Keeping Railway Safety on Track
Keeping Railway Safety on Track
A railway assessment body is crucial to maintaining a high level of railway safety. The expertise of the assessment body (AsBo) is invaluable in ensuring the safety and reliability of railway systems throughout their life cycle.
The European Union (EU) regulates risk management for changes applied to the railway system to ensure effective railway safety. The European Commission Common Safety Method on Risk Evaluation and Assessment Regulation 402/2013 (CSM RA), as amended by Regulation 2015/1136, is mandatory for the evaluation and assessment of risks associated with significant technical, operational and organisational changes to railways. An AsBo is a competent, independent railway assessment body that inspects the risk management process and risk assessment results to determine compliance with the CSM RA.
The CSM RA defines a common approach for compliance with the safety goals and requirements of the railway system among EU member states. Compliance with CSM RA gives confidence that the system under assessment delivers the required level of safety. It requires a railway assessment body to carry out an independent assessment of the applicant’s risk management process and its results including the safety demonstration of the subject being assessed.
Whenever a significant and safety relevant change is made to the railway system, a AsBo must be appointed to judge if the risk management process suitable and the safety requirements are adequately identified, classified and evaluated. The railway assessment body will also check that the residual risk is reduced to an acceptable level, and the system satisfies safety requirements. The results of this risk-based assessment are documented in a safety assessment report. This is evidence that the subsystem under consideration or change to a subsystem has been safely integrated into the railway system and it is an essential part of the applicant’s request for authorisation.
To ensure effective and harmonized railway system, EU regulation is focused on the construction of an interoperable and safe railway system. This includes Directive (EU) 2016/798 for railway safety and Directive (EU) 2016/797 for railway interoperability. These railway directives also define the three distinct authorisation process pillars for railway subsystems.
Alongside the notified body (NoBo) and the designated body (DeBo), the AsBo represents the third railway assessment body pillar across the authorisation process. The assessment of compliance with the risk management process, as defined in Annex I of the CSM RA, by a recognised railway assessment body, ensures the acceptance (mutual recognition) of the results in all EU member states and by any other stakeholder.
TÜV SÜD is globally accredited as an inspection, testing and certification body, and is recognised as conformity assessment body (NoBo, DeBo, AsBo). Working with us as your AsBo gives you access to the combined knowledge of our global network of 450 multidisciplinary experts. Our services support you at every stage of your railway project, helping you to avoid costly delays and maximising operational efficiencies.
TÜV SÜD performs safety assessments for many railway subsystems during the development process for the following:
For the subsystem rolling stock additionally:
After successful assessment, TÜV SÜD provides you with a safety assessment report summarising the compliance with CSM RA requirements.
Our experts support you along the entire railway subsystem development journey from project inception to final compliance assessment, this ensures a proactive process that saves time and minimises costs. If you are preparing to place a fixed installation into service or if you are working towards authorisation for placing an entire vehicle on the market, we offer the full scope of AsBo services to confirm safe integration:
TÜV SÜD has over 50 years of experience working on global rail projects, collaborating with railway authorities and stakeholders worldwide. We are internationally recognised for our extensive experience in the rail sector and have a proven track record as an independent AsBo that will help you to demonstrate quality, reliability and safety.
As we are recognised as a conformity assessment body for all subsystems (NoBo, DeBo, AsBo), this allows you to have assessments carried out from one single partner. Benefitting from the synergies between these bodies means less coordination-intensive interfaces, thereby minimising costs and optimising project times.
Your project will benefit from our many years of experience with CSM RA assessment, since the introduction of a railway assessment body with Regulation (EU) 352/2009. Our extensive global network of experts also means we have a broad understanding of railway systems and regulatory requirements.
We are recognised as Assessment Body in the Netherlands, by the Eisenbahn-Bundesamt in Germany and by the Bundesamt für Verkehr in Switzerland.
Our experts have many years of assessment experience for a wide variety of railway safety projects and they support the entire life cycle, from first design until final compliance assessment. No matter what your individual needs are, we offer the full scope of AsBo services:
Risk management process assessment according to CSM RA for CCS subsystems and ICs, as required by the TSI CCS, as well as for Class B systems and components according to national requirements. We perform:
Rolling stock
Assessment of the risk management process according to CSM RA for new vehicle types, changes to already authorised vehicle types, and extensions of area of use for all vehicle types – multiple units, locomotives, road-rail vehicles or on track machines (OTM). We perform:
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/545 expanded the AsBo’s scope of work for rolling stock. Independent of the applicant’s decision on the significance of the change, an AsBo must be involved regarding the assessment of compliance with the essential requirements. This service is provided by TÜV SÜD:
Maintenance
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