Serious injury at Clapham Junction

Issued to: All Network Rail line managers, safety professionals, accredited contractors
Ref: NRB24-02
Date of issue: 04/04/2024
Location: Clapham Junction, Southern Region
Contact: Eric Woodward, Head of Safety, Health & Environment

Overview

A serious accident involving a contractor working for South Western Railway occurred on Monday 11th March 2024 in the carriage wash area at Clapham depot.
This part of the bridge is Network Rail’s accountability to inspect and maintain.
The contractor was undertaking maintenance activities and was fitting low-level overspray brushes onto the carriage wash. The injured person
(IP) was standing on a wooden infill adjacent to the bridge parapet. While using the structure of the bridge as a workbench, the infill gave way causing them to fall through and land approximately 20 feet below onto another railway line (which is operated by a different route/control (which was operational at the time.

The response and recovery of the IP took almost 2 hours as information from site was unclear and there was uncertainty on the exact location on the infrastructure.
The incident is under investigation by ORR and jointly with South Western Railway and Network Rail.

Discussion points
• Do you and your team know and understand emergency arrangements on site?

• Where your site / area of accountability interfaces with an area of the railway which is leased to a third party, do you
understand what your responsibilities for that area are and how would you go about clarifying these?

• How do you know where it is safe to stand, what action would you take if you were unsure or deemed an area unsafe?

• Do you check at the planning stage you have the correct tools and equipment to undertake your task?