A Critical Evaluation of Impact of Human Error: In Rail System Failure with a View to Enhance Safety

Modern Transportation is a 24x7 industry, fraught with the risk of occasional accidents/incidents. This makes every mode of transport a risky business. With perennial pressure for becoming faster, safer & better with every passing day, greatest challenge for the industry is to eliminate & manage all possible risks to ensure an incident/accident free operation to meet the growing demand of the society. Modern society cannot be conceived without an efficient & safe transport system. Amongst all modes of transport, rail transportation occupies a unique place being the bulk carrier of people & cargo at an affordable cost with least adverse impact on environment.

Despite massive modernization & induction of state of are technology, the safety of rail-road transportation depends largely on the operator. A railway accident always makes a big news across societies & has a particular impact on the psyche of public. There is always a cause most of the time trivial.

The bright side of railway accidents that all misfortune has been turned to profit with evolution of technology based on the lessons learnt. In fact, the modernization of railways so far has greatly depended & progressed on the accident investigation knowledge. Railways growth since its evolution almost two centuries ago is nothing short of a revolutionary technical adventure unique in human history.

In the paper a comprehensive study of all human factor issues involved in working of employees at sharp end of safety has been attempted with critical analysis of more than 1200 incidents/accidents over a period of decades in Indian Railways.

The study revealed many hidden areas & contributing factors in lowering the human performance limit, leading to unsafe acts & unpredicted tragic accidents/incidents. Many findings have belied the traditional knowledge, belief & logic.

The knowledge emerging from this study may help develop counter measures against risks in all transport sectors which may accrue immense societal benefit. Further study could be undertaken by researchers, academician, administrators and regulators in greater public interest. (paper)