are doing the right things to improve safety.”

‘Personal inspiration’

IP Track and its supply chain went on to achieve two Safety Swords of Honour for High Output, plus one each for Plain Line, Switches and Crossings (S&C) North, and S&C South. British Safety Council-audited data shows a reduction of more than 80 per cent in the number of colleagues injured within IP Track.

Steve added: “As Mark always says – safety and performance go hand-in-hand. During the same time, IP Track and its supply chain have reduced overruns by 76 per cent, reduced post-installation asset failures by 75 per cent and reduced plant failures by 60 per cent.

“We wanted to recognise Mark’s personal inspiration in making this happen, so presented him with one of our Safety Swords of Honour to keep as a momento of his time as chief executive.”