Rail Accident Investigation Branch publishes its Annual Report for 2021

Operational activity

During 2021, 391 notifications were received by the RAIB. We deployed inspectors and support staff on 29 occasions and undertook a total of 47 preliminary examinations. Out of these preliminary examinations, 16 led to full investigations, which will be published in the form of a detailed report with safety recommendations, and a further eight led to a safety digest being produced. In addition, we also wrote seven letters to coroners, one letter to industry and commenced nine industry investigation reviews.

The Branch published nine full investigation reports, eight safety digests, six letters to Coroners and issued one interim report. RAIB made 31 safety recommendations during 2021 to 36 different organisations across the rail industry including operators, manufacturers, and other authorities.

Safety themes

The report also highlights seven recurring safety themes which have run through the Branch’s work during 2021. These are: the safety of track workers, the safety of people getting on and off trains, railway operations, management of bad weather, freight wagon maintenance, safety at user worked crossings and management assurance.

Summaries of learning

In 2019 RAIB launched a new series of ‘summaries of learning’ reports, drawing on data from RAIB’s archive of investigations to highlight important safety learning of continued concern. These documents continue to be updated and are a useful reference for industry.

Andrew Hall, Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents said: “Our Annual Report details the Branch’s activities in 2021 and highlights the main safety themes that have run through the accidents and incidents we have investigated.

For all the numbers and conclusions in such reports, it is always worth remembering that accidents are devastating for the people involved and anyone who loses a loved one or friend as a result; learning from them as individual events or as parts of trends is a vital part of improving safety and reducing harm.”