This Code of Practice applies to derailment containment and protection for bridges spanning an opening under a railway (rail underbridges).
Except for railway flyovers, it does not apply to bridges that traverse over a railway (rail overbridges).
The objective of this Code of Practice is to:
a) describe the purpose of derailment containment and protection systems;
b) introduce the concept of assessing the risks arising from railway operations over a rail underbridge as part of a broader system;
c) highlight elements that could influence the risk of a derailment, such as:
i. the infrastructure,
ii. the bridge and track interfaces, and
iii. the operating environment.
d) provide a common approach for risk-based decision making;
e) offer information related to the types of discrete derailment containment and protection systems, which can also be used in combination; and
f) collate risk elimination or control measures that duty holders ought reasonably know of.
It does not provide explicit design solutions.
This Code of Practice complements AS 5100 which provides nationally accepted requirements for the design of new bridges intended to support railway loads.