Good governance

You must be able to show that the governance of your rail activities are as safe as they can be.

Your safety case

To be approved, your safety case must show:

• how the governing body takes ownership of the safety case
• how the governing body oversees the rail activities
• how safety policies are developed and applied
• the way resources are allocated
• how the focus on safety is communicated within the organisation.

Outline the governance arrangements your organisation has in place, including:

• how you’re governed – board, committee or directly by owners
• if you’re part of a larger parent organisation, how it influences decisions
• any other organisations involved in or affected by your operations
• how different rail activities may be separated into teams, sections or groups
• where the functions of safety and assurance sit
• staffing details – paid, volunteers or a mix.

Rail safety cases

Assessments and internal audits

Following a risk-based schedule, we do ordinary and special safety assessments on all licence holders. This is the opportunity to prove you’re meeting your safety case commitments and show you’re safe.

Your safety case contains high-level statements and descriptions about how you manage safety. Your safety system contains the details – standards, policies and procedures. These are also reviewed during assessments to check they’re suitable, compliant, and in use.

Regular internal audits will give you confidence that you can show and prove you’re meeting your commitments. By looking at your operations and practices regularly and carefully you can correct anything that isn’t right before it’s too late.

Documentation

Having good documentation allows your workings to be proved. It will help you show good governance as well as in assessments and internal audits.

Governance benefits from good business documentation by:

• showing assessors how your governing body champions good practice and can make good decisions
• having accurate reports that show you’re meeting your safety obligations
• setting out responsibilities for staff and those you work with – policies, procedures, accountability
• streamlining your processes and promoting best practice and continuous improvement.