Client: Network Rail
Overview: Two-year multi-million pound safety initiative – Planning and Delivering Safe Work Programme – to change the UK rail industry’s control-of-work system for on-track workers.
Role: Lead Visual Communication Consultant
Brief, aims and outcome: Work with risk management consultants, Network Rail front-line staff and programme managers to develop an at-a-glance, information and permitting system to reduce workplace accidents and fatalities by making safety-critical information accessible to frontline staff with a low reading age and/or English as a second language in order.
Tasks: Audit existing ‘safe system of work’ forms. Devise, develop and test new visual language system. Design control-of-work documents, applying the visual language and ensuring the logical flow of pertinent information. Project manage interactive prototype production (sub-contracted technical staff). test and prove the visual information concept through trials with front-line staff.
“A picture paints a thousand words, and that’s exactly what we found when we trialled the Control of Work process. Rather than pages of text like the ‘Safe System of Work’ packs, the Control of Work packs show immediately what you need to know. The maps especially are really good, there’s no unnecessary information, it’s focused on the specific risks associated with your task. It’s more focused and much better.”
Shaun Greenfield, Track Section Manager, Network Rail Barking Depot