Safety & Compliance
Close Call Reporting
Network Rail defines a Close Call as anything that has the potential to cause harm or damage. This includes the potential to:
- Harm a person including minor, major injuries, and fatalities.
- Harm the environment and/or protected species.
- Damage railway infrastructure, plant, vehicles, tools and equipment.
The difference between a close call and an incident:
- A Close Call is something that could happen
- An incident has already taken place
- For example, if a trip hazard is spotted it can be reported as a Close Call because someone could trip over it. If someone actually trips because of the hazard, it is then classed as an incident.
Reporting Close Calls means we can remove immediate risks and understand strategically where we need to make improvements by identifying areas of high risk and taking steps to prevent a more serious incident from occurring.
