ECM Assurance review
Agility Trains, Hitachi Rail, LNER & GWR
The overview
Agility Trains owns the Class 800 and 801 fleets that are operated by LNER and GWR and wished to gain assurance that policy and process relating to the requirements of the Entity in Charge of Maintenance (ECM) Regulations had been implemented effectively within manufacturer and maintainer Hitachi Rail Limited (HRL).
Agility also sought a deeper look at the degree of cultural adoption of safety assurance and ECM principles at the highest levels within the HRL organisation. IPEX undertook a broad ranging and rigorous review with the aim of gaining this assurance while engaging the fleet operators and improving relationships between all parties.
- ECM review and gap analysis
- Stakeholder engagement
- Board room to depot
- Platform for continual improvement
Our response
IPEX considered whether policies and processes to meet ECM requirements under Regulation 18A of ROGS were embedded within the organisation, where accountability and responsibility lay and the resources and capabilities to fulfil these requirements, with particular reference to the interfaces with the Operators’ Safety Management Systems.
A focus of the review was how information flows between the senior team, support teams and the depot teams within HRL, with respect to ECM requirements.
IPEX developed a detailed protocol for the review, which was circulated in advance. The protocol broke down the ECM requirements and interpreted them for the context. A schedule was also proposed and agreed with the Agility and HRL teams.
Review sessions were attended by members of the HRL team from UK Business Lead to depot management, as well as by representatives of Agility Trains, LNER and GWR.
The value to the client
IPEX produced a report summarising the findings of the review which detailed the issues identified, as well as areas of good practice.
The report outlined prioritised recommendations for follow up by all parties. IPEX supported the parties to develop improvement plans and actions in the period following the review.
A key element of the success of the review was IPEX’s constructive, positive approach that put participants at ease while giving stakeholders confidence in existing arrangements and that improvements would follow the review.
