The Netherlands Schedules Track Maintenance to Improve Track Workers’ Safety

After several fatal accidents, improving the safety of rail-track workers became a political priority in The Netherlands. Maintaining the track was one of the most dangerous jobs in the country. ProRail divides its infrastructure into working zones to be taken out of service during maintenance. We developed a two-step method of constructing a four-week maintenance schedule in which each working zone of the main lines is closed to trains at night exactly once. The alterations in trains’ departure and arrival times are within the restrictions imposed by train operators. Workers have accepted the resulting schedule, which provides them with a manageable maximum workload per night. Such a schedule is unique in Europe. It has been in operation since 2000 and has clearly proven its benefits.