A close call is anything that is likely to cause harm or damage but hasn’t yet. On Britain’s railways, Network Rail defines it as anything with the potential to harm a person, harm the environment or protected species, or damage infrastructure, plant, vehicles, tools, equipment, systems or information. Reporting close calls lets the risk be removed before it becomes an incident.
Key facts
- A close call is something that could happen; an incident has already happened. A trip hazard is a close call; if someone trips over it, it becomes an incident.
- Recognise, respond, report: the three steps everyone should follow when they see something that could cause harm.
- How to report depends on where you work. On sites managed by a Principal Contractor, you report through that contractor’s close call system. Network Rail staff use its Safety Events app, and other people use Network Rail’s online close call form.
- Network Rail’s Close Call telephone helpdesk closed on 27 February 2024.
- If you don’t feel able to raise a concern openly, you can report it in confidence to CIRAS, the transport sector’s confidential safety reporting service.
What counts as a close call?
Anything that is likely to cause:
- harm to a person, from minor injuries to fatalities;
- harm to the environment or protected species;
- damage to railway infrastructure, plant, vehicles, tools, equipment, systems or information.
Examples include a trip hazard on a walking route, a damaged or unsecured fence near the line, a leaking fuel container, a missing guard on a tool, or a colleague working without the right protective equipment.
What should you do if you see one?
- Recognise: could it cause harm or damage?
- Respond: if you can make the situation safe without putting yourself at risk, do so. Challenge unsafe behaviour. Tell the people around you so they are aware of the risk.
- Report: always report the close call, even if you have fixed it, so it can be recorded and learned from.
If there is an immediate safety risk to the railway, such as a fault with the infrastructure, report the fault first so it can be dealt with urgently, then record the close call. Reporting a fault does not automatically create a close call.
How do you report a close call?
- On a site managed by a Principal Contractor: use that contractor’s close call system. Details should be given at your site induction; if in doubt, ask your supervisor.
- Network Rail staff: use the Network Rail Safety Events app, or its desktop version.
- Anyone else raising a close call that needs Network Rail to act: use Network Rail’s online Close Call report form.
- In confidence: contact CIRAS.
What makes a good close call report?
A good report means the risk can be found, understood and fixed first time. It needs three things:
- Location. Be as precise as possible. For lineside close calls, give the Engineer’s Line Reference (ELR), mileage and chains, and whether it is the Up or Down line. Otherwise give the nearest station, a location cabinet, bridge or signal box number, or a what3words reference. Off the railway, use GPS, what3words, road names or landmarks.
- Problem. Say exactly what the hazard is and what could go wrong. “Loose cover on the mains switch in the ground-floor stairwell, risk of electric shock” is far more useful than “loose screw”.
- Solution. Say what you have already done to make it safe and who needs to fix it if you couldn’t.
Why do close calls matter?
Each report can remove an immediate risk, and together they show where the risks are building up. That lets managers spot trends, prioritise the highest risks and change how work is planned before a serious incident happens. The more close calls are reported, and the better the information in them, the more useful they are.
Close calls at RSS Infrastructure
Our people report close calls through the RSS app, which sends them straight to our health and safety team, led by Group Head of Health & Safety Debbie Haines. We are also a CIRAS member, so anyone working with us can raise a concern in confidence.
Sources
- Network Rail Safety Central: Close Call
- CIRAS: About CIRAS
