Rail investigators have told a subcontractor to review the communications equipment and protocols used to control its rail cranes after a worker was seriously injured during track renewal works at Port Glasgow.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said the March 2025 accident happened when a wagon being propelled by a rail-mounted crane struck two track workers near Port Glasgow station.
One worker suffered serious arm injuries and required extensive skin grafts. A second worker suffered a minor knee injury.
The work was being managed by Rail Systems Alliance Scotland, a joint venture of client Network Rail, design agent Arcadis and principal contractor Babcock Rail Ltd.
The alliance had contracted the supply of rail cranes to Swietelsky Babcock Rail, a joint venture of Swietelsky Construction Company Ltd and Babcock Rail Ltd.
In a report into the incident released today, RAIB said the crane operator could not see in the direction of travel and depended on radio instructions from the ground.
Witness evidence indicated that a stop command was issued over the radio, but it was not received by the operator.
RAIB said Swietelsky Construction had used simplex back-to-back radios on its rail cranes, even though Network Rail standards required product-approved duplex communications systems.
“The radio system used on the rail crane was not compliant with Network Rail’s requirement for on-track machines to use duplex communications systems,” the report found.
The company had also not sought a formal derogation that could have allowed continued use of simplex systems.
The report added that the radios fitted to the cranes in 2022 had not gone through Network Rail’s product approval process.
Swietelsky Construction had relied on its supplier to provide suitable equipment without specifying that approval was needed, the report found.
RAIB said Swietelsky Construction should “review its use of non-duplex radio communication systems when controlling movements of its rail cranes on Network Rail managed infrastructure”.
It said that the firm should use that review to decide whether to comply with Network Rail’s requirement for product-approved duplex systems or seek a derogation.
RAIB also observed that, although this was not linked to the accident itself, the rail crane team had started work on the Saturday evening without its controller of site safety or person-in-charge being on site.
Investigators also found there was no lamp on the leading end of the wagon, despite rules requiring one when wagons are propelled inside a possession.
The watchdog made two recommendations to Network Rail.
These covered a review of standards for radio communications on on-track machines and a review of assurance processes used to monitor compliance.
RAIB said the wider rail crane sector also appeared to be using simplex systems routinely, showing a broader lack of awareness of the duplex requirement.
Construction News has contacted Swietelsky Construction for comment.
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