At CIRAS we want to help our member community during the pandemic. If you are a frontline worker, we’re still here to listen to your worries about health, safety and wellbeing, in complete confidence - whether you are out there keeping things running, furloughed, returning to work or working from home. If you’re a health and safety professional, we’re sharing intelligence on the CIRAS reporting themes, good practice from across our member community, and some resources developed by RSSB. We’ll update these pages from time to time, so please check in and see what’s new. 

Please contact us and let us know if there is any other way in which we can help you at enquiries@ciras.org.uk or get in touch with your Stakeholder Manager. 

https://ciras.org.uk/being-the-rep/

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For frontline staff

Reporting your health and safety concerns

Our hotline has been busy with staff raising concerns, many of which relate to the rapidly changing advice and working practices that so many of our members are dealing with due to Covid-19. See what themes are emerging and some examples of how are members are responded.

Webinar: ‘The importance of reporting health and safety concerns’

Around 50 frontline transport workers attended our webinar on 7 May looking at how reporting health, safety and wellbeing issues can make a difference. The webinar looked at how reporting could have prevented big disasters in the transport industry and beyond, referring to case study examples.

We also showed where CIRAS fits in and how we listen to your concerns confidentially before sharing them with companies so that they can take action. We close the loop so that you know what has happened as a result of your concern. You can find out more on our report form web page.

Download slides from the webinar / Watch webinar here

Looking after your mental wellbeing

It’s important to look after your mental wellbeing during this challenging time. A.D.V.I.C.E. has published some useful practical tips on how – click here: https://www.ciras.org.uk/articles/2020/advice-topic-mental-health-covid-19/

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For CIRAS members

New poster

We have created a new A4 poster that reminds staff they can still come to CIRAS during the current pandemic and we will listen to their concerns in confidence. The poster includes examples of some of the common reporting themes emerging since the crisis began. Members can download it from our members’ portal.

NEW: 'Life after lockdown' rep events

We are running a series of hour-long online rep events to enable CIRAS members to share insights and good practice in preparing for life after lockdown. The online events will feature speakers from across our membership. The introductory session will be the same for all three, but the speakers at each will bring their own perspectives.

By attending, you will have the opportunity to:

  • hear from health and safety experts what they are doing to prepare
  • pick up ideas which may benefit your business
  • share your own learning and insights
  • ask questions and get answers.

Visit the event pages to find out more, including how to register (CIRAS members):

24 June 2020, 11:00
Simon Groves, Safety Assurance Manager, Keolis Amey Cymru/Transport for Wales Rail Services

Stuart Webster-Spriggs, HSQE Director, VolkerRail Limited

2 July 2020, 11:00
Wasim Mohammed, Health, Safety, Risk & Environment Director, Arriva UK Bus

Mark Starkey, Safety, Quality & Environment Director, MTR Elizabeth line

9 July 2020, 14:00
David Mulhall, Head of Safety and Security, First Transpennine Express

Gareth Morris, Group Director, Health, Safety, Quality and Environmental Compliance, Morson International

Sharing good practice with us

Please tell us what you’re doing to respond to Covid-19 guidance in your business and keep your colleagues and passengers safe. We’ll share examples with our wider community to help everyone benefit from the great work that’s going on around the country.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CIRASCOVID19

Webinar: 'Sharing good practice in responding to Covid-19'

Around 40 participants attended our webinar on 30 April, where we shared some great stories of how CIRAS members are working to keep their staff and customers safe and well. Many examples of good practice are commonly implemented – but there are also innovative ideas to spark fresh thinking.

We shared good practice within two main themes: avoiding infection and supporting mental wellbeing. We looked at ways members are implementing social distancing in depots, on work sites and travelling to and from work at a time when many transport workers are keeping the country running.

With many people now working in unfamiliar ways, working from home for the first time or dealing with the uncertainty of being furloughed, we also discovered how members are using practical and innovative ideas to support the mental wellbeing of their staff.

Members can download slides and recording of the webinar on the CIRAS members’ portal (under 'shared learning') and read our summary article. Please contact us on enquiries@ciras.org.uk if you need a reminder of your login details.

Industry resources

Our parent company, RSSB, has been creating some useful resources to help transport companies deal with common issues arising from Covid-19 and adapt to new challenges as transport services increase and the lockdown is eased. Some of these are for RSSB members only but others are freely available.

Other resources