Review of Medical Intervals for Safety Critical Staff

We are pleased to announce that the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) have been given the opportunity to undertake a comprehensive review of medical intervals for Safety Critical Workers (SCWs) at the request of the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). This research aims to evaluate current medical fitness assessment practices, ensuring alignment with regulatory standards, health trends, and workforce demographics.

Our objective is to determine the optimal balance between medical intervals and assessment criteria to enhance the health and safety of workers and passengers, while reducing unnecessary testing burdens and costs. The findings will provide valuable evidence to support potential revisions to medical assessment standards within the Great Britain rail industry.

We will formulate evidence-based recommendations to optimise medical intervals for SCWs, supported by cost-benefit analyses. Our methodology will be refined through consultation with RSSB stakeholders, and we will provide regular progress updates via steering and governance group meetings.

We look forward to collaborating with RSSB and confident that our approach will deliver valuable insights and impactful recommendations.