23-09-04
Striving for Excellence in Rail Transportation
GE’s U.K. Rail Services business has become the first ever private operator to achieve Compliance Certification for U.K. railways.
To achieve this certification GE’s Operations Team in the UK had to complete a multi-step process verifying that safety-related requirements are always incorporated into the design of their rail transit projects. The process includes verifying and documenting that rail system elements have been constructed as designed and mandated by the U.K.’s Office of the Rail Regulator.
The Regulator aims to achieve the continuous improvement of a safe, well-maintained and efficient railway, which meets the needs of its users. Basically, through this certification GE confirms that its Rail Services team applies the appropriate principles, criteria and techniques to optimize all aspects of safety within the constraints of operational effectiveness, time, and cost throughout its operating cycle.
Several processes were revisited in order to pull this added-value stunt off. Implementation of a robust infrastructure process took place and various metrics where observed to measure and monitor risk beyond any reasonable doubt. One of the metrics used was safety performance monitoring, which measures defect rate for safety critical components against a pre-determined target.
“We had to change our IT System, renegotiate our supplier contracts, change the operations infrastructure and implement a new Compliance Leader,” says Sales Director Willem Goosen.
Although receiving this certification doesn’t affect GE’s customers directly, it definitely does impact them in the long haul – “The Rail UK Compliance success doesn’t impact the customer base directly,” says Operations Director Keith Adams, “although process, rigor and metrics improvement were required to achieve certification, which ultimately helped us improve our level of customer service.”
Rail Services relationship with Network Rail, an external regulating body in the U.K. that also happens to be part of our customer base leasing infrastructure machines and wagons, has had significant value added. Network Rail is very impressed with GE’s service and by the certification.
For further information please contact:
Lynette Innes
Communications Manager – Europe
GE Equipment Services
TIP Trailer / Rail Services
Tel +31 (0) 20 504 1798
Fax +31 (0) 20 504 1730
Mobile +31 (0) 646 270 281
mailto:lynette.innes(at)ge.com