On Wednesday 9 November 2016, a tram derailed and overturned on a curve in Croydon, London. Seven people lost their lives and 51 people were taken to hospital. The interim accident investigation report (RAIB, 2017, p.9) suggests the driver lost awareness and that the tram was exceeding the speed limit. The BBC (Thomas & Titheradge, 2017) reported that four tram drivers have fallen asleep while operating trams in Croydon in the past and it has been postulated that this may have been the case on 9 November 2016. At this time, the case is still under investigation.
In a reflective report of 2,500 words:
a. Reflect on the immediate, underlying, and root causes of the Croydon tram derailment. (30%)
b. Assess the causes of, risks and consequences associated with driver fatigue among railway drivers and recommend countermeasures to driver fatigue. (50%)
c. Reflect on how undertaking this assignment has impacted on your learning and how it may benefit you as a practising health and safety professional. (20%)
