Network Rail owns, repairs and develops the railway infrastructure in England, Scotland and Wales. Its 40,000 people manage 20,000 miles of track and 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts.
We collaborate with Network Rail across several of its operational regions, focusing on a range of safety processes and communications. Recently, its North West route faced a significant behavioural challenge, experiencing a surge in potentially severe Operational Close Call Incidents (OCCIs) due to line blockages. An internal investigation revealed that while competency and communication were robust, there were other critical factors within the signalling function that needed exploring to fully understand the underlying causes.
Network Rail asked us to analyse this challenge through a behavioural and cultural diagnostic lens. Our comprehensive approach involved observing dozens of signallers across 10 shifts in 5 different locations. We identified seven recurring barriers to effective safety behaviour, including suboptimal processes, inefficient planning, and a physical and emotional disconnect from the consequences of errors. From these insights, we pinpointed four key areas for improvement, such as safety values and behaviours, colleague engagement, and enhanced training and mentoring for middle management.
These findings led to a series of dynamic and engaging behavioural workshops with a cross-section of Network Rail employees, where we co-created potential solutions. We then developed a phased action plan, outlining a manageable sequence of cultural and communication initiatives to be implemented across parallel streams of work. This project is currently underway and exemplifies not only the value of taking a holistic approach that combines cultural and behavioural diagnostics, but also how we deliver insight-driven, actionable safety improvement strategies that align with Network Rail’s operational priorities for change.
Our comprehensive analysis uncovered 7 key barriers to effective safety behaviour.
We conducted dynamic workshops with Network Rail employees, leading to co-created solutions for improving safety behaviours and processes.
We developed a phased action plan to implement cultural and communication initiatives and drive safety improvements.