As internal investigations into the SMRT accident that took the lives of two young trainees are to be completed next week, the transport operator will have to implement interim safety procedures in the meantime.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) have since issued interim instructions meant to “strengthen existing safety procedures” that should prevent recurrence of a similar incident. The instructions are specifically designed to enhance safety of staff when carrying out works on railway tracks while investigations are still ongoing.
The deaths of 26-year-old Nasrulhudin Najumudin and 24-year-old Muhammad Asyraf are believed to be due to a lapse in safety protocols. They two trainees had gone down to the tracks near Pasir Ris MRT station to investigate a triggered monitoring device, but no coordination was done to ensure that trains stop before the men crossed the tracks. Both of them were hit and killed by an oncoming train that had been moving in automatic mode.
As such, LTA and MOM issued strict requisites for SMRT staff to follow when they carry out maintenance works during service hours. The measures below will have to be applied with effect from today onwards:
a) No trains should run in automatic mode for the sections of the track where personnel are required on the adjacent track walkway. Trains on such sections of the track should be operated manually, and at low speeds;
b) The section of the track where all works are taking place including maintenance or repair, should be isolated (i.e. no trains are allowed to approach) to provide a safe zone before any personnel is allowed to proceed to that area;
c) There should be robust authentication procedures between the personnel deployed on the tracks and the Operations Control Centre (OCC) to verify the track isolation;
d) Measures for isolation must be continuously in place until staff have left the work area and trackside; and
e) Watchmen should be deployed to alert personnel on the tracks of oncoming trains from both directions of the track.
