Work Plan

RISSB has today published its 2020 / 2021 work plan, which sets out 16 major projects to tackle industry’s toughest challenges and close to 30 publications that will be delivered over a two year horizon.

Throughout the financial year, RISSB will be managing the development of a total of 29 publications comprising reviews, resubmissions from previous year’s priority planning process (PPP), AS 1085 series of documents still transitioning from Standards Australia, and projects put forward and endorsed by Standing Committees.

The 16 new major projects will enable RISSB to address key safety vulnerabilities, focus on activities that directly address the needs of its stakeholders, and deliver step change improvements for the benefit of the Australian rail industry.

In 2019 – 2020 RISSB delivered 21 Standards, Codes of Practice and Guidelines bringing the total number of publications to more than 220. In addition to these projects, RISSB also published the National Rules Framework.

* The R that appears alongside the type of publication that will be developed / has been developed denotes a review.

Type Title Description
Guideline Achieving compliance at railway station platforms with DSAPT This Guideline will provide ‘how to’ instructions for: meeting DSAPT requirements, assessing compliance, addressing complex real-life examples and ways to provide equivalent and alternative access. It will also provide a structured and logical methodology to roll out changes and system upgrades.
Under consideration Firmware, software and configuration management for operational rail assets This new publication will provide advice on the correct and effective configuration and version control management of software-based safety-critical equipment.
Standard LED Locomotive Headlights, LED Ditchlights AS 7531 will provide advice on the use of incandescent and LED lighting solutions in rolling stock.
Standard Safety Critical Comms This Standard will improve railway incident investigations by providing guidance on the use of non-standard terms and phraseology across the Australian railway network.
Standard Light Rail interfaces with roads (signals and signage) Requested by industry, this new Standard will provide national standards for the design, construction and operation of light rail systems.
Guideline Australian Rail Industry Management System Framework This Guideline will provide the Australian rail industry with a roadmap to develop safety management systems aligned to Rail Safety National Law, highlighting relevant RISSB Standards, Codes of Practice, Rules and Guidelines.
Guideline Fatigue Risk Management The document will good practice fatigue risk management guidance (including evidence-based rostering considerations) for rail safety workers.
Form SPAD Investigations Proforma This form is being developed to bring consistency to the way SPADs are investigated nationally.
AS 7460 Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (Drones) on the Railway Network This Standard provides advice for the use of drones in the railway network and is meant to be used in conjunction with existing CASA drone safety rules.
AS 7519R Bogie Structures This document will describe requirements for the strength of bogie structures and attached equipment under normal operating conditions.
AS 7520R Body Structural Requirements AS 7520 will describes requirements for the structural strength of locomotive, freight, passenger and infrastructure maintenance rolling stock to ensure safe performance under normal and extreme operating conditions.
AS 7522R Access & Egress AS 7522 will set out requirements for the safe and efficient access and egress of crew and workers on locomotives, rolling stock, and infrastructure maintenance rolling stock - to minimise risks to people, especially during emergency evacuations.
AS 7533R Driving Cabs This publication will specify requirements for the design of safe and operable driving cabs in locomotives, passenger trains, and infrastructure maintenance rolling stock.
AS 7640R Rail Management This Standard will assist rail infrastructure managers and other entities responsible for the selection, installation and maintenance of rail by providing fundamental principles for rail management. It is intended to be an overarching document; establishing a roadmap to a suite of other AS Standards containing details of various lifecycle stages of rail management.
AS 7651 Axle Counters This publication will provide consistency in the application of axle counters, particularly in relation to resetting and maintenance.
AS 7658R Level Crossing The new AS 7658 will provide the rail industry with consistency around the requirements for the safe design, management and operation of level crossings.
AS 7664R Railway Signalling Cable Routes, Cable Pits & Foundations This new Standard will provide a clear set of safe methodologies for the design of cable routes, pits, and foundations and better reflect current practices within the rail industry, including permitting the use of new materials such as UV resistant plastics.
AS 7703 Signalling Power Supplies This publication will provide advice on the functional requirements of electrical equipment performing safety signal applications.
Code of Practice Wheel Defect Manual This Code of Practice will describe the requirements for the inspection and repair of freight, passenger, and infrastructure maintenance rolling stock wheels, providing definitions and illustrations of wheel faults and defects.
AS 7474 System Safety Assurance for the Rail Industry This Standard is intended to provide a scalable set of requirements intended to support designers, manufacturers, transport operators and State entities in demonstrating and assuring that new or modified rail assets are safe in accordance with the Australian legislative framework.
Guideline Reliability, Availability and Maintainability (RAM) Guideline for the Australian Rail Industry This document will offer support and guidance on the selection, use and application of reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) standards in the Australian rail industry
AS 7450 Interoperability This Standard will provide a methodology for considering interoperability when introducing new technology or implementing a change management process.
AS 7636 Structures This Standard will describe a set of mandatory and recommended requirements for the nomenclature, design, manufacturing, construction, commissioning, inspection, monitoring, maintenance and decommissioning of rail structures in Australia.
AS 7638 Earthworks This document describes the requirements for the design, construction and maintenance of the railway formation and associated earthworks in connection with train operations in Australia.
AS 7639 Track Structure & Support Systems This Standard will set out the requirements for ensuring that track structures and support systems are safe and fit for purpose and will encourage harmonisation within the Australian rail industry.
AS 7642 Turnouts and Special Trackworks This Standard outlines requirements for turnouts, switches and crossings through all stages of an asset’s lifecycle.
AS 7666 TPC Interoperability This Standard will provide guidance to the Australian rail industry on the implementation of AS7450 to TPC systems, including equipment, operating rules, engineering and management processes which combine to ensure the safe, efficient movement of freight and passengers.
Guideline Wheel Rail Profile Development This Guideline will provide good practice guidance on assessing wheel and rail profiles theoretically and in the field (in service) and provide a change management process for developing, testing and implementing new wheel and/or rail profiles.
AS 1085.17 Railway track materials - steel sleepers This Standard provides design and testing requirements for steel sleepers.
MAJOR PROJECTS
Report Exploration of Technological Solutions (RISSB / ONRSR joint project)
Action Plan Action Plan from Technology Study
Guideline Good Practice for Planning Works in the Rail Corridor
Standard Digital Engineering
Guideline Achieving a Positive Safety Culture in the Rail Corridor
Training Explore the Viability of Nationally Recognised Protection Officer Training
Rule National Communications Rule
Plan Produce a Pipeline of Harmonized and Rationalized National Rules
Glossary Glossary of Terms
Standard Railway Rulebooks
Register National Vehicle Register
Report Interoperability Technology Solutions and Funding Models
Report The Case SFAIRP (for taking away / reducing etc.) Horns in Built Up Areas
Code of Practice Industry Code of Practice on Horns
Report Current Good Practice in Wheel Squeal
Website Web-based Technology Sharing Platforms
Various National Rail Action Plan


TYPE or Australian Standard Number Title
AS1085.1R Steel Rails
Code of Practice Derailment Protection for Rail Underbridges
Guideline Mobile Devices in the Rail Corridor
AS1085.14R Prestressed Concrete Sleepers
AS 7501R Rolling Stock Certification
AS 7705 Level Crossing Monitoring Systems
AS 7479 Collision Avoidance and Proximity Warning on Track Maintenance Vehicles Including RRVs
Guideline Network and Operational Performance
Code of Practice Code of Practice Rail Cyber Security for Rolling Stock & Train Control Systems
Guideline Requirements for the Procurement of Rolling Stock
AS1085.22R Specification for Alternate Material Sleepers
AS 7704 Train Control Systems Change Management
AS 7724 Rolling stock - Unauthorized Movement Protection
AS 7511R On Board Train Protection Systems
AS 7473 Complex System Integration in Railways
AS 7663R Signal Cables
AS 1085.20R Welding of Steel Rail
AS 1085.21R Turnouts, Switches and Crossings
AS 7633R Railway Infrastructure Clearances
Guideline R Security Handbook Vol 1 and 2
Guideline R Consolidation of Public Level Crossings