Northern first to achieve new RISAS accreditation
Posted: 4 February 2010 | | 2 comments
In a rail industry first, Northern Rail has been awarded Rail Industry Supplier Approval Scheme (RISAS) approval for mileage-based maintenance.
In a rail industry first, Northern Rail has been awarded Rail Industry Supplier Approval Scheme (RISAS) approval for mileage-based maintenance.
In a rail industry first, Northern Rail has been awarded Rail Industry Supplier Approval Scheme (RISAS) approval for mileage-based maintenance.
Northern Rail's team at Heaton Traincare Maintenance Depot with RISAS accreditation
The rigorous assessment process has also seen Northern become the only train operating company to attain approval for the overhaul of autocouplers.
Working in partnership with the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), the intensive approval programme was delivered by independent assessors, RIQC, at Northern’s Heaton Depot in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
RISAS provides the highest level of approval within the GB rail industry and is fast becoming the benchmark for quality assurance standards. Receiving the seal of approval from RISAS has been a significant advancement for safety standards, and means Northern will now set a bar in the industry for approval of this kind.
Stuart Draper, Engineering Director at Northern, said: “With this approval from RISAS, Northern’s Heaton Depot has been recognised at the highest level of quality assurance in the industry. This means that not only will we have the ultimate confidence in the quality of our standards, but we can prove this in any tender process.
“Working in conjunction with both RIQC and RSSB means we are trailblazing in this area of business. As such, we are incredibly proud of the achievements made by the team and would like to extend our thanks to everyone involved.”
RSSB facilitates the railway industry’s work to achieve continuous improvement in the health and safety performance of the railways in Great Britain.
John Abbott, Director of National Programmes at RSSB, said: “On behalf of everyone at RSSB and the RISAS Board, I congratulate Northern on achieving RISAS certification for their rolling stock maintenance HQ in York and Heaton maintenance depot in Newcastle.
“Northern has worked hard to achieve the exacting standards required of the RISAS assurance scheme and in doing so has become the first train operating company to achieve this recognition. I believe that the assessment process has enabled Northern to improve its control of rolling stock maintenance risk and provide a foundation for future continuous improvement. It will also help Northern demonstrate to its customers, suppliers, workforce and other stakeholders that it is capable of meeting the most exacting standards.”
RIQC is a Rail Industry Supplier Approval Body (RISAB), accredited by RSSB to carry out RISAS assessments relating to the maintenance and overhaul of trains on behalf of the rail industry.
Tony Levy, from RIQC, said: “For the approval of Northern the RIQC RISAS Assessment Team included knowledgeable and experienced railway engineers, ensuring a high level demonstration of quality assurance.
“Northern Rail has now joined the mature group of supplier companies in the rail industry managing, assessing and delivering within an assurance process where quality and performance are in a continuous improvement cycle and value for money is part of the whole life-customer experience.”
RISAS is a robust system for the assessment and certification of rolling stock maintenance, collaboratively developed by GB mainline rail companies through RSSB, and recognised by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) and Department for Transport (DfT).
It is nice to know Northern rail as been given the RISAS ,what a achievement
In the rail industry, safety is second to none.
The class 333 refresh in Holbeck Leeds
The refresh to date has had new floor boards , this as highlighted corrosion to the main steal floor structure.
Corrosion is a cancer,a growth that will keep on growing, corrosion has to be cut out but Northern Rail seem to have other methods to sorting the problem out
The steal floor corrugated structure is 2mm thick, so if a third of the steal is corroded away it as to be cut out
This is not the right action Northern Rail as been taking.
There are 16 rakes off 4 vehicles per rake to do ,we have done 8 so far but no more floors boards are being done because it as not been budgeted in the program.
Profit over the public safety has come first
I have just read the above accreditation that Northern Rail has been given by RISAS, and the reasons why they achieved this highly prized award.
As we all know within the Rail Industry, Safety is of Paramount Importance, and should never be sacrificed in order to achieve any other Company/Business Strategy’s.
This does not appear to be Northern Rail’s Policy regarding their current Class 333 Refresh in Holbeck, Leeds.
This Refresh to date has included Replacement of the badly damaged floor boards, which was already well overdue as this fleet is approaching 20yrs old.
8 of the 16 Units have been completed to date, and have had substantial floor board replacement, as a matter of Safety above all other reasons.
Unit 333009 is now in Leeds about to start its Refresh, and has obvious signs of deteriorated floor boards beneath the Lino covering.
Northern Rail have now decided not to replace any more Floor Boards on the remainder of their 333 fleet, for Financial reasons, and more specifically to stay within Project Budget.
It appears therefore that keeping within Budget is of more importance to Northern Rail, than the safety of their Rail Passengers.
I would highly recommend that RISAS investigate this issue, as a matter of Public Safety.