The Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 (ROGS) were introduced to implement the European Railway Safety Directive (2004/49/EC) in the UK.
ROGS provide the regulatory regime for the mainline railway, metros, tramways, light rail and heritage railways. Amongst other things, ROGS require transport operators to:
- Implement a Safety Management System and obtain the necessary safety certificates/authorisation from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).
- Carry out risk assessments and implement necessary safety measures; mainline railways must also comply with the EU’s common safety method for risk evaluation and assessment.
- For changes that could introduce significant risk, non-mainline operators must employ an Independent Competent Person to oversee the safety assurance (or safety verification) process.
This approach has been adopted by other railway administrations to give safety regulators assurance that legal obligations, concerning safety, have been met.
To ensure that we have the necessary expertise and accountability, Rail Safety & Systems Assurance prefers to provide a named individual as the “Independent Competent Person” supported by a small team of experts in relevant technical and operational areas.