Keeping rail on track : good practice work health and safety in the Australian rail industry

Abstract. How organisations manage work health and safety is a reflection of their organisational culture. The Australian rail industry is diverse: organisations operate urban passenger networks, heavy haul in the Australian outback, or shift freight over large distances. The aim of the present study was to test lessons developed from earlier research in the Australian mining industry, the 10 Platinum Rules, as a framework for action towards improvements in organisational culture and WHS management in the Australian rail industry. A survey, focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with employees from three rail industry sectors. Data were analysed inductively using an open coding technique to identify key themes. There was a good overall fit in the data with the 10 Platinum Rules, indicating that these rules may provide a useful framework for organisational self-reflection and for developing interventions leading to improved practice in WHS in Australian rail.