Safety Culture Peer Review
It is essential to improve safety by developing safety culture and integrating human and organizational factors. The Safety Culture Peer Review approach provides a clearer view of an organization's safety culture and the integration of Human and Organizational Factors (HOF).
Peer reviews are commonly used in sectors like nuclear, gas and oil, and aviation, as a tool for improving safety, quality, processes, and systems. Having experienced "external eyes" on local organizations, with access to staff and processes, helps identify potential problems, oversights, or vulnerabilities that might escape a single person or team of auditors.
Objectives
The Safety Culture Peer Review aims to:
- Support the railway sector by improving safety through peer exchanges and learning from experience.
- Help members identify examples of good practice or practices to be avoided, which can be easily shared and adopted by other organizations.
- Strengthen the safety culture and better integrate Human and Organizational Factors into the organization's "DNA," going beyond simple safety considerations.
Safety Culture Peer Review working group
This is an ongoing activity within the UIC Safety Platform. It enables improvements in safety culture to be internationalized through peer review exercises. The main objectives of the working group are to:
- Carry out 3-4 peer reviews per year.
- Keep the UIC Peer Review reporting tool up to date.
- Improve the Safety Culture Peer Review process.
- Provide inputs on the practical process for peer review requests, selection, planning, and cost.
Coordination
This initiative is coordinated by a joint Steering Board between UIC and ERA. Their responsibilities include:
- Managing the pool of Peer Reviewers and Team Leaders (UIC).
- Scheduling necessary training provided by ERA and/or UIC.
- Maintaining and enriching methodology based on feedback from the group (UIC/ERA).
- Creating multiannual planning for peer review exercises (UIC).
Participants
Several organizations have already participated in a Peer Review: Trenitalia, 2 units of SNCF, OBB Infra, OBB production, NI, CFL cargo, Infrabel, LISEA/MESEA.
Watch what OBB and Infrabel have to say about their peer review experience
Contact Information
Interested in hosting a Peer Review, becoming a reviewer or team leader, or joining the Safety Culture Peer Review group?
Contact person: Virginie Papillault