Health and safety guidance and compliance

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It's our responsibility to ensure that those responsible make Britain's railways safe for passengers and provide a safe place for staff to work.

We regulate health and safety for the entire mainline rail network in Britain, as well as London Underground, light rail, trams and the heritage sector.

Annual health and safety report

This report sets out our view of risk management and performance on Britain's railways for the last year, and our future priorities.

Passenger safety

Guidance on station safety, station and train crowding and rail vehicle accessibility.

Reporting RIDDOR incidents

This page provides an overview of the types of accidents and incidents that need to be reported and how they can be reported.

Level crossings

There are approximately 7,500 level crossings in Great Britain. Network Rail manages around 6,000. The rest are located on heritage railways, metro systems and industrial railways.

Safety strategy and guidance

Our health and safety strategy sets out our approach to regulating health and safety risks created and managed by Britain’s railways. 

Investigation and enforcement powers

How we are informed when a serious incident occurs and how we work with other bodies in the railway to find out what has happened and why, and the range of our formal enforcement powers under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Health and safety laws

An overview of the main rail-specific legislation that we enforce using health and safety powers.

Railway infrastructure and vehicle safety

We have powers of investigation and enforcement to ensure that railway operators are controlling risks posed by infrastructure and railway vehicles.

Occupational health

Advice and guidance on occupational health matters for railway managers and employees.

Applying for permissions, certificates or authorisations

We grant health and safety permissions and approvals to railway operators. There is detailed guidance on how to apply.