Interoperability: What to Consider for your Authorisation

In order for the National Safety Authority (i.e. the ORR in the UK) to be satisfied that they are in a position to authorise your programme to be placed into service (APIS), they need to be assured that the following can be demonstrated. 

The programme has been defined with the technical scope and interfaces clearly defined;

• A summary of the project is to be presented based on a System Definition that has been updated to reflect the final configuration of the railway. Scope can be added/removed during a project’s lifecycle so the System Definition needs to reflect this.
• Diagrams with appropriate miles and chains limits and lines impacted along with context diagrams will help clearly identify the boundaries of the project.
  

Compliance to Technical Specifications for Interoperability and applicable National Standards has been demonstrated;

• This will be achieved through the provision of the Notified Body and Designated Body Technical Files that have been generated based on design and as-built evidence being provided that demonstrates that the engineering change is compliant with the essential requirements of the applicable TSIs.
  

The system has been safety integrated;

• The key documentation to be referenced to demonstrate compliance with the CSM RA Regulations will be the System Definition (as covered in ‘1’), the System Safety Plan, the project Hazard Record, Safety Justification Reports, the Assessment Body (AsBo) Safety Assessment Report (SAR) and Declaration of Control of Risk (DoCoR). 

Operational readiness;

• A summary of the impact on Operations to be provided with referencing to appropriate evidence that covers operations with respect to the Infrastructure Manager, Train, Freight and Station Operators where required. This may be in the form of training and updates to operational documentation.

Maintenance readiness;

• A summary on the impact on Maintenance organisations. This maybe related to evidence associated with appropriate training, access arrangements, manuals, equipment, spares and schedules being in place.

This will need to be demonstrated in the Technical File that supports the EC Declaration of Verification (the ECDV-TF); not to be confused with the Notified Body and Designated Body Technical Files. The NoBo and DeBo Technical Files form part of the overarching ECDV-TF. From experience it is best (as with most things) to start preparing the ECDV-TF early in the process and then keeping it up to date as the project progresses. This can then be shown in meetings with the National Safety Authority in the build up to the Authorisation application to help build confidence and demonstrate that the submission is under control.

It is therefore vitally important that this is recognised early in the process and communicated to the project team so the importance of these activities can be understood. There is often a focus on ‘getting stuff built’ and evidence regarding Operational and Maintenance readiness not always given as much attention as is required.

Subscribe to our newsletter for more insights like this.