Preventing fatalities and injuries
on the Australian rail network

The TrackSAFE Foundation, established by the Australasian Railway Association and UGL in 2012, is Australia’s only harm prevention charity focused on reducing deaths, injuries and near hits on the rail network. TrackSAFE also works to improve the wellbeing of rail employees.

TrackSAFE is a harm prevention charity, registered with the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission. The TrackSAFE Foundation Constitution can be viewed here.

A summary of our purpose and how we work can be viewed here.

Our 2023-2026 strategy on a page is available here.

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Fatalities on average each year on
the Australian rail network.

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People injured each year at level crossings or because of trespass.

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Near hits at level crossings or due to
trespass on the Australian rail network.

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Level crossings across Australia.

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Employees across the rail sector.

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Organisations with a focus on rail.

Sources: TrackSAFE 2023 Fatalities & injuries on the Australian Heavy Rail Network, ARA 2020 Value of Rail 2020, ONRSR 2023

Our key priorities

1.

Rail Suicide Prevention

Preventing suicide by working with leaders and trusted partners like Lifeline Australia to promote community-based crisis services, advocating for funding for the construction of barriers to limit access to the rail corridor and supporting evidence-based activities and research.

Our key priorities

2.

Mental Health Services

Improving Trauma Management through initiatives such as Rail R U OK? Day, mental health awareness and first aid training, providing the Rail Res App and post incident resources.

Our key priorities

3.

Rail Safety

Reducing injuries by raising community awareness of rail safety through events such as Rail Safety Week, behaviour change campaigns and education resources.

Our key priorities

4.

Level Crossing Safety

Advocating for level crossing removal programs, public awareness campaigns to improve driver and pedestrian behaviour and funding for new research and trials of emerging technologies which may help to reduce fatalities and injuries at level crossings.

Trauma Support for rail and
recovery staff

Beyond the human loss or injury caused by person-train collisions or near misses, incidents can cause trauma and work-related stress to rail and recovery staff involved with an incident.

Many necessitate an absence from work and the risk of acute and chronic health and wellness issues can have ongoing impacts, including return to work. Safe Work Australia identifies rail drivers as first responders, one of the most at-risk occupations for work-related mental disorders. For the wider community, these incidents also cause disruption and delays to hundreds of services each year, impacting customers and economic efficiency.

Updated 3/1/24

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