Waterfall – we remember 10 years on

Today marks the 10^th anniversary of the Waterfall train disaster – a tragedy that rocked the whole of the train industry and well as the community at large.

Many of us in the industry remember that day 10 years ago as if it were just yesterday. It was a dark day in history and our hearts go out to everyone who lost a loved one in the incident.

The loss of a comrade in the tragedy was incredibly difficult for the whole of the workforce, and particularly for his close friends and workmates. Our continued thoughts are with his family and friends.

If we can draw any solace from that tragic day, it’s that it has changed the way safety is viewed in the industry.

There have been changes – but there’s still a way to go if we’re to prevent another tragedy like this occurring,

The inquiry after the accident made 177 recommendations – two of them are still outstanding, but it’s important that we continue to push to ensure safety is the highest priority every single day. As things change, it’s critical we think about the safety implications and move to introduce measures to maintain a safe working environment.

Safety is paramount in every industry, but in our industry it is particularly important. We’ve unfortunately seen what can happen when safety is not given the consideration it needs and deserve – and the consequences are tragic.

Private services are being held across the state today in memory of the victims of the accident.