RAI/Track Safety/TBT-RAI-012

Red Zone and Green Zone Working

Rail Works › Track Safety › Red Zone and Green Zone Working

Presenter		Project
Location		Date

Red zone working means working within the danger zone of an open railway line with trains running.
Green zone working means the line is blocked to train movements providing a protected work area.
Network Rail policy requires green zone working wherever reasonably practicable.
Red zone working is only permitted when a green zone method is not feasible and risks are controlled.
The danger zone extends to a defined distance either side of the nearest running rail.
A safe system of work plan (SSOWP) must specify whether the work is red or green zone.
In a red zone, lookouts or a site warden must warn workers of approaching trains.
Workers in a red zone must reach a position of safety before a train passes the site.
The COSS (Controller of Site Safety) is responsible for implementing the safe system on site.
Fatalities on the railway often involve workers failing to clear the danger zone in time.

Prevent fatalities	Being struck by a train is almost always fatal — safe zone planning is the primary control against this risk.
Industry standard	Network Rail mandates green zone working as the default; red zone work requires specific justification and additional controls.
Legal duty	The employer must provide a safe system of work under HSWA 1974, and the Rule Book defines how this applies on the railway.

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See also: Rail Safety Awareness | COSS (Controller of Site Safety) Role

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