Consideration of human factors during the construction or modernization of a line

Consideration of human factors during the construction or modernization of a line

Summary

IRSC 2012 - London

I- A Very Challenging Line to OperateA. Environmental Features

B. Specific Installations1. Bellegarde remote control centre

2. Catenary switching device

3. Catenary power supply feeder

II- Providing Human Factors SupportA. Lot 11. Bellegarde remote control centre

2. Catenary switching device

B. Lot 2

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I- A Very Challenging Line to Operate

1876 2007- 20101990

Built Closed Renovated

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A- Environmental Features

Several curves of radius below 300 m

Risks of runaway

Source: Dossier de sécurité - Rénovation de la ligne du Haut Bugey V3 du 10/11/2011– Annexe 02

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Difficult climatic conditions :- 120 rainy days per year,

- 65 days of frost,

- 27 days of thunder,

- heavy snow,

- ice formation in tunnels

Large rock walls along platforms

Large number of detectors and

protection nets from rock falls

Risks of wheel-slip, wheel-lock, track shift.

High risks of false alarms due to weather conditions


Numerous and imposing structures :

- 10 tunnels of different lengths,

- 49 railroad bridges,

- 5 viaducts,

Presence along the line of 42 level crossings located in :

- high traffic areas,

- tourist zones,

- areas of difficult track geometry

IRSC 2012 - London

IRSC 2012 - London


Central platforms including one :-located just at the end of a tunnel,

-at a gradient of 22 ‰

-and of a curve of 300 m making access to TGVs difficult,

Boarded track crossings

High passenger number in winter

Numerous tourists during summer

Risk of unauthorized presence on tracks

B- Specific Installations

1. A remote control centre in Bellegarde station

2. A unique type on the French national railway network of catenary switching device from 1500 V dc to 25 kV ac linked to the route in Bellegarde station

3. A rare 25 kV ac catenary power supply feeder to be used in case of emergency

If each of these features taken individually can be easily handled ; once gathered together they lead to real and important operation and maintenance risks including some which are linked to human factors.

IRSC 2012 - London

IRSC 2012 - London

B- Specific Installations 1- Bellegarde Remote Control Centre

Necessity to adapt to a new mode of rail traffic control and to a new technology

IRSC 2012 - London

B- Specific Installations 1- Bellegarde Remote Control Centre

Source: translated from Dossier de sécurité - Rénovation de la ligne du Haut Bugey V3 du 10/11/2011– Annexe 29

An inadequate adaptation of staff to new technologies could lead to incorrect application of procedures in case of disruption, to immobilization of trains and to the presence of passengers on tracks.

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B- Specific Installations 2- Catenary Switching Device

Linked to the routeRemote controlled by Bellegarde remote control centre

Voltage monitored by a programmable controllerCondition the clearing of the controlled protecting signal

Source: translated from Dossier de sécurité - Rénovation de la ligne du Haut Bugey V3 du 10/11/2011

IRSC 2012 - London

to Bourg en Bresse

To Geneva

Source: inspired from http://www.ligneduhautbugey.fr/

Area25000 V ac

Area25000 V ac

Area1500 V dc

Area1500 V dc

Switchingarea

Switchingarea

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B- Specific Installations 2- Catenary Switching Device

Control / command incidents at the remote control centre could lead to : command and control failures for the route to Haut Bugey prolonged immobilization of trains before station platforms passengers on tracks train running on sight and power trip stress for remote control centre staff

Requires : training to the particular characteristics of the installation ability to work with many people from different disciplines and remote

Communications dysfunctions in rail traffic control predominate in the majority of incidents.

Bellegarde TC SSR

Verbaly ask the SSR if voltage indication corresponding to the

established route is displayed on his terminal

Verify voltage indication on his terminal

Voltage indication is not displayed

SSR to BellegardeTC: voltage indication« TK …(1500 ou 25000)

displayed on my terminal »

Voltage indication is displayed

Inform Bellegarde TCby numbered

message

After having verified all other conditions for clearing the signal, authorises the passing of the stop signal under the usual regulatory

conditions.

Receive numbered message from SSR

Verbally inform Bellgarde traffic controllerReceive verbal information from SSR

After setting a route, the signal does not clear and the corresponding voltage indication (« KT 1500 » or « KT 25000 ») is not displayed

Source: translated from Dossier de sécurité - Rénovation de la ligne du Haut Bugey – Annexe 29

B- Specific Installations 3- Catenary Power Supply Feeder

To be used only in emergencies cases

Of delicate use in case of accidents on the catenary intervention of maintenance staff

Presents serious electrical hazards

Requires the acquisition of essential job skills

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B- Specific Installations

Operation of the renovated line is complicated

train traffic controller in charge of the remote control center,

operators, maintenance staff, central substation staff drivers ...

Risks of incidents derive from technical components organizational and human

factors

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IM decided to launch a dedicated study based on human factors

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II- Providing Human Factors Support

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Lot 1 Control risks associated with

the catenary switching device and catenary power supply feeder

By working in collaboration with staff at the design stage

To ensure that they had identified and understood all risks of dysfunctions and their corresponding procedures

Lot 2 Assessing the robustness of

Bellegarde remote control centre’s planned organization

By identifying in literature and at similar sites, elements that could contribute to the reflection on the organization of Bellegarde remote control centre

IRSC 2012 - London


IRSC 2012 - London

A- Lot 11. Catenary Switching Device

Issues

Actions Study behaviour of a

single or multiple unit vehicle in case of accidental immobilisation under the catenary switching device

Study how staff would deal with programmable controller malfunctions

Decisions Write a special operating procedure for

the management of train distress scenarii under the catenary switching section,

Include relevant data in driver training, Produce documents on the conditions of

intervention on the catenary switching device for maintenance staff

Incorporate simulation exercises in staff training

Check the consistency of the documents Monitor the operation of the catenary

switching device / care about feedbacks

IRSC 2012 - London


IRSC 2012 - London

A- Lot 12. Catenary Power Supply Feeder

Issues

Actions

Clarify the synchronisation of maintainers local interventions and the repowering of the feeder to rescue a train on the line

Decisions

Organizing knowledge sharing on the basis of catenary power supply feeder instructions

Organizing exercises to test its use in conditions close to real operations.

IRSC 2012 - London


IRSC 2012 - London

Issues

B- Lot 2Assessing the robustness of Bellegarde remote control

center planned organization


centre planned organization

Attention particularly paid on :

Operation of novel installations Clarity and readability of

procedures, Documents accessibility Procedure consistency Remote control center

ergonomics

Alarm management, tools and installations

maintenance Competency profile Training Management Workload Team composition

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Actions

Identify in literature and in the field, elements that could contribute to the reflection on the organization of Bellegarde remote control centre.

Decisions

Adapt Bellegarde traffic controllers’ training to their specific situation,

Organize meetings between train traffic controllers and players with whom they will have to work,

Regularly ensure rotation between the old and the new control centre,

Adapt the ergonomics of Bellegarde remote control centre.

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centre planned organization

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Conclusion

Since 2010 no accident related to :

-specific installations

-new technologies

-communications dysfunctions

Thank you