13th December 2022: The Work of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) was established in 2005, following a recommendation from the Cullen enquiry, as the independent body for investigating accidents and incidents on mainline railways, metros, tramways and heritage railways throughout the UK. Having advised on its establishment, using his experience as a BTP Crime Scene Investigator managing the scenes of train accidents, Ian Capewell jumped ship (or train!) to join it as an Inspector, so there are fewer more qualified people to tell of the background to the RAIB, who they are, what they do and how they do it.
At our meeting on 13th December, Ian explained that the sole purpose of the RAIB is to improve safety. They identify recommendations and do not prosecute, apportion blame or liability. Interviews are legally protected (while the RAIB has the power to compel people to give evidence, this is balanced by a duty of confidentiality), and cannot be used elsewhere. Any urgent advice on safety may be given by a digest if necessary, before the report is published.
The RAIB reports to, but is independent of, the Secretary of State for Transport, along with comparable boards for Marine and Air accidents, and in 2025 a similar board for roads will come into being. The RAIB is based in Derby and Farnborough and covers the UK and Northern Ireland. They have a lot of things at their disposal including drones, and are immediately in charge of an accident. Measurements are taken, and diagrams drawn of the crash site. Forensics are extensively used, including DNA analysis of body parts. Standards of coaches and their crashworthiness are all looked at.
It takes 18 months to train as an inspector. They are taught about the confidentiality of witnesses and to make logical recommendations, also the importance of being open and empathetic with those who have been bereaved. Ian said that in the 19 years he has been an Inspector there have only been 2 weeks when there was little to do.
On an evening on which a rail strike and adverse wintry weather made it a difficult journey for both speaker and audience, our grateful thanks go to Ian both for having managed to reach us, and then for a hugely informative and extremely well delivered presentation, well illustrated with images and experiences of various investigations, which deserved a much larger audience than the few who managed to attend. (Rob Burridge)