The Railway Regulatory Authority comes to the conclusion that the station master of Larissa – as well as those who were trained in the same cycle with him – has not been properly trained. In a statement, it states:

“The Railway Regulatory Authority, with the data it has gathered to date, sees strong indications that the theoretical and practical training course provided by the Railway Infrastructure Manager (IRO) to OSE personnel who perform critical tasks (station masters – locksmiths) was incomplete and therefore insufficient” is stated in the RAS announcement to which is added:

“The Railway Regulatory Authority, through a series of audits, investigated the training cycle of the Traffic Branch Staff in which the stationmaster involved in the accident of February 28, 2022 participated and found that the correct and comprehensive theoretical and practical training of the trainees of the specific apprenticeship cycle was not documented, according to the requirements recorded in the Study Guide”.

The announcement of RAS

The Railway Regulatory Authority, as part of the ex officio investigation it is conducting into the head-on collision of the two trains in Tempi, found serious evidence of infringement by the Infrastructure Manager, namely the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE S.A.) related to its Safety Management System.

In particular, the Railway Regulatory Authority, with the data it has gathered to date, sees strong indications that the theoretical and practical training cycle provided by the Railway Infrastructure Manager (IRO) to OSE personnel who perform critical tasks (station masters – locksmiths) was incomplete and therefore inadequate.

The Railway Regulatory Authority, through a series of audits which will be mentioned below, investigated the training cycle of the Traffic Branch Staff in which the station master involved in the accident of 28 February 2022 participated and found that the correct and comprehensive theoretical and practical training of the trainees was not documented. of the specific apprenticeship cycle, according to the requirements recorded in the Study Guide.

The decision to take emergency measures

Therefore, the Plenary of RAS unanimously decided to take extraordinary temporary measures due to serious indications of violation of specific provisions of the railway legislation, the non-compliance of which involves an immediate, serious and imminent threat to public safety. With the extraordinary temporary measures, the Authority compels, among other things, the Infrastructure Manager OSE S.A. not to employ in positions of critical duties all the candidate station masters who participated in the investigated training cycle. These are the staff who, according to the Human Resources Directorate of the OSE, were hired with a Service Provision card and only two of them had a permanent employment relationship due to reassignment.

The responsibility of staff training
It is underlined that the training of the personnel of the infrastructure manager and the railway companies performing critical safety tasks is provided by the Hellenic Railways Organization OSE. The Hellenic Railways Organization organizes the training services, in accordance with the current legislation. The Railway Regulatory Authority has no involvement in the training of Station Masters and Locksmiths. Railway undertakings and the infrastructure manager are responsible for the level of training and qualifications of their staff performing essential safety work. RAS approves at the beginning of each year the annual training program drawn up by OSE.

What is RAS doing?

The competence of the Railway Regulatory Authority in relation to the personnel of critical duties concerns the preparation and the carrying out of the examinations of the candidate train drivers. RAS issues the European driving license. Train drivers, after obtaining this license, also receive a certificate stating the rolling stock and infrastructure (railway route) they are allowed to drive. This certificate is issued by the respective railway company and is its active responsibility.

The findings
According to the OSE Study guide included in the annual training program for the year 2021, “Basic Training of Traffic Branch Personnel (STATHMARCHES)” for the above-mentioned personnel (codes 22075 and 22076) performing critical safety tasks, 712 hours of theory were foreseen to be carried out in two apprenticeship cycles and 75 hours of practical training. According to the testimony of the Traffic Directorate of the OSE, the second cycle of theory took place in parallel with the practical training. Based on the aforementioned program and after the on-site inspections of RAS executives at the OSE offices, the comparative overview, study and analysis of the data and information provided, the following findings emerged:

Proper and comprehensive basic training is not documented Traffic Branch Personnel with codes KP 22075 (Stathmarches Athens) and KP 22076 (Stathmarches Thessaloniki), in accordance with the requirements of the relevant study guide for the following reasons:

Firstly: From the analysis of the data, it is not possible to draw a safe conclusion, that the said candidate station masters have completed the prescribed 2nd cycle of theoretical training of 177 hours which would be conducted in parallel with the practical training of the 75 mandatory days after the completion of the 1st cycle training of 535 hours. Given that critical supporting documents and evidence were not provided from which it can be clearly and completely deduced:

The signed attendance sheets of the trainees during the 1st cycle of theoretical training in the Thessaloniki program for the dates 13.8.22, 24.8.22, 30.8.22, 31.8.22, 9.9.22, 17.9.2022 and 7.10.22 and on Athens program for 13.8.22.
The method of implementation of the remaining hours of theoretical training, which was integrated into the practical training (2nd cycle of training) and the exact number of the total number of trainees.
The certificates of the competent Inspections on the completion of the 2nd Cycle of theoretical training (177 hours).
Certification certificates on completion of practical training (75 days).
The documentary evidence for the practical training of three trainees
Second: From all the written data available to the Authority, there is an ambiguity between the total number of initially candidate training station masters and the final number of persons who successfully participated in the researched training.

The clues

According to all the above, RAS has indications that the railway infrastructure manager (RIM):

It did not provide, as it should, a training program for staff and systems which ensure that staff are adequately qualified and perform their duties accordingly, including arrangements for physical and psychological well-being.

The above is a violation of the provision of Article 61 §3 “Safety management systems” of the Second Part (Incorporation of Directive (EU) 2016/798 of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union of May 11, 2016 (OJ L 138) ) of Law 4632/2019)

The training provided by the OSE in the specific controlled theoretical and practical training cycle and concerns OSE personnel who perform critical safety tasks (station masters) was incomplete and therefore insufficient, given that they are not certified with relevant certificates from the competent services:

A. The training services of station masters, which must include:

Training for the necessary knowledge
Operating rules and procedures,
Signaling and control system, as well
B. The Emergency Procedures applicable to the itineraries being operated.

The above is a violation of the provision of article 65 §§2 and 6 (Access to training facilities) of the Second Part (Incorporation of Directive (EU) 2016/798 of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union of 11 May 2016 (OJ L 138 )) of Law 4632/2019, in conjunction with Executive Regulation 2019/773.

The decision of the Plenary

Based on all the above-mentioned serious indications and in view of the relevant announcements for the start of railway routes, the Plenary Meeting of the Railway Regulatory Authority unanimously decided the following:

It finds serious evidence of a violation by the manager of the railway infrastructure with the name “Railways Organization of Greece Limited Company” and the distinguishing title “OSE SA” of the provisions of articles 61 §3 point (f) (Safety management systems) and 65 §§2 and 6 (Access to training facilities) of the Second Part (Incorporation of Directive (EU) 2016/798 of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union of 11 May 2016 (OJ L 138)) of Law 4632/2019, which ( violations) are directly related to the Security Management System (SMS) as specifically included in the above (IV) rationale.

Summons the manager of the railway infrastructure with the name “Railways Organization of Greece Limited Company” and the distinctive title “OSE SA” within an exclusive period of five (5) working days from the notification to him of this and before the Authority:

To set forth his views in a relevant memorandum document.

Propose (in writing) immediate remedial measures so that its Safety Management System is in compliance with the requirements of Articles 61 §3 (Safety Management Systems) and 65 §§2 and 6 (Access to Training Facilities) of the Second Part (Incorporation of Directive (EU) 2016/798 of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union of May 11, 2016 (OJ L 138)) of Law 4632/2019, in conjunction with Executive Regulation 2019/773.
Obliges the manager of the railway infrastructure with the name “Railways Organization of Greece Limited Company” and the distinctive title “OSE SA” not to employ in positions of critical safety duties all the candidate station masters who participated in, in particular, included in the above history of present, “Basic Training of Traffic Branch Personnel (Commissioners)” with codes 22075 and 22076.

It threatens the manager of the railway infrastructure with the name “Railways Organization of Greece Limited Company” and the distinctive title “OSE SA” with the imposition of a fine of one hundred thousand euros (€100,000.00) for each day of non-compliance with the provisions hereof.

Appoints the Security and Interoperability Unit of the Authority as materially competent to examine, evaluate and recommend competently the, at the above place and time, proposed by the manager of the railway infrastructure under the name “Railways Organization of Greece Limited Company” and the identifier title “OSE SA”, remedial measures.

Authorizes the President of RAS to notify the present decision to the manager of the railway infrastructure under the name “Railway Organization of Greece Public Limited Company” and the distinguishing title “OSE SA”

The Rail Regulatory Authority is continuing unabated with its ex officio investigation which began the day after the tragic train accident, with the aim of completing the process as soon as possible.