RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM is a public discussion platform that will allow the community to learn more about strategies in place to ensure public safety, as well as an opportunity to share questions and concerns with local, state, and country jurisdictions and Railway representatives and safety professionals.
This forum is co-hosted by the ALL INDIA RAIL SAFETY COUNCIL Advisory Committee (AIRSCAC), which is composed of representatives from all walks of life using Railways as well as community members and representatives from neighborhood organizations to maintain a forum for communication and community outreach.
The RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM provides a forum for an in-depth exchange of experience and lessons for improving rail safety and is exclusively devoted to rail safety issues. Participants are senior people with responsibility for rail safety management and mostly include industry representatives, safety regulators, investigation agencies, and rail unions. The first Conference was held in 1990, as a result of a joint Japan Rail East union and management initiative. They had been discussing safety issues related to their company and decided to look for new perspectives on safety from overseas experts. Advisory Members to the conferences are typically expected to offer to present papers, or, failing that, to chair one of the sessions. They are also expected to participate in the question and answer sessions, which are very interesting in their own right. The diverse mix of experts who attend results in many thought-provoking and challenging ideas, as well as an in-depth understanding of a range of problems, which are useful reference tools for any of the participants. Regular attendees at the RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM benefit by developing strong working networks that give the added advantage when safety issues arise and advice or guidance is required. The RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM, therefore, makes a very important contribution to the ongoing improvement of rail safety management and performance around the world.
ABOUT THE RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM
RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM CHARTER
This document may be cited as the RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM Charter. The Charter sets out the basic framework within which the RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM operates.
BACKGROUND
The International Railway Safety Conference (RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM) is a forum that brings together rail safety professionals from around the globe in order to exchange information and provide experiences and lessons for improving rail safety and is exclusively devoted to rail safety issues. The RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM meets annually, generally in October or November.
The first RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM was held in 1990, as a result of a joint Japan Rail East (JRE) and Japan Railway Union (JREU) management initiative. They had been discussing safety issues related to their company and decided to look for new perspectives on safety from overseas experts. The meeting was a great success and has developed since then into an annual international conference. The diverse mix of rail safety experts who attend results in many thought provoking and challenging ideas, as well as an in-depth understanding of a range of problems, which are useful reference tools for any of the participants.
The RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM now makes a significant contribution to the ongoing improvement of rail safety management and performance around the world.
PURPOSE OF THE RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM
The purpose of the RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM is to improve railway safety by providing Advisory Members with a forum to facilitate the exchange of information on new developments, experiences and safety lessons. The RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM helps Advisory Members improve their knowledge and ability in undertaking their roles of managing and improving railway safety. The RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM also enables Advisory Members who regularly attend the RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM the opportunity to develop strong personal working relationships with each other. These personal networks further enhance continual safety improvement through an ongoing exchange of safety information and advice.
To promote continual learning on a global basis, and for balance, the RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM is normally hosted in a different country each year. This is done to:
• help promote rail safety learning in the host country;
• enable international Advisory Members to experience, first hand, rail safety
developments and practices in the host country; and
• present opportunities for rail safety officers from each host country to be
exposed to an international perspective on rail safety issues.
RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM is a “not-for-profit”, non-commercial conference and as a result is essentially self-funding. Costs for participants are entirely the responsibility of the individual Advisory Members or their employing organization.
The RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM takes a “Chatham House Rule” approach to the sessions. Meetings, events and discussions are normally conducted “on the record” with the Rule occasionally invoked at the speaker's request. In cases where the Rule is not considered sufficiently strict, an event may be held “off the record”. This means that, when a meeting or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity, nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed. The Chatham House Rule originated at Chatham House (in the United Kingdom) with the aim of providing anonymity to speakers and to encourage openness and the sharing of information. It is now used throughout the world as an aid to free discussion.
The RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM does not accept members of the Press in the conference room during session. At the discretion of the host the RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM may accept attendance of the Press during the opening session.
SCOPE
The RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM encourages attendance and participation from all countries in the world which have railway systems. The meetings take place around the globe, with efforts to maintain a balance between all areas.
RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM ADVISORY MEMBERS
Advisory Members to the annual RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM are normally senior railway safety practitioners and specialists. They are invited from railway organisations, from government railway safety regulator and railway accident investigation agencies and from railway unions and associations representing railway organisations. Advisory Members from all over the country regularly attend the RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM.
As a working conference, all Advisory Members are encouraged to contribute by offering to present papers and making presentations, to chair one of the conference sessions and engaging in debate on safety issues.
HOSTING THE RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM
RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM shall be organized on an annual basis. A host for each year shall be established with, wherever possible, a pattern of selection based on planning two years ahead.
At the closing session of each RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM the task of hosting the next RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM is handed to another RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM delegate representing their railway safety related organisation from a particular country or a region.
The host organisation will often work in partnership with other railway safety related organisations in its country or region to coordinate the planning and running of the next conferences. The host and partners are required to ensure their conference supports and focuses on, safety improvement.
The host organisation usually forms a Steering Committee involving other railway organisations in the country or region and may engage a conference manager to assist with organising day-to-day arrangements.
The host is required to organize the RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM in a manner consistent with guidelines
provided by the RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM Core Group. The RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM is not hosted by a commercial conference manager nor run for profit.
As a not-for-profit event the RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM is generally also a non-commercial event. The RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM is focused on safety practitioners helping safety practitioners. The focus within conference at all times is on improving railway safety. It is not a forum to promote political views or for consultants, suppliers and contractors to promote particular expertise, products or business opportunities. Any commercial involvement is usually kept low key and any such promotions are held outside the main conference room.
The RAIL SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FORUM offers an open forum for discussion of safety matters, with no particular axe to grind. Its purpose is to have a candid, open-minded, debate and exchange of information and to discuss ideas for advancing rail safety without political or commercial influence. To facilitate discussion, the size is, ideally, limited to 130 registered Advisory Members. However, the host country, if it wishes, may permit attendance by many more observers. This will for example, by introducing more local or regional participants to the conference, help increase overall awareness of safety issues and contribute to a positive safety culture. Presentations at conference will be selected on the basis of their safety content.
SPONSORSHIP
In order to assist an individual conference the host may need financial or other forms of support to cover costs. Sponsorship as such is acceptable and sponsors may be identified in material promoting the conference. While sponsors may promote their business by display in areas outside the main conference room they may not use presentations during main sessions for that purpose.
