The United Kingdom’s Rail Accident Investigation Branch has issued a safety digest after a passenger was trapped in a train’s doors and dragged at Enfield Town station on July 17.
The Arriva Rail London (ARL) train operated from Enfield Town station to London Liverpool Street station. The train in question operated using two class 710 Aventra electric multiple units, each with 4 cars, and the driver had worked for ARL since 2018.
RAIB said the mishap demonstrates the importance of staff responsible for dispatching trains carrying out an effective final safety check.
It also shows that those responsible for train specifications and train operating companies should be aware of the natural limitations of human performance. They should implement appropriate technological solutions and engineered safeguards to lessen the risks of dispatching trains.
The agency also said train operating companies should continue raising passenger awareness about the hazards of obstructing closing train doors.
According to the RAIB, safety digests quickly share important safety messages when the agency has decided not to undertake a full investigation for several reasons.
The safety learning may have been covered by a previous recommendation or will be addressed by an ongoing investigation. Additionally, safety learning mainly relates to compliance with existing rules, procedures or standards.
