KiwiRail has changed procedures at its Tranz Metro maintenance depot following an investigation into the Kaiwharawhara derailment in May 2013.
The derailment was found to have happened when the spring park brake on the last vehicle of the Ganz Mavag came loose as staff had not fitted split pins to the bolts that held it onto the bogie according to KiwiRail.
“We moved quickly to implement the changes that the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) recommended to prevent this sort of incident from occurring again,” says Metro GM David Shepherd.
Shepherd says that the changes included improving the communication between staff so that the status and progress of any job is clear, especially during a shift change.
“After the derailment we changed the shift handover instructions to ensure that there is more detail on all stages of the maintenance work being undertaken and that any outstanding tasks for a job are clear,” says Shepherd.
“Sign-off sheets are required to be completed, and a secondary check introduced for all work that is safety critical,” he says.
“By improving the communication within the team, and introducing the check system, we are in better position to help catch any errors that may occur during maintenance work.,” says Shepherd.
Shepherd says that the team responsible for repairing and maintaining the Tranz Metro fleet at the Wellington depot are trade qualified and have many years’ experiences between them.
“Tranz Metro has an excellent record in maintenance safety, and serious incidents on the network due to mechanical depot failures are very rare,” he says.
“There are about 12 million passenger journeys on Tranz Metro each year, and the safety of passengers and the staff is our top priority.”
