Rail Safety and Standards Board


The Rail Safety and Standards Board is a British independent not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, which was established in 2003 upon the recommendation of the public inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove rail crash. It is owned by rail industry stakeholders, including Network Rail, infrastructure managers, train operating companies and rolling stock companies. As a condition of their license obligations, most train operators are required by the Office of Rail and Road to be members of RSSB and to comply with the obligations of membership.
According to the ORR "The RSSB's principal objective is to lead and facilitate the rail industry's work to achieve continuous improvement in the health and safety performance of the railways in Great Britain."
In this regard, it is intended to lead the other bodies associated with the Great Britain rail network:
.
The Board is responsible for the publication and updating of the British Railway Rule Book, which defines technical standards and operating procedures. The RSSB promotes the Trackoff programme promoting rail safety within schools, and the Sustainable Rail Programme which has been established to support the rail industry in reaching its full potential for a sustainable transport system.
In conjunction with UIC, RSSB provides , a web tool for the rail industry to share information and help drive innovation.
Features of high-visibility clothing have improved the effectiveness and contributed to improved safety for rail workers and other staff.
The specifications for Rail Industry Standard RIS-3279-TOM high-visibility clothing suitable for use on railways in the United Kingdom are published by the Rail Safety and Standards Board.
RSSB also operates the GB railway supplier assurance scheme , and the confidential incident reporting line, CIRAS.