Safety Campaign

The Hong Kong Model of Connecting for

and

Working in or adjacent
Growing Communities by Rail

to the Operating Railway

About 5 million passenger journeys per
weekday
 Customers paid for a safe and reliable service
 Unforgiving media, public & Government,

MTR Corporation Page 2

Railway Projects and Operations Interfaces

 Project works on or near

Operating Railway
 Possessions / SPA / PA works
 Defined Areas- works train,
commissioning, testing and trial
operation

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Operating Interface
Incident Statistics

• MTR Corporation • Page 4

 No. of SCL OI Works

Page 5
 Overview of All SCL OI Work Incidents
(Incidents per month in 2013 and 2014)

si ng
a
In cre

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Overview of SCL OI Works Safety Related Incidents
(Incidents per month in 2013 and 2014)

Page 7
 SCL OI Works Safety Related Incident Summary
(Incidents by root cause)
2013
2013
Nature of Root 2013 2014 Incompetency
Cause
No. of % No. of % 21% Careless
incident incidents 43%
s Rule
Violation
Carelessness 6 43% 3 21% 29%

Rule 4 29% 11 79%

violation
In-
comprehensiv 1 7% 0 0% 2014
e site survey Careless
21%
Incompetency 3 21% 0 0% Rule
Violation
Total 14 100% 14 100% 79%

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Common Mistakes

 New or inexperienced CP(T) etc.

– Underestimated the risk
– Tools left at trackside
 Miscommunication / misunderstanding
– Unauthorized track access
 Not strictly following agreed Method Statement
– Utilities / cables damaged

 Rule Violation! - 11 out of 14 cases in 2014

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Painful Examples
A Light Rail Vehicle being hit by a
Toppling Crane –

A number of
passengers were
injured and the
vehicle was
damaged
• WIL E&M Induction Oct 12, Version 2
MTR Corporation
Electric Shock of a Worker

The worker nearly

die and the CP(T)
was prosecuted limits of the work zone
• Cause of the accident – the

specified in the Permit to

Work was not being
followed, resulted in the
worker accidentally
contacted with a section of
live OHL.
• WIL E&M Induction Oct 12, Version 2 • Page
MTR Corporation • 12/01/2023 12
 A worker used a long stick to clean the
structure

The work was not

approved, no RSI
and the worker
nearly die
• Cause of the accident: Workers not aware of the
electrocution hazard, carry out a work in the Restricted
Area where work must be lead by a Competent Person
(Track), Permit to work should be applied and issued, and
• WIL E&M Induction Oct 12, Version 2 • Page
the person who MTR
carried out the work must also be trained.
Corporation • 12/01/2023 13
27 Jul 2015, 20:00, HTD, Electrocution by OHL during
Cable Pulling at HTD

A cable came out of the overhead

cable tray and reached the OHL at
SS2/SS3.
Electrocution by OHL during Cable Pulling at HTD
Electrocution by OHL during Cable Pulling at HTD

– Cause
 Did not implement risk mitigation measures identified

6 workers
 Did not follow RSR
 Poor safety awareness

could have
– Consequence

been
 Worker hospitalized with minor burn on the right arm
 Work stopped until further notice

electrocuted
 Management Investigation required

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6 May 2015, Unauthorized cut on a structural I beam
(320mm x 160mm ) at HHF

MTR Corporation Page 17

Unauthorized cut on a structural beam at HHF

MTR Corporation Page 18

Unauthorized cut on a structural beam at HHF

– Cause
 Poor judgement & reckless act

– Consequence
 Management Investigation required
 Works stopped till 16 Jun 2015
 Improvement actions taken, e.g., a few staff fired,
improve safety / risk management / awareness /
communication etc.

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5 May 2015, 03:00, A 25mm PVC saltwater pipe at HUH Mezzanine
Level damaged during dismantling of a partition wall

PVC water pipe damaged

Page 20
Water pipes damaged at HUH
Water pipes damaged at HUH

– Cause
 Under‐estimated danger & risk in working so close to
live utilities

– Consequence
 Water damage to equipment in SCR & Customs Office

MTR Corporation Page 22

17^18 Apr 2015, NTH, SSG, 2 Red Flashing Light (RFL)
left at G3 SHS sidings

MTR Corporation Page 23

Red Flashing Light (RFL) left behind

– Cause
New / inexperienced CP(T)
Unfamiliar with RSR & tools / material clearing
procedures
– Consequence
Slight delay to the start of traffic
CP(T) disqualified
Could lead to derailment

MTR Corporation Page 24

21 Mar 2015, 15:47, Oi Sen Path, Noise footing panel
buckled during concrete pouring

MTR Corporation Page 25

Noise footing panel buckled
Noise footing panel buckled
Noise footing panel buckled

– Cause
 Inadequate design margin

– Consequence
 Train service affected
• Single line bi-directional working for 3 hours
• Temporary Speed Restriction 22kph then 40 kph

 Management Investigation required

 Design & construction method substantially enhanced
 Works suspended till 19 Jun 2015 (3 months)
 Program affected due to 2 pours method

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5^6 Mar 2015, SHT P2 , 2 optical fiber cables (30 out of
108 fibers damaged)

Cables

Manhole
Optical fiber cables damaged
Optical fiber cables damaged
Optical fiber cables damaged

– Cause
 Workers did not use hand tools to dig within 300mm of
detected cables

– Consequence
 Could have affected communication systems of whole
EAL!
 Works stopped until 2 new optical fiber cables laid
between SHT & TAW in Dec 2015 (9 months), at the cost
of a few million
 Improvement actions taken, e.g., a few staff fired,
enhanced Permit-To-Dig procedures & management etc.

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3 Dec 2014, at 18:16, between MKK & HUH, Exposed
site cables damaged

MTR Corporation Page 33

Exposed site cables damaged

– Cause
 Cables near heavy civil machinery not properly
protected
 Poor risk identification & safety awareness

– Consequence
 The trains between MKK and HUH were tripped
 Train Service delay of 14 min & evening peak service
seriously affected
 Works stopped for 6 days until improvement actions
completed, e.g., mark & protect all exposed site cables,
daily inspection & risk assessment by site staff etc.
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Exposed site cables damaged

MTR Corporation Page 35

2 Aug 2013 , 16:30, HHF, a live Towngas pipe damaged

Page 36
Live Towngas pipe damaged at HHF

– Cause
 Under‐estimated danger & risk in working so close to
gas pipe
 Poor site supervision & communication

– Consequence
 Works stopped till 13 Sep 2013
 Improvement actions taken, e.g., clearly label each item
to be demolished, protect nearby utilities, improve safety
/ risk management / awareness / communication etc.

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Conclusion

• Page
• MTR Corporation 38
Reasons Leading to the Accidents

 Under estimate of risks

 Under estimate of consequence
 Control measures/safe guards not robust enough
 Not understand and not respect to railway safety rules
 Time, work program and resources pressure
 Poor communication
 Poor judgment and reckless behavior – competence
and mindset of person in-charge

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Whatever the Reasons, Fail to Manage Work in
Operational Areas May Lead To:
 Multiple fatalities or injuries to passengers
 Multiple fatalities or injuries to workers
 Disruption of train service
 Damage to railway facilities
 Causing delay to projects

None of the above is acceptable to MTR

and to you

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Incidents can be prevented
 Plan
– Develop EDOC & Method Statement
– Conduct Risk assessment
 Do
– Book Possessions / SPA /PA
– Issue Traffic Notice & Work Notice to inform others
– Strictly follow RSR
– Strictly implement identified risk mitigation measures
– Strictly follow the Method Statement
 Check
– No short-cut, no last-minute changes without consent
– Ask & escalate

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